# Computer-related: How come my name is in files?!??!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-related-how-come-my-name-is-in-files/215968>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 29, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-related-how-come-my-name-is-in-files/215968 "2003-11-29T21:49:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Thylacinewas\_taken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@Thylacinewas\_taken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacinewas_taken)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-related-how-come-my-name-is-in-files/215968/1 "2003-11-29T21:49:48Z")

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I decided it would be a gas to look up my last name on my (Windows) computer in the content field of the Find program. It’s a 6 letter name, and it’s not common.  
It was in more than 10,000 files! Every image file and so many other files.  
How did it get in there??!? The programs I used to create most of those aren’t even registered to my real name, and when I register for things, I seldom use my last name.

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**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-related-how-come-my-name-is-in-files/215968/2 "2003-11-29T21:59:50Z")

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When you first got your PC and booted it up, you probably gave the OS your real name. Most Windows programs pick up that information, and bury it in the files they create.

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**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-related-how-come-my-name-is-in-files/215968/3 "2003-11-29T22:03:32Z")

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A couple of places to look, at least in Windows XP: call up the control panel and choose System - you might find that you registered XP with your real name. Also call up User Accounts - you might have used your real name as the Computer administrator.