Renaming Windows user profile

Sometimes it is necessary to resolve problems that are related to the Windows user profile.

Instructions

Reboot the computer to release any locks on the profile.

Log on with an administrative account. (create a new user with admin rights in advance)

Navigate to the C:\Users\ folder.

Rename the user profile with the word “.old” at the end of it. Example: “<username>” becomes “<username>.old”

Delete these two registry keys for that user: Open regedit.exe and navigate to:

In the “Profile Image Path” value. Find the key that lists the username. Note the last four digits of the value. Then delete it. Then navigate to:

Find and delete the key with the four digits from the last step.

Reboot the computer again.

Login with the users' credentials.

Transfer data from the user’s old profile (username-old), into the user’s new profile (username) one folder at a time. 

Do not transfer the “AppData” Contents unless you specifically know what you are looking for. This folder is most likely housing the garbage that jacked-up the user profile in the first place.

**If the user is fond of Sticky Notes, they can be found here: C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Sticky Notes

**Web Browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, etc. often time store the user data in the AppData folder as well. For example, you may need to reach back and restore the users' Google Chrome folder here: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data

After you are confident that you have moved all the users’ data from the old profile on to the new profile. You may delete the old profile, but I never do. Just in case.

Another reboot may be required.

Have user login again. Remap any network drives, printers, task bar items and any other cosmetics from step

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