• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

User profile cannot be loaded (Windows 7)

QueBert

QueBert

Lifer
Friend was having problems with Windows logging them into a temp profile where not much worked. I sent them the instructions on how to regedit and restore the user profile. They did it, but they renamed the incorrect .bak so now they get the user profile cannot be loaded error and it won't even log on. I Googled and what I'm seeing is telling them to edit the registry, but they can't edit it if they can't log on. their administrator account is disabled (had them try that)

What can I suggest to them here? they have an HP without a recovery disc and swapped out HD's so there's no recovery partition - they don't want to do a clean install any ways. I'm out of idea to help them with.
 
Boot a Linux liveCD/DVD, plug in an external HDD, backup their files. Download a Win7 ISO of the same edition that was installed, and burn it to a disc in Linux. Boot from that disc, wipe the drive, then re-install Win7. Then use the external HDD and copy their files back.
 
VirtualLarry said:
My understanding of the problem was that there was no Administrator account to use to create a new user.
Click to expand...

I am hoping it still would log into an account in safe mode, but if the registry is really botched, that may not be an option.

Might just need to boot off a windows dvd and load an earlier restore point.
 
ketchup79 said:
I am hoping it still would log into an account in safe mode, but if the registry is really botched, that may not be an option.

Might just need to boot off a windows dvd and load an earlier restore point.
Click to expand...

That reminds me... I recall reading an MS KB page that was rather technical, that explained how to restore the registry (user registry too?) from a restore point backup.

If there are restore points, I wonder if he would be better off manually restoring the registry from a restore point, as opposed to just "doing a restore", and risking that wasting a restore point?
 
Thanks for the suggestions, I was able to get admin access I'm on Teamviewer now. I made another account but when I log in it's creating a temp account. I tried making 3 different accounts all of them do the same thing. I'm running chkdsk /r now.
 
QueBert said:
Thanks for the suggestions, I was able to get admin access I'm on Teamviewer now. I made another account but when I log in it's creating a temp account. I tried making 3 different accounts all of them do the same thing. I'm running chkdsk /r now.
Click to expand...

So the registry problem is beyond the personal account level. Can you try a restore point?
 
ketchup79 said:
So the registry problem is beyond the personal account level. Can you try a restore point?
Click to expand...

I found a backup from 1/19 (was working then) on an external drive, I booted into Mini XP and copied the \windows\system32\config folder from the back up over and it's still logging on temp profiles. I thought this would (should?) replace the registery. They appear to have a full backup from the 19th but I can't get Acronis True Image to see the external HD when I boot using te Acronis recovery discs I made. This seems to be a common issue with Acronis and I'm not seeing a way to remedy it that works.
 
I fix this on a daily basis and it is very easy to fix as I come across corrupted profiles often.

Open regedit , Visit HKLM software, microsoft windows NT,Profile list
Each listed under roaming profile is the account login folder with each named as you can see as you click on them.

Delete the profile affected in the registry then before you reboot then also rename or delete the profile located at c:\users\profile name folder

Reboot and you should be able to login normally.
 
inachu said:
I fix this on a daily basis and it is very easy to fix as I come across corrupted profiles often.

Open regedit , Visit HKLM software, microsoft windows NT,Profile list
Each listed under roaming profile is the account login folder with each named as you can see as you click on them.

Delete the profile affected in the registry then before you reboot then also rename or delete the profile located at c:\users\profile name folder

Reboot and you should be able to login normally.
Click to expand...

This is normally what I'd do, but it's not working here. I deleted all the profiles. Then I deleted the directory under /users rebooted and let it recreate the profile. It seemed to work, but her profile files are on another drive since she has a small SSD and there's not enough room. If I log on the admin account and delete the directory for the account that was just working and use mklink /j to create a link to the other drive. When I reboot it logs on a temp account again. Can't figure it out


ketchup79 said:
Have you looked at shadow copy for previous registry hives?
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/31136/how-to-restore-previous-versions-of-the-registry-in-windows-7/
Click to expand...


It's only showing 1 backup there and it's from a day where it wasn't working. I hav a whole bunch of other /config backsup from her Acronis backup. I've tried copying them into the /config dir from mini xp but it doesn't seem to be working. I don't even know what else to do here.
 
Well, since you can get into Windows, you can possibly do a repair install. That is the last thing I can think of short of a full re-install here.
 
THe remote profile on the drive is corrupt. That is why you can not use it.
Never setup a pc in a way that profiles must be kept permanently.
Corruption is corruption. You can copy the:
my documents
music
photos and other custom folders and the .nst outlook profiles and so forth but never
bet $1,000,000 that you can reuse a corrupt profile.
 
rename old profile:

If on the r: drive then r: \users\oldprofilename.old


One time Windows got sneakier and started using the renamed profile folder so I just copied to my 64 gig thumb drive and deleted it off its main host location.

Let person log back in after you done the above and deleted the profile list in the registry & when new profile is back on second drive then copy the sub folders back into their new home profile. No windows reinstall needed.


Always weigh the time invested VS the time to just reinstall windows. Which would be the quicker fix.
 
Last edited:
Post #2 is your best bet.

<- Remote HP tech, I see this every day. You system restore, if not, you regedit in smwn, if not you backup files and create a new profile and restore files, if not you reinstall windows after the backup.

I do this remotely so we shy away from the full reinstall but if a regedit fails and you have the PC right there the instructions in Post #2 is the way to go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top