Troubleshoot User Profile Error

11 months ago

This is one of the most difficult errors to get rid of, which is encountered by many but due to the lack of proper troubleshooting tips on the internet they end up doing full PC format. So, here is the exhaustive list of troubleshooting tips which can fix this error for sure.

The Error logs for this type of error are as follow:
------->
Windows cannot find the local profile and is logging you on with a temporary profile. Changes you make to this profile will be lost when you log off.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

------->
Windows was unable to load the registry. This is often caused by insufficient memory or insufficient security rights.
DETAIL - Error performing inpage operation. for C:\Documents and Settings\(your computer name)\ntuser.dat
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

------->
Windows has backed up this user's profile. Windows will automatically try to use the backed up profile the next time this user logs on.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

------->
Windows cannot load the locally stored profile. Possible causes of this error include insufficient security rights or a corrupt local profile. If this problem persists, contact your network administrator.
DETAIL - Error performing inpage operation.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Published this article first on my "Wonderful Tech. Stuff" blog

Troubleshooting
Follow the steps below and after each step restart you PC and check if the error has been rectified. These troubleshooting tips denote/follow the increasing order of complexity to eliminate the error which ends with a full PC format when all the other mentioned tips above it doesn't rectify your error.

First of all Update the Anti-Virus program in your PC to the latest and run a full system scan. Quarantine/Delete any viruses found.

You can also run an On-line Virus Scan from any one or all of these

Use ESET's free online virus scanner now

Free online virus scanner offered by Trend Micro

McAfee FreeScan

After the virus scan restart your PC and if you are fortunate enough your error will be fixed. If not, follow these troubleshooting tips one by one until you get rid of the error.

Troubleshooting Tip-1

Run check Disk on your Root Directory ( the disk where you have installed your OS)

For that go to My computer and right click with your mouse on the root directory and select Properties. Now go to Tools tab and click on "Check Now..." under Error Checking

Note: tick the two check disk options that say 'Automatically Fix File System Errors' and 'Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors' before clicking Start.

As you are accessing some of the files from the root directory it may display an information window that prompts you to schedule the disk check when you restart your PC. Choose the option 'Yes' to confirm disk check.

This tip is all required to correct the error in most of the cases coz this user profile error mostly occur due to bad clusters.

During the disk check you get a message as shown in below image mentioning windows has replaced bad clusters

If you didn't get this message and your error still persist then move on to tip-2

Troubleshooting Tip-2

Turn on "show hidden and system files" in folder options and go to your Documents and Settings folder where you can find a hidden file called "NTUSER.DAT". It is probably corrupt. You can check that by opening it in notepad/wordpad which makes it really laggy as it can't read the bad sector and it may even crash after a while.

All you can do is to rename the file with a ".bak" extention and reboot. An older version of your registry will be recovered, from a day or two before the crash.

If the error still exists, here is the next tip.

Troubleshooting Tip-3:

Your Group Policy might have a User Configuration setting to prevent the user from making changes to their profile.

This can be rectified by changing the type of user profile from Roaming Profile to Local profile.

1. Right click with your mouse on My Computer and select Properties.

2. Go to Advanced tab and click on the setting under User Profiles

3. Select the profile from the list of profiles stored on your computer and click "Change Type" which open Change Profile Type window

4. Select Local Profile and click OK and Reboot. Now check whether the error is fixed. If no is your answer, move on to next tip.

Troubleshooting Tip-4: SYSTEM FILE CHECK

Verify whether all your system files are intact in their original versions or not by running System File Check. Some viruses may modify your system files or even delete some of them and disable the stability of your PC. With this check you can restore all your system files back to their original versions.

Do as follow:

1. Go to Start-->Run and type CMD or COMMAND which open the Command Prompt(DOS) window.
(OR)
---->It would be even better if you Boot your PC into "safe mode with command prompt"
To enter "safe mode with command prompt" follow the steps below
i) Re-boot your PC, after the first beep press F8 key several times
until windows boot screen appears.

ii) Now from the list of boot options select "safe mode with command
prompt" and hit enter which will take you to the command prompt.

