How to Change Name and Company After Windows Installation

ID: Q88363

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11
Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11
Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98

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

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.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Change Name and Company

If you are using Windows version 3.1, 3.11, or Windows for Workgroups 3.1:

From the Program Manager File menu, choose Run.

In the Command Line box, type "setup /f" (without quotation marks) and choose OK.

Enter the new name and company, and then choose Continue.

When you are asked to confirm the name and company, choose Continue.

When the Setup Options screen is displayed, choose Continue.

When the Install Components screen is displayed, choose Continue.

If the swap file screen is displayed, choose Continue.

When you are asked to insert a Windows disk, choose the Exit Setup button.

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 or Windows 98:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. 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:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

Additional query words: 3.10 license win95 win95x registered


Keywords          : kbenv win31 win95 win98 wfwg 
Version           : 3.1 3.11 95
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: January 13, 1999