Problem with Windows XP Profiles

Ensure the directory c:\documents and settings\default user exists on the computer, and that normal users have read writes to it and its subdirectories (can copy it from another computer if necessary).

Regards

Anne

The default user folder is usually hidden, and is used as the template for new profiles created on a machine.

I think the profile called "Default User" has the problem. To see this default user profile under Documents and Settings you have to go explorer --> Tools --> Folder Options and enable the "Show hidden files and folders option". What happens is everytime you login as a new user it will inherit the profile of the "Default User". If the "Default user" profile is corrupt then every new user who logs on will have the corrupt profile. You may login as local administrator (if possible) or login with any account (with admin privilege) which does not have a problem and over write the default user profile. In XP go to control panel, system, user profiles and higlight the administrator account or account without problem and click copy to and point to default profile. Click yes for the warning message. See if it solves the problem

Deleting the default user profile, the all users profile, or having a corrupt profile in either place will cause issues of this nature.

I agree with sabir_vm: Assuming you can logon as Administrator and the system works overwrite the default profile with the then known good Administrator profile (make sure to set Permitted to use to \Everyone).

Hi, I am new to this forum, and have encountered a similar problem to that of, AlanT. So instead of starting a new thread I thought it would be best if I just added to this.

The problem I have is that my user profile (under windows XP) has also become corrupt. I can login under the corrupt user profile, but windows loads up as if i'm a new user, and loads a blank profile. The problem is thatmost of my files I had on my desktop where not short-cuts, so those files do not exist on the desktop anymore. They are still accessible, but that requires me to go through the 'documents & settings' path. (all very time consuming and annoying).

Is there anyway I can get back to my old profile? Or should I just create a new one, and copy the folders from the corrupted profile over to the newly created profile?

Cheers for your help.

Tryst

first login as a different user, goto the documents and settings of user, copy favorites, desktop icons, my documents  of the corrupt to another location (c:\profBackup) or something, then right cl,ick my computer, properties, advanced tab (user profiles button) and then delete the corrupted profile. Have the user log in again and it will create a new profile. Then copy their faves, docs, icons, etc back to their profile.

Shouldn't I login as the corrupt user? As the corrupted profile is the admin user and is password protected so the corrupted profiles files are not accessible through another profile.

well, yes if that is corrupted profile, then you should log in as admin and copy files...you might want to make another admin user (adminII) or something in the interm so you have a guy with admin rights. Then login as adminII and delete the admin profile like i said above, then login with the regular admin again, and copy your files back, and then you can delete adminII user all toogether.

So I should create a new Admin profile, and switch the files from the corrupted profile to the newly created Admin profile, and in doing so delete the corrupted profile?

Why don't I just stick with the newly created Admin profile?

What happens when I try to login in as the corrupted profile after I have delete the profile?

Thanks for your help!

Tryst

you could do that

if you log back in with the corrupted user, it should create a new profile for you that isnt corrupt so in reality you could continue using the old user, and delete the temp on you made. In my opinon, thats what i would do, because the original Admin might have some underlying rights that you dont give the interm admin user

Steve

If I was to delete the corrupted profile via, Control Panel, System, User Profiles, whilst logged on with the newly created admin profile, will the deleted corrupted profile still be available as a loggin option when Windows XP boots up?

If it is isn't, then how can I login to a deleted profile?

Tryst

yes it will be, you arent deleteing the user, you are deleting just the profile

I'm confused now, I thought a user was a user profile. I've just checked and there are about 5-6 user profiles on my PC (only 3 users). How can I tell which one is the corrupt one?

Tryst

which user is corrupt

administrator?

delete the profile that is corrupted

there should be a profile for each user that logs in that matches the user

How I have solved this issue in the past:

1. Find a profile on the system that isn't corrupt.  Usually I try logging on to the machine as an account that has not used that machine, thus I get a new profile from the Default User base.  If this doesn't work I know something is wrong with the Default User profile.

2. I verify the profile I'm using is correct (Connect Wizard is gone, IE has the correct homepage, etc)

3. Sanitize the current profile of personal data, like the Outlook profile, Run and document history, etc.

4. Logoff, Logon to an account with Admin rights.  Local Admin will work for this

5. Back up data from the corrupt profile

7. Overwrite the corrupt profile with the profile we just prepared (Right Click on My Computer, Properties, User Profiles, Copy To).  Be sure to change the Permitted to use setting to include the correct (target) user.

I'm still a little confued. Ok, let me just detail my profiles. On my laptop I have the follwoing profiles...

Account Unknown(what is this?)    - Local
Administrator                                 - Local
Sammy                                           - Local
Trystan                                          - Backup
Trystan                                          - Temp
Twissted                                        - Local

Ok then, Trystan is the corrupted profile, yet Trystan, Sammy, and Twissted profiles both have admin privilges. So what exactly is the Administrator profile? Should I delete both the Trystan profiles? and why are there 2 Trystan profiles?

Also, what does the Back-up and Temp attributes mean?

Sorry about the influx of questions, but i'm a little confused.

Cheers

log in as twissted, just goto documents and settings, copy everything to do with trystan to a seperate area, then delete both trystan profiles and relog in a trystan and copy the files you moved earlier, and then it should be ok

Account unknown is the profile files for an user account that has been deleted (deleting a user account doesn't delete the profile).  There are two trystan profiles because there is a problem with this profile (a temp profile can be created when the original cannot be used for some reason (eg corruption), it is usually deleted when the user logs off.  If the computer has also been used to login to a domain, different types of profiles can be created.

Ok. Its sorted now, and I have a fuller understanding of it too :-)

Cheers for your help guys, you've been ace!

Tryst

Excuse me but are we here to help questionaire AlanT with the relevant answers OR otherwise?

You are right, but he hasn't answered yet... so what more can we do.

Thanks very much to everyone who took the time to help with my problem. Sorry for in delay  getting back to you  but I had an Internet access problem. bkoehler-mpr's  solution was the one that fixed it - thank you bkoehler-mpr.  I will shortly be closing the question to award you the points but given the interest the question has generated I will keep it open for a while in case anyone wants to make any more  comments.

I tried to accept your answer bkoehler-mpr and award you the points but got an error message "you are not allowed to accept this answer"  I am taking it up with EE's helpdesk