The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded.

How to Fix the Error "The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded."​

   Information

When you log on to Vista or Windows 7 using a temporary profile (user account), you receive this error message:

The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded.

For more information, see:
Error message when you log on to a Windows Vista-based or Windows 7-based computer by using a temporary profile: "The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded"

   Note

CAUSE:

The jury is still out on the exact cause, but so far :

• This issue may occur if the user profile was manually deleted by using the command prompt or Windows Explorer by a user or by some program. A profile that is manually deleted does not remove the security identifier (SID) from the user profile list in the registry. Since the SID is still present, Vista will still try to load the profile by using the ProfileImagePath that points to a nonexistent path. Therefore, the profile cannot be loaded.
• This can also be a issue with the user profile entering into a backup state.
• Manually renaming the C:\Users\(User Name) user profile folder.

   Warning

If you have this error message below instead, then see: How to Fix the Error "Your user profile was not loaded correctly! You have been logged on with a temporary profile." in Vista

Your user profile was not loaded correctly! You have been logged on with a temporary profile.

Changes you make to this profile will be lost when you log off. Please see the event log for details or contact your administrator.

   Tip

If the steps in the tutorial below do not help or you wish to try this first, then:

• You could also try doing a System Restore at boot using a restore point dated before the this error to see if it may be able to fix this.
• If you do not want to repair the user profile, you can delete it and create a new user account in OPTION TWO. If this still does not work for you, then you will be left with doing a clean install for your Upgrade or Full version of Vista or Windows 7.
• Try the option at this link: Rob Brooks-Bilson's Blog: Fix for Vista's: The User Profile Service service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded

STEP ONE

Log on to the Computer

   Warning

You must be logged on to an administrator account using either step 1 or 2 below before you can move on to do either the OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO sections.

1. To Log on to another Administrator account.​

NOTE: If you do not have another Administrator account, then proceed to step 2.​

A) Go to OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO.​

​

OR​

​

2. To Boot into Safe Mode and Use the built-in Administrator account​

NOTE: You may not need to enable the built-in Administrator account. If this was the only normal administrator account you had, then Safe Mode should automatically boot into the built-in Administrator account.​

   Tip

If you cannot boot into Windows and do not have a Windows installation DVD, then you can create and use the boot disc below to boot into Safe Mode with instead.

   Tip

​

Windows 7: (Option Two at link)​

How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc​

​

Vista: (Option One at link)​

How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc​

​

​

​

​

A) Boot into Safe Mode (in Vista) or Safe Mode (in Windows 7).​

​

B) If Safe Mode did not boot into the built-in Administrator account, then enable the built-in Administrator account. If it did, then go to step 2D.​

​

C) Log off in Safe Mode, and then log on to the built-in Administrator account to logon with that account in Safe Mode.​

​

D) Go to OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO.​

​

OPTION ONE

To Fix the User Account Profile

1. Open the Start menu.​

​

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.​

​

3. If prompted by UAC, either click on Continue (Vista) or Yes (Windows 7).​

​

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5)​

​

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

5. In the left pane, look for the S-1-5..... folder (SID key) with the long number that has .bak at the end of the numbers.​

(See screenshots below steps 6A and 7B)​

NOTE:​

A) In the right pane, look at the ProfileImagePath to verify that this is the user account profile that has the error.​

B) You may have another S-1-5..... folder (SID key) above it with the exact same number without the .bak at the end of it.​

​

6. If you have Two S-1-5..... folders (SID key) with the same Number​

NOTE: This is if you have two S-1-5..... folders (SID key) with the exact same numbers, but the second (below) one has the .bak at the end of the numbers.​

A) In the left pane, right click on the first (top) S-1-5..... folder (SID key) that does not have .bak at the end of the numbers and click Rename. (See screenshot below)​

​

​

​

​

B) Add .bk to the end of the numbers. (See screenshot below)​

​

​

​

​

C) In the left pane, right click on the second S-1-5..... folder (SID key) with .bak at the end of the numbers and click Rename. (See screenshot above)​

​

D) Remove only .bak from the end of the numbers and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

​

E) Now go back and Rename the first one with .bk to .bak now at the end of the numbers and press Enter.​

​

​

​

​

F) Go to step 8.​

​

7. If you have Only One S-1-5..... Folder (SID key) with .bak​

NOTE: This is if you only have one S-1-5..... folder (SID key) for your user account with .bak at the end of the numbers.​

A) In the left pane, right click on the S-1-5..... folder (SID key) with .bak at the end of the numbers and click Rename. (See screenshot below)​

