Win XP doesn't find my "profile"

[drbbanner]

When Windows XP is loading it doesn't find my "profile" - meaning everything i configured, cookies, my desktop, my e-mail etc is gone and it started from the beginning. And everytime I turn it off it does it again!

Any ideas how I can get it to find my previous "profile" and get it to work? thanks.

 

[kursplat]

And everytime I turn it off it does it again!

so you redo everything to your liking and the reboot wipes it ? is the whole user account being lost or just the way you've tweeked yours to look ?
just found this . this what you mean ?
p.s. welcome to anandtech
good luck

 

[drbbanner]

yes it looks like this is it. what happend was that i tried to shut off the pc one day and it took forever and i was in a hurry so i used the switch on the back to turn it off immediately. the next day when i started it it didnt find the profile and loaded up win xp and everything was blank, all files was there but my desktop was blank, there were no links saved under favorites in internet explorer, no cookies etc.

so the question is now - is my old profile with all my settings stored somewhere in windows? where can i find it and load it so that on the next startup it will find my old settings?

thanks for any help.

 

[kursplat]

try loging on as "adminisrator" delete your old account name .(back up all your docs, pics , ect first.) then restart and recreate the profile from scratch.
this is hoping you have been uasing a profile other then adminisrator.
good luck

 

[drbbanner]

but isnt it possible to find the old profile? i hate to do it all again from scratch, lots of work.

and how do i log on as administrator? right now i automatically log on when i start the computer.

 

[kursplat]

did you install windows or did it come preinstalled ?
once windows starts go to the start button and select "log off" , twice . that should give you the option to log in as admin.

but isnt it possible to find the old profile? i hate to do it all again from scratch, lots of work.

open "my computer" then at the top of the window tools\folder options\view . select show hidden files and folders. then go to C:\Documents and Settings and select whatever name your account is from the list (admin , all users , default user , ect). copy that to somewhere safe. if you haven't told windows to use any other folders for storing these things they should all be there. then delet and recreate your account and try copying back in your old files.
good luck