2. At the Command Prompt type "sfc /scannow" (without quotes and also make sure to add space after sfc)

3. This Starts 'Windows File Protection' and it prompts you to insert your Windows OS CD to copy the files that are required for windows to run properly. Insert the CD and click retry which accesses the required files from the CD and completes the process.

4. After completion of the process Re-boot your PC.

Troubleshooting Tip-5: SYSTEM RESTORE (safe mode)

Restoring your PC to an earlier date when it worked well may sometimes rectify this error. Doing the system restore in safe mode is preferable.

1) Re-boot your PC, after the first beep press F8 key several times until windows boot screen appears.

2) Now from the list of boot options select "safe mode" and hit enter

3) A window will open asking if you want to use "System Restore" with the options OK and Cancel.

4) Select "Cancel" to enter "System Restore"

5) Ensure "Restore to an earlier time" is checked and click "Next"

6) From the highlighted dates, select an earlier date when your PC worked well and
Click "Next"

7) Allow system restore to happen and reboot.

Troubleshooting Tip-6

1. Go to Start-->Run.. and type msconfig and press OK

Your System Configuration Utility window will appear.

2. Go to "Services" tab

3. Check the box "Hide all Microsoft services"

4. Click "Disable All"

5. Click Apply and OK

6. This prompts you to restart your PC for the changes to take effect. Press OK to restart.

7. After the reboot, check if problem still exists.
(Note: Do not access the internet during this process)

8. If problem is fixed, from the list of services(System Configuration Utility window) enable the disabled items 1 at a time and reboot until you find the one causing the problem.

9. Even now if your error is not fixed, re-enable all and Un-check "Hide all Microsoft services" in System Configuration Utility Services window and reboot.

Troubleshooting Tip-7
This is all about creating a new user profile and copying the data from your corrupted user profile. (Thanks to Microsoft Help and Support Team for this data)

Create a new user profile on the domain computer

1. Log on as the Administrator or as a user with administrator credentials.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click User Accounts.
4. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Advanced.
5. In the left pane, click the Users folder.
6. On the Action menu, click New User.
7. Enter the appropriate user information, and then click Create.

Create a new user profile on the workgroup computer
1. Log on as the Administrator or as a user with administrator credentials.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click User Accounts.
4. Under Pick a task, click Create a new account.
5. Type a name for the user information, and then click Next.
6. Click an account type, and then click Create Account.

Copy files to the new user profile

1. Log on as a user other than the user whose profile you are copying files to or from.
2. In Windows Explorer, click Tools, click Folder Options, click the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders, click to clear the Hide protected operating system files check box, and then click OK.
3. Locate the C:\Documents and Settings\Old_Username folder, where C is the drive on which Windows XP is installed, and Old_Username is the name of the profile you want to copy user data from.
4. Press and hold down the CTRL key while you click each file and subfolder in this folder, except the following files:
* Ntuser.dat
* Ntuser.dat.log
* Ntuser.ini
5. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
6. Locate the C:\Documents and Settings\New_Username folder, where C is the drive on which Windows XP is installed, and New_Username is the name of the user profile that you created in the "Create a New User Profile" section.
7. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
8. Log off the computer, and then log on as the new user.

Note: You must import your e-mail messages and addresses to the new user profile manually before you delete the old profile as this method may not transfer the Outlook Express e-mail messages and address.

Now check if the error is fixed. NO ??

You have done all that you could to fix it.

So the only option left with you is to do a full PC format and install your OS again.

But I am sure that you won't reach here coz you will end up fixing your error with one of the troubleshooting tips above.

Hope this Helps...

Feel free to share this with all your friends.

This was originally published here

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Comments (2)

Respond

By Anonymous3 months ago

Desinstal Google Updater. This software is yhe cause of "temporary error profile"

Respond

By nordwind6 months ago

Thank you for the useful technical guide on configuration/OS error troubleshooting to prevent, if possible, the dreadful complete re-formatting and OS re-installation.