Replacing all C:\Users\username\* files with ones of a previous user

1

Apparently my user account (I'll call it username) is corrupted: in full screen apps cursor is not visible. I decided to create a new user account (named temporary), created a folder onto its desktop (called data), gave myself permission to access files from temporary user and copied all data from inside C:\Users\username\ to C:\Users\temporary\Desktop\data. I have intention to delete username with its folder, create a new user account (same name) and copy all the data I transfered back into C:\Users\username. Is this safe? Will Windows and my apps work fine or are there going to be issues?

Manchineel

Posted 2017-05-08T16:11:59.987

Reputation: 479

Could you please describe why the downvote was applied? Thanks – Manchineel – 2017-05-08T17:21:21.070

I have used DCSoft's RegEditX to accomplish this on more than one occasion. It allows you to make wholesale changes to your registry. In my case I changed all the old registry entries from olduser to newuser. – BillDOe – 2017-05-08T19:24:43.780

Answers

2

I've done that and it worked. However, there are three things to note:

  • Your (user) registry settings will be gone
  • Some directories in your home folder are hidden (most notably AppData, where all your Software preferences live - except those in the registry)
  • Your SID will change - that's the string that windows uses to identify your account - not that account's name! That means, if you've "tweaked" any permissions, you should make sure before that at least the Group "Administrators" has full access to those folders and files.

PaterSiul

Posted 2017-05-08T16:11:59.987

Reputation: 338

So: I take some photos of the settings and user registry entry screens, I show hidden files in explorer.exe before copying, I patch the permissions for my whole folder after the copy and I should be good to go, am I right? – Manchineel – 2017-05-08T18:51:51.773

"Sour" in bullet 3 should be Your – I say Reinstate Monica – 2017-05-08T18:57:45.793

1Basically, yes. Althought It'll be hard not to miss any setting using your approach. The good news, though, is that any irreplacable data is usually not in the registry (except for passwords, but if you don't have them anywhere else, you've got a different kind of problem). @twisty: Thanks. – PaterSiul – 2017-05-08T19:14:49.927

Asked: 2017-05-08T16:11:59.987

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Active: 2017-05-08T19:11:19.287