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Windows keeps changing My Computer Name

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by dave 1 view

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When I installed Windows XP I named the computer "Mangga". It is seen in Device Manager as "Mangga" and on the network as "Mangga". If I open My Computer Properties and go to the Computer Name tab it shows the full computer name a Mangga and also the Computer Description persists as showing Mangga. I also right clicked "My Computer" on the start menu and renamed it "Mangga". Up until I installed one of the windows updates, when I rebooted the computer it continued to show "Mangga" in place of "My Computer" on the start menu, but now every time I reboot or even log off and log on again, the "Mangga" on the Start Menu has changed back to "My Computer". In the Device Manger and in the Properties Computer Name tab (both the "Full computer name" and the "Computer Description" continue to show "Mangga" but the entry on the start menu for "My Computer" will no longer remain as "Mangga" as it did for several days after installation until I installed one of those Windows updates... I think it was the one that added the "Set Program Access and Defaults" entry to the Start Menu. I know it still was remaining at "Mangga" until I installed one of those update, but since I installed several of them at the same time I am not sure which one did it, but I hope there is a way to fix this that someone knows of... I have four computers running XP and they all have the same problem (with different computer names of course.

5 replies

by jhoup

Goto your Command Prompt (Start / Run / CMD / Enter) and type the following.

C:\>reg add hkcu\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} /ve /t REG_SZ /d "Mangga" /f

This should set it for you.

(Note: This only sets it for the Currently logged in user)

by jhoup

Just copy and paste it into your Command Prompt. It's hard to read spacing on here.

by jhoup

Noticed on Flaw: There should be no Space in CLSID, just delete that space out and it should give you no problems.

by wallen

Goto your Command Prompt (Start / Run / CMD / Enter) and type the following.

C:\>reg add hkcu\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLS ID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} /ve /t REG_SZ /d "Mangga" /f

by dave

Thanks for the suggestion to both of you who posted it. It does work. However, while I am still trying some different things to test it, it appears that whenever I do that (one each of the four users one by one) and then run Norton Systemworks 2004 Disk Doctor, it says I have a problem on drive C: with my "Security Descriptors" and it wants to run chkdsk on my next boot to "fix" the Security Descriptors. When I allow chkdsk to run on my next boot, the key which I have added with your procedure is erased and I am back to "My Computer" for a name on the Start Menu again. Oddly enough when I have changed the name to "Mangga" by right clicking on the "My Computer" name on the start menu, then even after it has changed back again to "My Computer", if I log off the screen where it shows all the users' icons to log on which says at the bottom "Turn off Computer" will still say "Turn off Mangga". Initially it will say "Turn off Computer" on that screen during my first cold boot, but after I have got to some desktop and then log off it will say "Turn off Mangga" on that screen.

What I would really like ... if it is possible.... is to find a registry entry that would be in the root which would make not only the first logon screen after a cold boot say "Turn off Mangga" and all users would have a computer name of "Mangga" in place of "My Computer" but would also not be undone each time I run Norton Systemworks Disk Doctor or scandisk!

I did check with regedit and the key both of you suggested adding was there after I did what you said (as I supposed it would be from the "Completed Successfully" message that I got), but when I opened regedit again after running chkdsk and the name had changed back to "My Computer" again, that key was gone.

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