​

B) Remove only .bak at the end of the numbers and press Enter. (See screenshot below and below step 10)​

​

​

​

​

8. In the right pane of the one without .bak now, right click on RefCount and click on Modify. (See screenshot below step 10)​

NOTE: If you do not have RefCount, then right click on a empty space in the right pane and click New and DWORD (32 bit) Value, then type RefCount and press Enter. This value for this entry will reset and return back to the original value after you have restarted the computer and logged on to the account.​

A) Type 0 (number) and click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

​

​

​

​

9. In the right pane of the one without .bak now, right click on State and click on Modify. (See screenshot below step 10)​

NOTE: This value for this entry will reset and return back to the original value after you have restarted the computer and logged on to the account.​

A) Type 0 (number) and click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

​

​

​

​

10. The registry will now look like this for the one without .bak now. (See screenshot below)​

​

​

11. Close regedit.​

​

12. Restart the computer.​

​

13. See if you can logon now.​

NOTE: If this still does not help, then either try OPTION TWO below or see the yellow TIP box at the top of the tutorial.​

​

OPTION TWO

To Delete the User Account and Create Another One

   Warning

You can do this option if you do not care about losing the user account and the contents in the user folders. Your programs will still be installed, but you will need to create new shortcuts for them afterwards.

1. Delete the User account profile that this error is for.​

​

2. Open the Start menu.​

​

3. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.​

​

4. If prompted by UAC, click on Continue (Vista) or Yes (Windows 7).​

​

5. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 7)​

​

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

6. In the left pane, click on one of the S-1-5..... folders (SID key) with the long number in it.​

NOTE: It may have .bak at the end of it.​

A) In the right pane, look at the ProfileImagePath to see if this is the same user account that you deleted in step 1 above.​

​

B) Repeat step 6 until you find the one that you deleted in step 1 above.​

NOTE: If the user account is not here, then it has already been removed when deleted in step 1. Go to step 9.​

​

7. To Backup the Registry SID Key​

WARNING: You should backup this SID key to be safe in case you delete the wrong one in step 8 below.​

A) Right click on the SID key, and click on Export.​

​

B) Type in a name and save the REG file to a safe location.​

NOTE: This is your backup. To Restore the Backup, right click on the REG backup file and click on Merge.​

​

C) Continue on to step 8.​

​

​

​

​

8. To Delete the Registry SID Key​

A) Right click on the SID key, and click on Delete. (See screenshot above)​

​

B) Click on Yes to confirm deletion. (See screenshot below)​

​

​

​

​

9. Close regedit.​

​

10. Now, just create a new normal Administrator account.​

NOTE: See: How to Create a New User Account in Vista​

​

11. Restart the computer, and log on to your new account.​

NOTE: If this still does not help, then either try OPTION ONE above or see the yellow TIP box at the top of the tutorial.​

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How To Perform a Repair Installation For Vista
• How to Do a System Restore in Vista
• How to Do a Startup Repair in Vista
• How to Do a Clean Install of Vista with a Upgrade Version
• How to Do a Clean Install with a Full Version of Vista
• How to Fix the Error "Your user profile was not loaded correctly! You have been logged on with a temporary profile."
• How to Change the User Folder Name of a User Profile in Windows 7
• How to Fix Windows 7 Logon Screen Showing Only "Other User" and Last Logged On User Icon

 

[Brink]

Bearhymer,

The C:\Users\Myaccountname and C:\Users\Myaccountname.Myaccountname-PC are two separate user name accounts. One is most likely your old corrupted account with all of your data in it, and the other is the new repaired account from after doing the tutorial.

As stated in my previous posts, check in these folders to see which one has the data you wanted (old user name account) to copy and paste to the other one (current user name account). After you copy everything over and confirm it all ok, you can delete the one that you copied from to save hard drive space.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Bearhymer]

Ok, thanks to you I am easing out of Panic Mode lol!! I will do as you advise, you have been a lifesaver!!! I was afraid I had done something to make my new computer morph into an oversized paperweight! Or toaster... can I make toast in the Blu Ray drive? lol Many many many thanks!!!!

Goodnight,
Bearhymer

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Bearhymer.

LOL, I have not tried that yet with a Blue Ray, but wouldn't it be neat to have a lightscribe DVD drive burn a image on the toast also.

 

[Karl]

A friend got this error today and through your instructions I was able to fix it in a few minutes.

Thanks a lot :D

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Karl, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Shawn

 

[Bearhymer]

Your welcome Bearhymer.

LOL, I have not tried that yet with a Blue Ray, but wouldn't it be neat to have a lightscribe DVD drive burn a image on the toast also.

