"Temporary User Profile" ALWAYS loads!!

katie88

New Member
Please please can someone help me with this??
The problem started when I decided to do a reboot after installing some programs.
Since then whenever I log on it takes ages displaying the "welcome" message, then comes up with the dreaded "preparing your desktop" message. It then loads a "temporary user profile" and says that any changes made while logged on to this profile will be lost afterwards, and to check the event log or contact the network administrator.
I've read heaps about this problem happening to people with vista and windows 7 (I have vista home ed). It's supposed to be due to a corrupted profile, and so if you delete the profile in the "regedit" thing it's supposed to fix itself. Others have also suggested creating a new account and transferring everything.
I have tried countless restarts, restoring the system, deleting the user profile (all my stuff is now fully backed up) and creating new accounts. None of it works - a temporary profile still loads from a newly created account, the same happens even in safe mode and from the built in administrator account.
I'm at a total loss as to what to do!!
I use my computer every day for work so you can hopefully imagine how frustrating this is!
I would be so grateful if someone had an answer!!
Thanks
 

My Computer

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
One solution, would be to use system restore, from before the programs were installed. You will of course lose the programs and they will have to be reinstalled one at a time, then tried to find out the program causing the problem.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Thanks, but as I said in my original message, I've tried restoring the system.
I did a system restore to the day before I installed the programs.

I've also tried virus scans since then.
 

My Computer

Hello Katie, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You might see if may be able to do a repair install to fix this. If not, then it looks you may need to do a clean reinstall instead. :(

Hope this helps,
Shawn
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy Y0F94AV
    CPU
    i7-7500U @ 2.70 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
    Sound Card
    Conexant ISST Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" UHD IPS touch
    Screen Resolution
    3480 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512 GB M.2 SSD
Thank you for your advice.

Since Vista came pre-installed on the machine I don't think I can do a repair install. However, I do think there is an option to restore the original factory settings.

My only concern is (after having backed up everything to an external hard drive) whether I will be able to reinstall all my basic programs (eg. microsoft office) and everything else without the installation CDs after I do this.

Unfortunately I am in Australia and everything which came with my laptop (installation CDs etc) is in the UK. So it would be a bit of a disaster if I couldn't put everything back on - in fact I'd rather stick with this annoying temporary profile thing!

So I guess my question is, if I fully back up everything, then restore the factory settings, will I be able to get EVERYTHING back on without any installation CDs??
Also if it doesn't work after that.... I'd be totally screwed right..

Feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
 

My Computer

If you are able to restore factory specs, your computer will be just like the day you brought it home. For any programs that you added, you will need the DVD and key number, if applicable. You will have to download any IE add-ons etc. If you have the necessary DVD's, keys and downloads available, you can get back to where you are, today.

Any personal doucments, pics etc will need to be backed up and then restored to the factory image.

You may want to use Paragon Back UP software to back up your entire hard drive, before attempting anything.
http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Ok, that's what I thought :(

Thanks so much for the info.

Is there any way of knowing whether this will solve the problem? If it is something weird on my harddrive causing the problem, when I put everything back on after I restore the factory specs, isn't there a risk it'll just happen again??

Any idea what causes this sort of thing?
 

My Computer

Katie, there is nothing on the hard drive that is causing the problem. Based upon your posts the problem began when you installed new programs. Evidence supports the fact that the programs are the source of the problem. Assuming that "everything will stay equal" your computer will behave in the same manner that it did since your purchased it. I would exercise caution before installing those problem programs, again.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Yes, please keeep us informed. In addition to my help and the potential help of all the membership when you post; you are teaching others by your experience.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
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