Losing data in local profile of Windows 10
We have a major problem with Windows 10 user profile.
On some occasions after a power outage, or only after a reboot to complete Windows updates. The users lose all his local profile, the system restart with a brand new default profile. No more files on the desktop, no favorites, Outlook signatures, Documents and Downloads.
Some time, we are able to recover the files if System restore is enable (Shadow Copy). If it is not enable, the user is losing all his settings and files.
The versions of Windows 10 affected are 1709 and 1809.
This is not related to the early bug of 1809. It happens after a reboot, not a feature upgrade.
This is not due to the creation of a temporary profile, in this case, we are able to recover the files easily.
I thought that local profile is safe, but it's not.
Anyone aware of a Windows Update to fix this problem?
Are you backing up user profiles on your network?
Added December 14, 2019
By the nature of the answers received, I will clarify some points.
- This is an initial installation of Windows 10 (1709 or 1809) and never been upgraded.
- Profile folder (c:\users) contain only folders for other users and a fresh default user folder with his username.
- This could happen to any users, must of the users affected told me that it is after restarting due to Windows Update. Others, after a power outage, but might due to Windows update cause the power outage forced a reboot.
- We are using WSUS, updates are approved by me and I do not approve feature upgrade.
- We have more than 600 computers with Windows 10 and it might be happended 12 times in the past year.
- We are using local profile for Laptop and roaming profile for Desktop. We experienced data lost with both kind of profile.
- We are unable to replicate the problem cause it is unpredictable.
Thanks,
On some occasions after a power outage, or only after a reboot to complete Windows updates. The users lose all his local profile, the system restart with a brand new default profile. No more files on the desktop, no favorites, Outlook signatures, Documents and Downloads.
Some time, we are able to recover the files if System restore is enable (Shadow Copy). If it is not enable, the user is losing all his settings and files.
The versions of Windows 10 affected are 1709 and 1809.
This is not related to the early bug of 1809. It happens after a reboot, not a feature upgrade.
This is not due to the creation of a temporary profile, in this case, we are able to recover the files easily.
I thought that local profile is safe, but it's not.
Anyone aware of a Windows Update to fix this problem?
Are you backing up user profiles on your network?
Added December 14, 2019
By the nature of the answers received, I will clarify some points.
- This is an initial installation of Windows 10 (1709 or 1809) and never been upgraded.
- Profile folder (c:\users) contain only folders for other users and a fresh default user folder with his username.
- This could happen to any users, must of the users affected told me that it is after restarting due to Windows Update. Others, after a power outage, but might due to Windows update cause the power outage forced a reboot.
- We are using WSUS, updates are approved by me and I do not approve feature upgrade.
- We have more than 600 computers with Windows 10 and it might be happended 12 times in the past year.
- We are using local profile for Laptop and roaming profile for Desktop. We experienced data lost with both kind of profile.
- We are unable to replicate the problem cause it is unpredictable.
Thanks,
ASKER
There is no TEMP profile created. The user is login in with an empty profile. I know how to fix the TEMP profile manually by editing the registry Profile list.
Are the computers upgraded from Windows 7 and not from a clean install of Windows 10?
Does this repeatedly occur with the same users?
Are you able to replicate the issue at will?
When an affected user logs in prior to the loss of the profile data, which profile folder is in use?
Are you able to replicate the issue at will?
When an affected user logs in prior to the loss of the profile data, which profile folder is in use?
As others pointed out much more detail is needed. What is the setup?
Check c:\users
What is seen here?
Setup might be deleting profiles too early.
Check c:\users
What is seen here?
Setup might be deleting profiles too early.
ASKER
Thank you for your answers. I have edited the question with the following details
By the nature of the answers received, I will clarify some points.
- This is an initial installation of Windows 10 (1709 or 1809) and never been upgraded.
- Profile folder (c:\users) contain only folders for other users and a fresh default user folder with his username.
- This could happen to any users, must of the users affected told me that it is after restarting due to Windows Update. Others, after a power outage, but might due to Windows update cause the power outage forced a reboot.
- We are using WSUS, updates are approved by me and I do not approve feature upgrade.
- We have more than 600 computers with Windows 10 and it might be happended 12 times in the past year.
- We are using local profile for Laptop and roaming profile for Desktop. We experienced data lost with both kind of profile.
- We are unable to replicate the problem cause it is unpredictable.
By the nature of the answers received, I will clarify some points.
