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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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.

Was this answer helpful?

200+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

192 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2013-07-02T19:42:51+00:00

    Hello

    I have same problem.

    Followed method 2. Worked fine for a few days and now having same problem with new (administrator account).

    Pls help !

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2013-07-19T00:58:35+00:00

    Temporary Profile Problem (TPP)

    Simple fix without creating temporary account, copying files or modifying registry.

    Folks I think that I have found an easy way to repair the TPP - this is not a fix until MS corrects cause. It is possible that TPP will happen again with the next update or user assignment. 

    First - I somewhat agree with some of the previous users in that it appears to have occurred shortly after a Windows update.  In that - Last week Microsoft installed updates to the system.  All-good, as far as I knew.  I executed necessary options to turn on the GUEST account.  Thereafter is when the primary user account (w/Administrator privileges) opened with temporary profile problem (TPP).  Such a simple operation as adding a GUEST account should not have triggered a profile change on the Administrator’s account.  However - it caused the primary account to have TPP or was it the update?  The two events (Update and adding Guest) were close together and neither should have caused the change.  Moving On...

    In ref:  'Enjah replied on March 5, 2013'

    Enjah's comments gave me cause to look back at some other comments, driving me to believe that the problem is within easy reach.  It took a little bit of looking around and I found what appeared to be the area of the problem.  Cause of TPP – I don’t know, that would be Microsoft’s responsibility.

    Looking at each user account (on our system) I find that primary account was missing a common ‘*Users’ element in the LOCALGROUPS setting.  After executing the command string to add it, all is good - the complete profile returned without having to create a temporary account, copying files or modifying system registry. 

    ***************************

    Very simple – so here are the steps.

    Depending on how you logged on to the system depends a lot on how you may receive prompts or steps through the commands - but they are very close.

    Note, do not enter quotes in comments below, they are used to show grouped command lines.

    Working in Windows-8 environment…

    Following a login with any account, execute the 'WINDOWS key + Q' sequence.

    The Apps window group appears with a search-box in the upper-right panel.

    Enter 'cmd' and note that the Apps auto search will find the 'Command Prompt' app to the left.

    Place cursor over the 'Command Prompt' box and RIGHT-CLICK!!!!

    At the bottom, find 'Run as administrator' and select with LEFT-CLICK.

    *** Depending on your login…

    >>> If you started from the Primary/Administrator account - a password will not be necessary.

    >>> From any NON-Primary/Administrator account a password will be required.

    Select 'YES' to allow the program to make changes.

    *** Depending on your login...

    The command line prompt may appear with a different path (I.E. c:\**\**\***>), so I use the '{path}>' prompt to illustrate command line prompts.  Lets get it done...

    Execute the following at the '{path}>' prompt to identify users.

    {path}> NET USERS   (USER or USERS appears to work either way).

    Execute the following at the prompt to view each {user} account.

    {path}> NET USER {user}

    This is where I found that the '*Users' element in the 'Local Group Memberships' was missing from the Primary/Administrator account.  And executed the following to restore the account (for proper profile).

    Substitute '{user}' for the user account of interest on your system.

    {path}> NET LOCALGROUP USERS {user} /ADD 

    FYI: For command assistance, enter 'NET /HELP' or 'NET LOCALGROUP /HELP'

    If you executed option to activate Administrator account (as in other blogging comments), you may leave it or deactivate (normal).  The following applies, but not required.

    {path}> NET USER ADMINISTRATOR /ACTIVE:YES     (To activate.  Note: No space following ‘:’)

    {path}> NET USER ADMINISTRATOR /ACTIVE:NO      (To deactivate. Normal mode to hide.)

    Likewise you can activate or deactivate GUEST account via the same command line by replacing the ADMINISTRATOR with GUEST as the user.

    To close the command window, execute

    {path}> EXIT

    Wish all of you happier computing times…

    (Took me more time to write this up than to fix it - LOL)

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2013-07-21T09:38:26+00:00

    Hi. I'm trying to do what you recommend (this issue has happened to me as well). I'm trying method 2 and I go to copy all the data over into a new profile...and it says I need admin permission to do this. How do I do this?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2013-07-22T04:08:12+00:00

    Hi. I'm trying to do what you recommend (this issue has happened to me as well). I'm trying method 2 and I go to copy all the data over into a new profile...and it says I need admin permission to do this. How do I do this?

    Burtoncbogan - The easiest way to the admin permission is via the primary account generally the FIRST account established in the system when installed. Therefore, if you have access to first account (know the owner/password) or to an alternate with administrator privileges then login in with one of them.

    BEFORE you try the either method 1 or 2 as listed in the beginning of this series, first look at my posting July 18, 2013. I suggest this before you create temporary account(s), copying files or modifying registry – because of the high-risk caution you must use. If my simple fix works for you, then you're done in less than five minutes.

    Again Administrator privileges required (I.E. password – often the fist account established).

    Best of Luck TDossey

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments