registered names

Not sure where to ask this. Have 2 old comp I'm cleaning up and giving to some friends. One with win 98 se and one 2000 pro. Can you change the name that shows up when you hit prop. on my computer? Also, on the other places that our name shows up, like OE, etc? Thanks.

 

For the Win98SE computer use "regedit" from the Start>Run and navigate to this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

click on CurrentVersion, scroll down in the right hand part of the screen until you see RegisteredOwner. Right click on it choose "Modify" and type in the new owner name in the "Value Data:" box. OK and close the registry editor. You may have to reboot to have the new owner name show up.

As for the Win 2000 Pro. I don't know, but suspect it would be similar.

 

How do you clean it out? Is there a software that does this? Something like window washer doesn't do empty space, correct?

 

The Wash Utilities in Windows Washer will either clean free space on the drive, or wipe the entire drive clean - create the System Eraser boot disk. Of course with a wipe you will need to reinstall everything from scratch.

However if you delete all your personal data, email, docs, dialup and email accounts, address book etc, and then do a full wash with all the options checked in Windows Washer – including all the custom wash plugins - and then clean the free space you should have taken care of pretty much everything. If there was nothing sensitive on the computer that should do for data

The registered name thing is a bit more complex. John’s suggestion above will change it in Properties, but it resides in lots of other places and will still continually show up. I tried very hard a few years ago to get it completely out of Win98. Even changing all instances in the registry won’t do it as it is also inside some Windows files and installed program files. The only option is a reinstall. I now never put a real name into a computer, just some generic term or made up nickname.

 

The best thing is to wipe the drive clean with a program like Darik's Boot and Nuke. Then you can install Windows or any programs you want to give them. http://dban.sourceforge.net/

 

Did alot of cleaning and window washing. Reg name change is the same in Win 2000 Pro, like you mentioned. Didn't even have to reboot. Thanks alot.