can't find old account name in documents and settings

G'day.

Trying to copy user account info into a new account using chaslang's sticky in software forum.

Reason for doing it is that every time I login, I get a msg saying that one of the files containing registry data had a problem and had to be replaced from a backup copy... the procedure was successful (can't remember the exact wording). I wanted to replace my account as I thought that might fix this problem.

Started going through chaslang's instructions, but when I came to item 14. - navigate to C:\Docs and Settings\Old Username, I couldn't find the original folder (for the account with problems). I understand that I am not looking for a folder called Old Username, I am looking for a folder with the name that shows up in User Accounts (yes?).

When I look in Documents and Settings (after selecting to view hidden files), I have:

• 3rd Account (this is the third account I created following chaslang's instructions)
• Administrator
• Administrator.WINDOWS-9782ECE
• All Users
• Default User (this was the only hidden folder)
• Geoff (that's my name :cool)
• 2nd Account (this is the second account I created following chaslang's instructions)
• Windows User

I thought I might be able to figure out which one it was by looking for one that had:

• 
  Ntuser.dat
  Ntuser.dat.log
  Ntuser.ini

in it, but none of them do. I did a search in Docs and Setts for Ntuser.ini, and it came up empty. However, they all have Ntuser.dat and Ntuser.dat.log.

Does anyone know what's going on here? Maybe this missing ini file is what's causing the problem in teh first place.

Running Win XP SP2.

Merci d'avance.

 

Just logged in to original account and second account to see what was there. Original account has Ntuser.ini in most folders. Second account doesn't have it at all (like the third account).
BTW, is it possible I changed the user account name, and it doesn't show up in Docs and Settings. If so, Geoff could be the one. But where is Ntuser.ini?

 

My bad (including consecutive posts, for which I apologise, but otherwise people will be wasting their time - is there a way around this?)

I have found those pesky ini files - I hadn't unchecked one of the options in viewing hidden files. Having fixed that, I can now see ini files all over the place.

Question remaining is, which is my user file? I assume it's 'Geoff' - I must have changed the name somewhere along the line. I assume this because there are only 2 folders that have the three Ntuser files, and no other files (only folders)... so I will proceed along those lines. I guess I can't destroy too much by doing so.

 

OK, I tried copying the Geoff files across, but when I logged in to the 2nd Account, only a few of teh desktop icons were there. Seems to me they should all be there, shouldn't they? This might therefore be the wrong folder. The Geoff file was about 15 MB.

Here's teh list of folders again, plus 2 that appeared when I unchecked teh other hidden folders option:

* 3rd Account (this is the third account I created following chaslang's instructions)
* Administrator
* Administrator.WINDOWS-9782ECE
* All Users
* Default User (this was the only hidden folder)
* Geoff (that's my name )
* 2nd Account (this is the second account I created following chaslang's instructions)
* Windows User

• LocalService
• NetworkService