Registry Editor Problem

Anonymous
2022-03-28T04:14:54+00:00

I may have made a bad mistake with my Lenovo desktop computer.

I wanted to change my User name in Win 10 Explorer so I checked YouTube for a possible answer. I chose to find my User name in the Registry: HKey_Local_Machine: Software\Microsoft: Windows NT: ProfilesList: ProfileImagePath: C:\Users(name is in this location)

I changed the name in this location, closed everything out, and rebooted.

When my Win10 sign in page showed, I put my password in . . . . and it wouldn't accept it.

I get the following message:

The User Profile Service failed the sign-in.

User profile cannot be loaded.

I'm trying to find a way into the Registry to correct my mistake, but can't find a way to do it.

I have tried to access the Safe Mode option, but it won't allow me.

Also tried to access Command Prompt (Dos), but it also asks me for my password.

Anyone out there have any advice on how I can access my Registry, or is my only option to reinstall the OS and lose my Apps and Data.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Settings

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

43 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2022-04-01T10:56:30+00:00

    Hello,

    Followed your instructions (much easier than the online version with all the advertisments), found the exact area needed, changed the User name back to the original, unloaded the Hive, closed out everything, and shutdown. Did a normal restart, put my one and only password in, and got the same result message below. Bummer. So I went back in again to check and see if I had made a mistake, but no, my User name change was correct. It was the only change I made in my initial visit to the Registry.

    There is one other thing that I noticed the first time that I tried to login after my initial User change. The name above the password box had both a first and last name. Before I made any change to the Registry, it was always just the first name. I don't know if the name above the password box has anything affect on the system other than just a name. Any suggestions?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. _AW_ 69,656 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-04-01T07:43:32+00:00

    Yes, the username will not be there as the registry you are seeing is for the recovery environment. You need to mount the software registry hive as outlined in that article.

    Basically, open regedit as you have been doing, then left click on HKEY_USERS to highlight it

    Then in the Regedit menu, go to File -> Load Hive...

    Browse to C:\Windows\System32\config and click on SOFTWARE

    You will be prompted to give the hive key a name, just call it temp_key

    So now under HKEY_USERS you will have a subkey named temp_key

    This temp_key will be the equivalent of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE, so you then navigate on this temp_key branch to

    Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

    You should now easily find the profile you altered.

    Once you've fixed the ProfileImagePath, go back to temp_key and left click on it so it's highlighted,

    then go to File -> Unload Hive...

    Exit out and boot back into Windows.

    Good luck :)

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2022-04-01T07:20:45+00:00

    I see that I am speaking with someone else now.

    I have already been to the link you have listed above.

    I don't understand how to use it in reference to my problem.

    I put a different User name in my Registry, rebooted, and was no longer able to get into Win10.

    I thought that if I could get into my Registry again, I could change the User name back to the original, reboot, and everything would work fine again.

    I have gotten back into my Registry via Greg's help, but the User name that I changed is not there for some reason so I was wondering if there is anything else I could do except make a clean install.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. _AW_ 69,656 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-04-01T06:48:43+00:00

    Hi, this is the link from advice already posted:

    https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/edit-registry-offline-windows-re/

    If you do everything correctly, the profile setting you edited will definitely be present in the mounted hive.

    Your hive path will be at C:\Windows\System32\config\SOFTWARE

    Make sure you reply to one of Greg's posts if you have any further problems.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2022-04-01T06:27:08+00:00

    How do I do that. And are you saying that if I do that I might be able to find that User name mistake that I made in one of those 3 Keys?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments