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Moderated A Question Regarding WIndows 10 and Microsoft Accounts

Lynne Moore
 

Hello everyone,
The subject of microsoft accounts was being discussed earlier, so I thought I would ask a question here. Sorry if this is inappropriate. I purchased a laptop from a friend of mine a few years ago. She herself had just purchased it, but had never used it. At that time, I was in a lot of trouble and my then current computer was rendered unusable. My friend very kindly offered to sell the computer she had just received to me and I took her up on that offer. The person she purchased it from set up Windows 10 for her with folders in her name, etc. My question is this: I cannot have my microsoft account on this machine because her name is on all of the folders, etc. How can I change these folders to my name so I can have my account back? Do I have to totally reinstall? Thanks for any help.
Using Microsoft Windows 10 Version 22H2, OS build 19045.2728.
Lynne Moore
K0LNY
 

That is what I would do, even without considering accounts.
Just make sure you have the product key before you start.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lynne Moore" <lynne57moore@...>
To: <jfw@groups.io>
Sent: Sunday, March 26, 2023 9:22 PM
Subject: A Question Regarding WIndows 10 and Microsoft Accounts


Hello everyone,
The subject of microsoft accounts was being discussed earlier, so I thought
I would ask a question here. Sorry if this is inappropriate. I purchased a
laptop from a friend of mine a few years ago. She herself had just purchased
it, but had never used it. At that time, I was in a lot of trouble and my
then current computer was rendered unusable. My friend very kindly offered
to sell the computer she had just received to me and I took her up on that
offer. The person she purchased it from set up Windows 10 for her with
folders in her name, etc. My question is this: I cannot have my microsoft
account on this machine because her name is on all of the folders, etc. How
can I change these folders to my name so I can have my account back? Do I
have to totally reinstall? Thanks for any help.
Using Microsoft Windows 10 Version 22H2, OS build 19045.2728.
Lynne Moore
Lynne Moore
 

Thank you. I thought that was what I would have to do.
Lynne Moore

On Mar 26, 2023, at 10:26 PM, K0LNY <glenn@...> wrote:

That is what I would do, even without considering accounts.
Just make sure you have the product key before you start.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lynne Moore" <lynne57moore@...>
To: <jfw@groups.io>
Sent: Sunday, March 26, 2023 9:22 PM
Subject: A Question Regarding WIndows 10 and Microsoft Accounts


Hello everyone,
The subject of microsoft accounts was being discussed earlier, so I thought
I would ask a question here. Sorry if this is inappropriate. I purchased a
laptop from a friend of mine a few years ago. She herself had just purchased
it, but had never used it. At that time, I was in a lot of trouble and my
then current computer was rendered unusable. My friend very kindly offered
to sell the computer she had just received to me and I took her up on that
offer. The person she purchased it from set up Windows 10 for her with
folders in her name, etc. My question is this: I cannot have my microsoft
account on this machine because her name is on all of the folders, etc. How
can I change these folders to my name so I can have my account back? Do I
have to totally reinstall? Thanks for any help.
Using Microsoft Windows 10 Version 22H2, OS build 19045.2728.
Lynne Moore
Brian Vogel
 

I can't tell you what you need to do without knowing whether the account set up for your friend at the beginning was a local account versus a Microsoft Account linked Windows 10 User Account.  If you open Settings, Accounts, Your Info Pane, if there's a link there that says, "Sign in with a Microsoft Account instead" then the existing account is a local one and could just be linked to any existing (or new, for that matter) Microsoft Account.  If there is one that says, "Sign in with a local account instead," that means the Windows 10 account you're using is already linked to a Microsoft Account.

It would be much easier, regardless of the existing account type, and if you're really concerned that the folder structure reflect your name (which, by the way, is not necessary if the account was local and you convert it to MS-Account linked) to create a new account on the computer linked to your Microsoft Account, copying everything over from the account you've been using, then nuke the original account.  That's way less labor intensive, in my opinion and experience, than doing a "nuke and pave" with a completely clean reinstallation of Windows 10.
--

Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 11 Pro, 64-Bit, Version 22H2, Build 22621; Office 2016, Version 16.0.15726.20188, 32-bit; Android 12 (MIUI 13)  

I recoil from any definition of the relationship between artist and audience that is predicated on the audience claiming a sense of betrayal over who someone is or isn’t outside of the context in which they’re performing. What we know about an artist’s personal identity can be interesting and even illuminating; what we are entitled to know is … nothing, basically.