- This is an initial installation of Windows 10 (1709 or 1809) and never been upgraded.
- Profile folder (c:\users) contain only folders for other users and a fresh default user folder with his username.
- This could happen to any users, must of the users affected told me that it is after restarting due to Windows Update. Others, after a power outage, but might due to Windows update cause the power outage forced a reboot.
- We are using WSUS, updates are approved by me and I do not approve feature upgrade.
- We have more than 600 computers with Windows 10 and it might be happended 12 times in the past year.
- We are using local profile for Laptop and roaming profile for Desktop. We experienced data lost with both kind of profile.
- We are unable to replicate the problem cause it is unpredictable.
Do you use roaming profiles?
If so, how many servers host the share where profiles are copied to?
If more than one, double check sharing permissions on all to make sure the user has rights.
Check event log when user login and have this issue.
If so, how many servers host the share where profiles are copied to?
If more than one, double check sharing permissions on all to make sure the user has rights.
Check event log when user login and have this issue.
ASKER
This is not a roaming profile issue. Laptop users are using local profile type. Desktop users have the roaming profile stored into their home directory and they have full access.
There is no error into the events log related to roaming profile.
There is no error into the events log related to roaming profile.
Which users are encountering this intermittent issue those with laptops or desktops?
ASKER
Must of the time, laptops users. But happened to few desktop users. It is less critical for desktop users, since we have a copy of the roaming profile on the network. But if the user do not logoff often and put a lot of files inside c:\users\username\, he might lose many weeks of work.
We are asking users to keep their user profile small and save working files outside of c:\users.
We are asking users to keep their user profile small and save working files outside of c:\users.
Use of refirected folders for desktop users will eliminate this issue, or look at work folders.
How are the users differentiate whether they do or not have roaming profile?
Usually, to avoid local cache of roaming profike the setting to delete a cached copy after the sync to server on logout. This is set in GPO
If you have a process that on logout/shutdown deletes profiles presuming they were copied out, that could explain the issue on laptops.
In your case as you have, develop a pattern, are these laptop users, then check when this issue shows up.
How are the users differentiate whether they do or not have roaming profile?
Usually, to avoid local cache of roaming profike the setting to delete a cached copy after the sync to server on logout. This is set in GPO
If you have a process that on logout/shutdown deletes profiles presuming they were copied out, that could explain the issue on laptops.
In your case as you have, develop a pattern, are these laptop users, then check when this issue shows up.
ASKER
We are facing a challenge. We have about 1500 users with home drive on 2 servers and spread into differents shares and disk storage. There is not enough storage available to enable folder redirection for all of the users right now.
We are using roaming profiles since the beginning of Windows NT. We haven't redirected folders to the home drive and starting doing this is not easy. Laptop users must have access to their files when they are offline.
Is redirecting their desktop, favorites, documents, etc somewhere else on the C: drive would be an option? This won't secure files in case of disk crash, but that happen lest often and we can arrange some kind of script to sync the folder on the network.
I will look at UE-V, not sure if it is the way to go.
We are using roaming profiles since the beginning of Windows NT. We haven't redirected folders to the home drive and starting doing this is not easy. Laptop users must have access to their files when they are offline.
Is redirecting their desktop, favorites, documents, etc somewhere else on the C: drive would be an option? This won't secure files in case of disk crash, but that happen lest often and we can arrange some kind of script to sync the folder on the network.
I will look at UE-V, not sure if it is the way to go.
ASKER
The IT technician set the profile local on laptops and the user is advised of it and responsible for securing his data. We have set offline file folders for some users.
Removing the local cached copy is an option, but will increase the network traffic and time to login and logoff. Some users might have gigs of data on their desktops or documents.
Removing the local cached copy is an option, but will increase the network traffic and time to login and logoff. Some users might have gigs of data on their desktops or documents.
Redirected folders, workspace folders is a way to maintain user data on the server.
It adds network traffic to access the files.......
It adds network traffic to access the files.......
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1. Log in to the workstation as an Admin capable user.
2. Run Forensit's User Profile Wizard
3. When a list of profiles on the computer is displayed, make sure you check the box for "Show Unassigned Profiles". Then select the profile that is no longer being used.
4. Click next and then assign the profile to the user it belongs to.
5. When the User Profile Wizard completes, log out and log back in as the user.
I just used this method for the problem I describe above and it worked flawlessly on a client's computer.