Microsoft KB Archive/88363

= How to Change Name and Company After Windows Installation =

Article ID: 88363

Article Last Modified on 5/7/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 3.1 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 3.11 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.2
 * Microsoft Windows 95
 * Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

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This article was previously published under Q88363



This article discusses an undocumented and unsupported command-line parameter. Microsoft does not support or encourage the use of this parameter and provides this article as information only. Use this parameter at your own risk.



SUMMARY
This article discusses how to change your name and company name in Microsoft Windows after you have already installed Windows.

When Windows is installed, part of the Setup program asks for your name and company. This information is then written to different places depending on which version of Windows you are running:

  Windows                       This information is stored in   --- Windows 3.1                  USER.EXE Windows 3.11                 USER.EXE Windows for Workgroups 3.1   USER.EXE Windows for Workgroups 3.11  SERIALNO.INI Windows 95                   Registry Windows 98                   Registry Windows Me                   Registry

USER.EXE is located in the Windows\SYSTEM directory and is not an editable file.

SERIALNO.INI is located in the Windows directory and is an editable file.



Steps to Change Name and Company
If you are using Windows version 3.1, 3.11, or Windows for Workgroups 3.1:


 * 1) From the Program Manager File menu, choose Run.
 * 2) In the Command Line box, type &quot;setup /f&quot; (without quotation marks) and choose OK.
 * 3) Enter the new name and company, and then choose Continue.
 * 4) When you are asked to confirm the name and company, choose Continue.
 * 5) When the Setup Options screen is displayed, choose Continue.
 * 6) When the Install Components screen is displayed, choose Continue.
 * 7) If the swap file screen is displayed, choose Continue.
 * 8) When you are asked to insert a Windows disk, choose the Exit Setup button.
 * 9) When you are asked to confirm exiting Setup, choose Yes.

Windows Setup closes and you automatically exit Windows. When you restart Windows, the new user name and company name appear.

If you are using Windows for Workgroups 3.11, either edit the SERIALNO.INI file with a text editor (such as Notepad) and restart Windows for Workgroups, or use the above procedure running WINSETUP /F instead of SETUP /F in step 2.

If you are using Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

NOTE: For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (SYSTEM.DAT and USER.DAT) before you edit the registry.

Use Registry Editor to change the RegisteredOrganization and RegisteredOwner values in:

Additional query words: 3.10 license win95 win95x registered winmil

Keywords: kbpubtypekc kbmsccsearch kbenv kbhowto kbprod2web KB88363

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