            ~ Mark Harris, Is Celebrity ‘Queer Baiting’ Really Such a Crime?, 

               T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Feb. 6, 2023
Lynne Moore
 

Thanks Brian. I will check the status of the account on this machine. I very much appreciate your advice. I would rather not do a clean install unless I have to, but I wanted to do something about this before I went to Windows 11.
Lynne Moore

On Mar 27, 2023, at 12:27 AM, Brian Vogel <britechguy@...> wrote:

I can't tell you what you need to do without knowing whether the account set up for your friend at the beginning was a local account versus a Microsoft Account linked Windows 10 User Account.  If you open Settings, Accounts, Your Info Pane, if there's a link there that says, "Sign in with a Microsoft Account instead" then the existing account is a local one and could just be linked to any existing (or new, for that matter) Microsoft Account.  If there is one that says, "Sign in with a local account instead," that means the Windows 10 account you're using is already linked to a Microsoft Account.

It would be much easier, regardless of the existing account type, and if you're really concerned that the folder structure reflect your name (which, by the way, is not necessary if the account was local and you convert it to MS-Account linked) to create a new account on the computer linked to your Microsoft Account, copying everything over from the account you've been using, then nuke the original account.  That's way less labor intensive, in my opinion and experience, than doing a "nuke and pave" with a completely clean reinstallation of Windows 10.
--

Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 11 Pro, 64-Bit, Version 22H2, Build 22621; Office 2016, Version 16.0.15726.20188, 32-bit; Android 12 (MIUI 13)  

I recoil from any definition of the relationship between artist and audience that is predicated on the audience claiming a sense of betrayal over who someone is or isn’t outside of the context in which they’re performing. What we know about an artist’s personal identity can be interesting and even illuminating; what we are entitled to know is … nothing, basically.

            ~ Mark Harris, Is Celebrity ‘Queer Baiting’ Really Such a Crime?, 

               T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Feb. 6, 2023
K0LNY
 


I would always do a clean install on a used computer.
Glenn

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 27, 2023 2:33 AM
Subject: Re: A Question Regarding WIndows 10 and Microsoft Accounts

Thanks Brian. I will check the status of the account on this machine. I very much appreciate your advice. I would rather not do a clean install unless I have to, but I wanted to do something about this before I went to Windows 11.
Lynne Moore

On Mar 27, 2023, at 12:27 AM, Brian Vogel <britechguy@...> wrote:

I can't tell you what you need to do without knowing whether the account set up for your friend at the beginning was a local account versus a Microsoft Account linked Windows 10 User Account.  If you open Settings, Accounts, Your Info Pane, if there's a link there that says, "Sign in with a Microsoft Account instead" then the existing account is a local one and could just be linked to any existing (or new, for that matter) Microsoft Account.  If there is one that says, "Sign in with a local account instead," that means the Windows 10 account you're using is already linked to a Microsoft Account.

It would be much easier, regardless of the existing account type, and if you're really concerned that the folder structure reflect your name (which, by the way, is not necessary if the account was local and you convert it to MS-Account linked) to create a new account on the computer linked to your Microsoft Account, copying everything over from the account you've been using, then nuke the original account.  That's way less labor intensive, in my opinion and experience, than doing a "nuke and pave" with a completely clean reinstallation of Windows 10.
--

Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 11 Pro, 64-Bit, Version 22H2, Build 22621; Office 2016, Version 16.0.15726.20188, 32-bit; Android 12 (MIUI 13)  

I recoil from any definition of the relationship between artist and audience that is predicated on the audience claiming a sense of betrayal over who someone is or isn’t outside of the context in which they’re performing. What we know about an artist’s personal identity can be interesting and even illuminating; what we are entitled to know is … nothing, basically.

            ~ Mark Harris, Is Celebrity ‘Queer Baiting’ Really Such a Crime?, 

               T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Feb. 6, 2023
Brian Vogel
 

On Mon, Mar 27, 2023 at 10:27 AM, K0LNY wrote:
I would always do a clean install on a used computer.
-
As would I.  But read the description in the original message.  This isn't a used computer in any meaningful sense of the phrase.  It was initially set up and never really used before being passed along.

If the machine came to me from a known and trusted source, and/or already had lots of software I use installed on it, I'd definitely avoid doing a completely clean reinstall of Windows.

And I want to emphasize, again, that folder structure is created when an account is created, but that need not be associated in any way with a Microsoft Account later linked to what was initially a local account.  I have a machine on which I once reloaded Windows and created a local account named "erase," as that's what I thought would end up happening with it later.  But I decided at some point to link my Microsoft Account to it via the "Sign in with a Microsoft Account instead" link, which it did.  But that has zero effect on the existing folder structure, which still has C:\users\erase as the base folder while, if I create an MS Account linked Windows user account (which I have on several other machines) from the outset, the folder C:\Users\brite is the base folder.  It takes whatever it is that you've created as your MS-Account name and pares it down to the first 5 characters after C:\users.

If you later link what had been a local user account to an existing MS-Account, you will not see any change in the folder structure for the account so linked after the fact.
--

Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 11 Pro, 64-Bit, Version 22H2, Build 22621; Office 2016, Version 16.0.15726.20188, 32-bit; Android 12 (MIUI 13)  

I recoil from any definition of the relationship between artist and audience that is predicated on the audience claiming a sense of betrayal over who someone is or isn’t outside of the context in which they’re performing. What we know about an artist’s personal identity can be interesting and even illuminating; what we are entitled to know is … nothing, basically.

