Preparing PC for a new user

I have a desktop with Win 10 that I am going to give to my daughter (in a different city). How can I delete my account log on info and set it up for her (I'll create a local log on).

I see tutorials on changing or adding users, but not sure about deleting my administrator account and if that will screw up Win 10 and not work at all. (I do have a backup image).

In Windows 10 this is really easy. See this tutorial for instructions: Reset Windows 10 - Windows 10 blog

Kari

That looks like basically a reinstall. I'd rather not do that unless its the only option.

That restores Windows 10 as it was when installed, before any user accounts have been created. When the new user boots the PC first time, it's like a new PC waiting the initial user account to be created.

If you want to keep all installed software and only remove all signs of your personal user account, type or copy this to the Run dialog (WIN +R) and hit Enter:

Code:

%windir%system32sysprepsysprep.exe /audit /reboot

That command restarts Windows in so called Audit Mode, automatically signing in with the built-in admin account. When signed in you will see this dialog at middle of the desktop:

Let it stay open. Go to Settings App > Accounts > Family & other peopleand remove your user account (tutorial: User Account - Delete in Windows 10 - Windows 10 blog).

Close the Settings App. Now click OK in the Sysprep dialog shown above in screenshot. Windows will now run the Sysprep and restart in normal new PC Welcome / OOBE mode, without any user accounts but all software still intact. You can now go through the normal setup dialogs, creating a new user account for your daughter. Windows will be as after a clean install, only difference being that all software is already installed.

Another option: if you want to keep all installed software, remove your user account and data but let your daughter to set up the PC by herself, let her decide if she wants to setup a local or MS account and which username to use, before clicking OK in the Sysprep dialog as told above change the Shutdown Optionsto Shutdown, then click OK:

Windows will now prepare the PC for Welcome / OOBE and shutdown. When it will be started next time, it goes through the normal OOBE setup phase, asking for the initial user to be created.

Kari

OK! Thanks Kari. What I was looking for.

Jack

You are welcome

For other readers of this thread, the method told in my previous post is the best approach when you are selling your Windows 10 PC or giving it away. It preserves Windows activation (¹)and all installed software but removes existing user accounts. When started after the procedure, Windows will be as after a clean install with no existing user accounts, but all software installed.

Kari

(¹)= If and when Windows was activated before this procedure, it will also be activated after it. If the product key is asked when restarting in Welcome / OOBE Mode, simply select "I don't have a product key". Windows will be automatically activated when it arrives to desktop.

Sadly, the procedure didn't work. I got an error with the %windir%system32sysprepsysprep.exe /audit /reboot. Windows reported it couldn't find it. However, it was in the system32 folder and I could manually run sysprep.exe. Also, I was listed as Administrator and couldn't find a way to remove my profile.

I had to do a clean install.