ROTFL!! CNN and Ebay, here we come! "Image of Top Cat appears on techno-Pop Tart__when logic meets creativity borne of fear and frustration, Vista and Top Cat respond!" (Would we *hafta* tell them you used Lightscribe on my BR-toasted treat?) lol lol

Thanks for the laugh, and for saving my sanity See ya at the bank! :D
Best wishes,
Bearhymer

 

[Brink]

LOL, your welcome Bearhymer.

Have fun selecting an image for the toast.

 

[festeraddams]

Hi Folks,

I just got this message on my wife's account, Mine is the admin and this is working fine, it's just the wifes that won't...

The only things I've done since she last logged on is update Norton 360... at their request and download some vista updates last night..?

Gonna have a crack at what you suggest... will keep you informed.

Cheers

Fester:huh:

 

[festeraddams]

Brink... you are the master.

All hail brink, you've only gone and done it.

20 mins for a total novice... JOB DONE !

Once again thanks

Fester

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Fester, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Shawn

 

[nebulaleo]

Hello everyone,

I cannot logon to the new account when i create it, so i only can use one account. I have already read and do all the post here, but still not work, and the following message still out.
"The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded."
I have two SID key with same number include .bak and other two SID key with long number.
Anyone can help me?

 

[Brink]

Hi Nebulaleo, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Have you tried a System Restore from boot using a restore point dated before this error yet to see if it can fix the problem?

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[jaquar001]

hello
I am having same problem in loading user profile and already tried method written above but no success at all.
i am using;
VISTA HOME PREMIUM W/SP1
having two main account
1) Administrator(real built in administrtor from cmd prompt enabled)
2)jaquar001(administrator privilage account)

problem is with "Administrator" account which i always use

so by the method in post, i logon through "jaquar001" account and go to registry
then local machine>>>profilelist
i found one .bak profile to which i remove .bak then
put 0 into both value
when restar,try with Administrator account login
but same error for not loading profile and load a temp profile.

what shall i do now ??!!!!

 

[Brink]

Hello Jaguar, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You might try a System Restore at boot (Method Two below) using a restore point dated before this profile error to see if it can fix the problem.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[jaquar001]

helo brink
yes problem is solved already before your reply infact,,
after many trial i decided to do the same you told that is,,
to Restore the system into safe mode
then i logon to jaquar001 account and run SYSTEM RESTORE.
system got rebot and later i found my Administrator account working

thanks for your support and reply

Brink shall i ask you something !!!!
i got my that laptop formated with vista inside and i lost all of my data before 7 month about.
later i tried to recover but someone told me that
vista do low level formatting and you cannot get your data back lost during SYSTEM FORMATTING ...

is that true
or i need to open another thread for it ??

thanks:D

 

[Brink]

Jaguar,

I'm happy to hear that you got your user account working again.

Sorry, but when you format the hard drive it wipes everything out on it for good. System Restore restore points are stored on the same drive Vista is installed on. If the data was really important, you might be able to take the laptop's hard drive to a professional data recovery company to see what they can retrieve from it. It will not be cheap to do though.

 

[Jameshuitson]

Hi Brink
Despite fearing that my computer would completely crash, I've managed to solve the problem.
Thanks for your clear instructions.
However I still don't know how the problem arose.
Jim

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Jim, and welcome to Vista Forums. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted out.

It could have been from trying to change the C:\Users\(User Name) folder name, from the user account getting corrupted by something, or a number of other unknown reasons.

Shawn

 

[randlsa]

Awesome! Your tutorial totally resolved my issue. Thank you!
Just a couple of notes...
- My message in Vista was "The User Profile Service service failed the logon. User Profile cannot be loaded". I only mention this for those who might be looking for exact syntax.
- Before I tried using your tutorial, I tried working within another non-administrator account to access my files or conduct a system restore, but the system would not allow me to logon as administrator, even when petitioned to do so.
- After referring to your tutorial, in addition to summoning the "real, built-in" Administrator Account in Safe Mode, I also created a new user account to backup my personal files into, just in case. I had to logon to the new account before I could copy files to it, since Vista doesn't set up the file architecture until you logon the first time. I made this new backup account an admin account too, just in case.
Thanks again for the help... This has made my day! Your instructions for summoning the "real, built-in" Administrator Account and for resolving the regedit issue for the logon failure were to the point and accurate!

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Randlsa, and welcome to Vista Forums.

This tutorial should still be found with the extra "service" in the error message, but I'll make note of this to see how many others have the exact same error message you posted. I'll change it if it seems that it has changed for many others as well.

Thank you,
Shawn