            ~ Mark Harris, Is Celebrity ‘Queer Baiting’ Really Such a Crime?, 

               T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Feb. 6, 2023
Lynne Moore
 

Hi Brian and Glenn,
Thanks again for your help. It is very much appreciated. I will try to link my account before I do a clean install, since that seems the easiest thing without losing all my settings.
Lynne Moore

On Mar 27, 2023, at 10:54 AM, Brian Vogel <britechguy@...> wrote:

On Mon, Mar 27, 2023 at 10:27 AM, K0LNY wrote:
I would always do a clean install on a used computer.
-
As would I.  But read the description in the original message.  This isn't a used computer in any meaningful sense of the phrase.  It was initially set up and never really used before being passed along.

If the machine came to me from a known and trusted source, and/or already had lots of software I use installed on it, I'd definitely avoid doing a completely clean reinstall of Windows.

And I want to emphasize, again, that folder structure is created when an account is created, but that need not be associated in any way with a Microsoft Account later linked to what was initially a local account.  I have a machine on which I once reloaded Windows and created a local account named "erase," as that's what I thought would end up happening with it later.  But I decided at some point to link my Microsoft Account to it via the "Sign in with a Microsoft Account instead" link, which it did.  But that has zero effect on the existing folder structure, which still has C:\users\erase as the base folder while, if I create an MS Account linked Windows user account (which I have on several other machines) from the outset, the folder C:\Users\brite is the base folder.  It takes whatever it is that you've created as your MS-Account name and pares it down to the first 5 characters after C:\users.

If you later link what had been a local user account to an existing MS-Account, you will not see any change in the folder structure for the account so linked after the fact.
--

Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 11 Pro, 64-Bit, Version 22H2, Build 22621; Office 2016, Version 16.0.15726.20188, 32-bit; Android 12 (MIUI 13)  

I recoil from any definition of the relationship between artist and audience that is predicated on the audience claiming a sense of betrayal over who someone is or isn’t outside of the context in which they’re performing. What we know about an artist’s personal identity can be interesting and even illuminating; what we are entitled to know is … nothing, basically.

            ~ Mark Harris, Is Celebrity ‘Queer Baiting’ Really Such a Crime?, 

               T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Feb. 6, 2023
Dave Durber
 


Glenn:
 
Even if you do what Brian suggests, it is surprizing how much crap is left behind, even though Microsoft has claime to has deleted/removed the original account. So, I am with you, if I obtained a used computer from a company or an individual, I would perform a fresh installation of Windows, that way, everything to do with that installation will be related to me. and noone else.
 
Dave
 

----- Original Message -----
From: K0LNY
Sent: Monday, March 27, 2023 3:27 PM
Subject: Re: A Question Regarding WIndows 10 and Microsoft Accounts

I would always do a clean install on a used computer.
Glenn
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 27, 2023 2:33 AM
Subject: Re: A Question Regarding WIndows 10 and Microsoft Accounts

Thanks Brian. I will check the status of the account on this machine. I very much appreciate your advice. I would rather not do a clean install unless I have to, but I wanted to do something about this before I went to Windows 11.
Lynne Moore

On Mar 27, 2023, at 12:27 AM, Brian Vogel <britechguy@...> wrote:

I can't tell you what you need to do without knowing whether the account set up for your friend at the beginning was a local account versus a Microsoft Account linked Windows 10 User Account.  If you open Settings, Accounts, Your Info Pane, if there's a link there that says, "Sign in with a Microsoft Account instead" then the existing account is a local one and could just be linked to any existing (or new, for that matter) Microsoft Account.  If there is one that says, "Sign in with a local account instead," that means the Windows 10 account you're using is already linked to a Microsoft Account.

It would be much easier, regardless of the existing account type, and if you're really concerned that the folder structure reflect your name (which, by the way, is not necessary if the account was local and you convert it to MS-Account linked) to create a new account on the computer linked to your Microsoft Account, copying everything over from the account you've been using, then nuke the original account.  That's way less labor intensive, in my opinion and experience, than doing a "nuke and pave" with a completely clean reinstallation of Windows 10.
--

Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 11 Pro, 64-Bit, Version 22H2, Build 22621; Office 2016, Version 16.0.15726.20188, 32-bit; Android 12 (MIUI 13)  

I recoil from any definition of the relationship between artist and audience that is predicated on the audience claiming a sense of betrayal over who someone is or isn’t outside of the context in which they’re performing. What we know about an artist’s personal identity can be interesting and even illuminating; what we are entitled to know is … nothing, basically.

            ~ Mark Harris, Is Celebrity ‘Queer Baiting’ Really Such a Crime?, 

               T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Feb. 6, 2023

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