Renaming administrator user account

A computer tech friend installed Win XP for me after a
crash. Anyway, he didn't name my administrator account,
so it says in bold "Administrator" then
underneath "Computer administrator." I know that you
should be able to rename it...it even says so when you
hover over the link. The only options I have are: create
a password, change my picture, and set up my account to
use a Net passport. There is no mention in the left pane
either.

I know it's a minor problem...it's just bothersome. If
anyone could help, I would appreciate it.

Terri

| "Terri" <anonymous.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com>
| wrote in message news:216e101c45bab$21aa4a40$a601280a@phx.gbl...
| A computer tech friend installed Win XP for me after a
| crash. Anyway, he didn't name my administrator account,
| so it says in bold "Administrator" then
| underneath "Computer administrator." I know that you
| should be able to rename it...it even says so when you
| hover over the link. The only options I have are: create
| a password, change my picture, and set up my account to
| use a Net passport. There is no mention in the left pane
| either.
|
| I know it's a minor problem...it's just bothersome. If
| anyone could help, I would appreciate it. Terri

If your OS is Windows XP Professional, then instead of
using the "User Accounts" accessed through Control Panel
use the "User Accounts" applet that is accessed by:

Clicking Start, clicking Run, typing the following command
and clicking OK: control userpasswords2

Once the applet is running just select Administrator from
under the User Name column, then click the Properties
button, then replace Administrator with a new User name.

Keep in mind that after renaming the account the Documents
and Settings folder will still be named Administrator.

For more information see the following Microsoft
Knowledge Base article:

KB283111 - Logon Name Does Not Match Name in
Task Manager or Under Documents and Settings Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;283111

Also, your Shared Documents folders may be missing from My
Computer. See the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article
for a Workaround:

KB319825 - Shared Documents Folders Are Missing From My Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;319825

RE: "The only options I have are: create a password"...
IMHO, even more important than renaming the Administrator
account is to password protect it. Microsoft recommends to
"make sure the password is at least nine characters long and
that it includes at least one punctuation mark or non-printing
ASCII character within the first seven characters. For more
information see the following Microsoft documentation:

TechNet Home | Security
Windows XP Baseline Security Checklists
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/chklist/xpcl.mspx