Windows 8 keeps loading with temporary profile

Anonymous
2012-11-22T02:28:10+00:00

I upgraded my Windows 7 to Win 8 Pro. Today my power cable got unplugged and the computer restarted but cannot open my default profile. It keeps logging me to a temporary profile and states that the default profile could not be loaded. I check through the error logs and it states that the Registry may have gotten corrupted. How would a restart of the computer corrupt my registry. The problem is that everytime I restart it keeps taking me to the temporary profile which is new everytime I log in. None of the settings are saved. How do I get back to my original profile. I tried Refreshing the PC and it failed. Is this fixable?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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Anonymous
2012-11-22T16:59:04+00:00

Hi

We are glad to get your query on Windows Community.

As far as your query is concerned, It seem that you are having a tough time logging to your default account.

I will surely help you with issue. But I still require certain information to get the right resolution:

May I know whether the default account is an Admin account or a standard user account?

I would recommend you to follow the methods below to resolve the issue:

Method 1:

Enable Built Admin account.

a) Press Windows and x key together on your desktop screen.

b) Click on Command Prompt (admin).

c) Type: net user administrator /active: yes

Note: Please follow the same steps and type net user administrator /active: no to disable admin account after the troubleshooting is done

After enabling Built-in admin, please try with the steps below:

Step 1:

Perform SFC Scan

Please follow the steps to perform SFC Scan:

a. Press “Windows Key + Q” to open Charms Bar.

b. Type “cmd” without quotes in the search box.

c. On the left pane, right click on the “cmd” option and select “Run as Administrator”.

d. Type ‘sfc /scannow’ without quotes and hit enter.

Note: It may ask for windows installation DVD to fix and to enable SFC to make more than minor repairs. Some files saved on your computer might get deleted when fixing corrupted files.

Step 2:

Please perform Microsoft Safety Scanner to scan your computer for infections.

To download and run the Microsoft Safety Scanner, follow these steps:

a) Go to the Microsoft Safety Scanner site at: Microsoft Safety Scanner

(http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx)

b) Click Download Now.

c) If prompted, click Run. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the Microsoft Safety Scanner. When prompted, add a shortcut to the Microsoft Safety Scanner to your desktop.

d) From your desktop, double click the Microsoft Safety Scanner icon. When the Microsoft Safety Scanner program launches, click Scan Type, then click Full Scan, then click Next.

e) After the scan is complete, remove all detected malware entries

Note: Any data files that are infected may only be cleaned by deleting the file entirely, which means there is a potential for data loss.

For more information refer:

Microsoft resources and guidance for removal of malware and viruses (Microsoft Safety Scanner).

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2671662

Step 3:

Please restart your PC and check if you are able to log in to your Default Profile.

Method 2:

From Built in administrator account create a new user account and transfer the profile data.

Please follow the steps below to do that:

a) Press Windows and x together and select Windows Explorer.

b) Click on View tab and Click on Options at the top right corner.

c) Click the View tab, and then click Show hidden files, folders, and drives.

d) Uncheck the box which states **Hide protected operating system files.**e) Click Yes to confirm, and then click OK.

f) Locate the C:\Users\Old_Username folder, where C is the drive that Windows is installed on, and Old Username is the name of the profile you want to copy files from.

g) Select all of the files and folders in this folder, except the following files:

•Ntuser.dat•Ntuser.dat.log•Ntuser.ini

h) Right click and Select Copy.

i) Locate the C:\Users\New_Username folder, where C is the drive that Windows is installed on, and New Username is the name of the new user profile you created.

j) Right click inside the folder and select Paste.

k) Restart your PC and check if you are able to log in to default profile.

Please reply us back if the issue still persists.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-05-25T18:36:41+00:00

    On Mon, 25 May 2015 17:44:24 +0000, JohnENixon wrote:

    Thanks for this steaming pile of dung OS. Why is there not a "hotfix" for this KNOWN issue. Your desire to keep customers seems nonexistent. We here have all jumped through every flaming hoop you have set up for us and 2 years later we are still doing the same thing. Unreal, or should I just say unreliable? Thanks again and BTW you can keep your new windows 10.... I'm sure it is just more of the same ole same ole useless untested junk. Here's a great tip for you MS copy IOS seems their user base is loyal and HAPPY.

    You apparently think you are addressing Microsoft here. You are not.
    This is a peer support forum. We are all just users of this version of
    Windows here, helping each other if and when we can. We are not
    Microsoft employees (not even those of us with "Microsoft MVP" behind
    our names; that's an honorary title for having provided consistently
    helpful advice) except for an occasional Microsoft contractor or
    employee.

    If you want to complain to Microsoft about something, please contact
    them directly. Trying to do it here is just a waste of (figurative)
    breath, and clutters up the forum.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-05-13T01:18:54+00:00

    Hi,

    Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

    Sorry for the inconvenience that caused to you.

    I can understand that you were unable to perform System restore completely as it gets stuck.

    Let us use the installation media (dvd/usb) to further troubleshoot the issue.

    If you don’t have Windows installation media. Then refer to the below link to create an installation media.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

    Method 1: So I would suggest you to perform Automatic Repair using the Installation Media.

    1. Start (or boot) your computer from the installation media. Insert the DVD or USB flash drive and restart your computer.
    2. If you see a message asking you to “Press any key to boot from DVD,” do so.
    3. When you see the Install Windows page, tap or click Repair your computerto start the Windows Recovery Environment.
    4. In the Windows Recovery Environment, on the Choose an option screen, tap or click on Troubleshoot.
    5. Click on Advanced Options.
    6. Click on Automatic repair.

    If the issue still persist, refer to below method.

    Method 2: I would suggest you to try perform System Refresh of your Computer.

    If your PC isn't performing as well as it once did, and you don't know why, you can refresh your PC without deleting any of your personal files or changing your settings.

    1. Start (or boot) your computer from the installation media. Insert the DVD or USB flash drive and restart your computer.
    2. If you see a message asking you to “Press any key to boot from DVD,” do so.
    3. When you see the Install Windows page, tap or click on Repair your computerto start the Windows Recovery Environment.
    4. In the Windows Recovery Environment, on the Choose an option screen, tap or click on Troubleshoot.
    5. Click on Refresh.

    Disclaimer for Refresh:

    Apps you installed from websites and DVDs will be removed. Apps that came with your PC and apps you installed from the Windows Store will be reinstalled. Windows puts a list of removed apps on your desktop after refreshing your PC.

    If you face any Windows related issues in the future, feel free to contact us and we will be glad to help.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-05-04T19:12:58+00:00

    Thank you microsoft for leaving us on this sinking boat alone. The issue raised in 2013 and we are in 2015 now and the problem still exists. I am using Win 8.1 for now almost 2 months, all updates were up to date, and all of a sudden i faced this problem.

    Already tried all the above mentioned tips, searched web as well. Finally i started System Restore and am stuck in "Please Wait while blah blah...." for past 45 min.

    Now i hope that at least my system starts.

    Well done MS, well done.

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