register/login issue

Just installed Elgg 1.2 on FreeBSD, apache 2.2, Php 5.2.8, MySQL 5.1.30, able to complete install and settings, and .htaccess file. Then prompted to create first (admin) user, filled out fields, but when it sends the verification email, it changes username to what is in cookie that site uses. I used phpMyAdmin to check in the db, and yes, it has filled in username with everything in cookie, rather than what was filled in to "username" field. How to correct this?

Thanks, Rose