How can I safely remove an unknown user account

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How can I safely remove an unknown user account

Anything BMS 0

This is really for a business with a domain server but none of the tag options fit. I am trying to upgrade a Windows 10 Pro workstation to Windows 11 and receiving error 0x8007001f. After doing all the recommended troubleshooting I found an unknown account that I know is the problem. I believe it was a previous user profile renamed or something similar. How can I determine if this account is safe to remove? I've looked at the SIDS but don't see how I can tell if removing it will render the workstation unusable. I'm not concerned about the domain server just the local account. Help?

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JC 4,470 Independent Advisor

Hello,

Deleting a user account shouldn’t do any harm to a windows install, if there’s other accounts to use, you’ll be fine but if you’re deleting the last user account on a computer then that will cause issues. Unless there’s some unusual setup where apps or files from another account are installed in the unknown account’s file folders you can delete the user account safely.

If you want to play it safe you can create a windows system restore point and if anything breaks you can do a rollback to before you deleted the user account.

Hope this helps,

JC

Anything BMS 0 Reputation points

2025-10-28T16:08:53.42+00:00

There is a local administrator account and two domain user accounts with administrator rights so from what you're saying it should be fine to delete. I will do a system restore point however to be safe. I'm doing it remotely and don't want to do anything that might cut me off as well.
JC 4,470 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-28T16:38:58.46+00:00

I'd advise making a backup admin account if you're doing it remotely, and setup remote access through that admin account as well, just in case.
Anything BMS 0 Reputation points

2025-11-05T18:50:36.08+00:00

I thought you wrote something later but can’t find it? I haven’t gotten back to this issue and hope to work on it this weekend. My fear is it will wipe something out that I can’t see and I’ll have to rebuild the computer.
Anything BMS 0 Reputation points

2025-11-05T18:55:56.29+00:00

Well geez now I see your comment sorry. I can use the domain admin account or does it need to be a local user?

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How can I safely remove an unknown user account

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