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Changing the Owner Registry Tatoo

If you are anything like me you have probably bought used computers or "Brannonsteined" one from parts. I am constantly taking old PIII machines and making them useful again. I keep a box of "still good" parts and when someone buys a new machine because the old one died I ask for the old machine. As I write this I am using a Gateway that was headed for the trash heap.

One problem you will encounter is that perfectly good Windows installs will often have something strange in the Owner entry. Like the one shown below.

This is a fairly easy fix provided that you are not afraid to make a registry edit.

Warning: For those of you who are non-technical you should be warned that mistakes in the registry edit can cause the system to fail or worse. Any changes you make are "Made". There is no Save option and no Undo nor is there an "Exit without saving"

Step 1) Go to the Start Menu and select Run... from the menu.

Step 2) Enter REGEDIT into the Text Box and click the OK button.

Step 3) In the Registry editor find the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

(Click the plus sign "+" next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then Click the plus sign "+" next to SOFTWARE, then Click the plus sign "+" next to Microsoft, then Click the plus sign "+" next toWindows NT. Now click CurrentVersion)

Step 4) On the right side you will see RegisteredOrganization and Registered owner. Double-click the one you want to change.

Step 5) Enter the name you want into the Value data: box and click OK.

That's really all there is to it. Just Close REGEDIT and your done.

The following are links I have come across while working on this and other related topics:

How To Use the Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Registry Editor Features http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310426

Changing the Owner of the System http://www.prbcorp.com/workshop/ws/full/Windows_XP_Tips/#11

John Barnett's Windows XP Help and Support http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org/how_do_i_change_the_registered_o.htm