How to Prevent a Problem Profile in Windows
Microsoft Windows XP has a user profile feature that lets you customize your Windows experience. Unfortunately, these profiles can become corrupted with bad data. Over time, software and malware can install itself or modify files that can eventually render a profile unusable. The average user can prevent this damage as much as possible in about 2 hours.
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Instructions
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1
Uninstall all unused programs. Click "Start" > "Control Panel" > "Add/Remove Programs." A window will open listing programs that are currently installed. Select the programs that are not used, or are unwanted, and uninstall them by clicking the "Uninstall/Remove" button.
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2
Remove start-up programs. Many "memory resident" programs that have been installed may not be necessary and/or not used. They can be accessed by clicking on "Start" > "Run." In the command prompt window, type "msconfig" and click "OK." This will bring up the System Configuration tool. On the far right tab, "Startup," will be a list of items, with or without checks next to them. The checked items run when the computer boots, and many slow the machine down and possibly cause issues. Unchecking the ones that are not used and rebooting will clear them out of memory. To determine which of these programs are safe to remove, research the names given in the list on the Internet or in your original software manuals. Do not remove items with unidentifiable names until you determine their purpose.
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3
Clear caches stored in the profile's directories. Many programs install or cache files in the user's profile, then don't remove them. As the profile grows in size, it takes longer for Windows to complete necessary functions. The profiles are stored in "C:\Documents and Settings\Your Profile Name." One of the largest, and most suspect, directories stored here is the Internet Explorer cache. Clear it by emptying the Temporary Internet Files directory found in the profile's subdirectories or by using the Internet Explorer program's Tools and Options menus (see Step 4).
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4
Click on IE's "Tools" menu, then click on "Internet Options." The General tab will have buttons to clear temporary files. Clearing the caches of many programs will improve performance and prevent issues. Cache files usually have underscores in the file extension, such as ".t_p", or will have a .tmp file extension.
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Run spyware and anti-virus programs. A few good programs are Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D and Avira Antivirus (see Resources). Repair or delete whatever they find.
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Run a registry cleaner program. Microsoft has offered RegClean since 1995. It is simple and fast, and easy to use. Another is Glarysoft Registry Mechanic, which can be downloaded as a trial version (see Resources). Clean whatever they find, then reboot.
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7
Make profile backups. In the event that a profile becomes corrupted, you can resort to a backup if there is one. Click "Start" > "Accessories" > "System Tools" > "System Restore." Select the option "Create a Restore Point." This is the simplest way to make a quick backup point of the profile and boot procedure. Once in the "Create a Restore Point" Wizard, select the option to "Create a Restore Point," fill in a name for the restore point and press "Next."
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Tips & Warnings
If a profile is corrupted, reinstalling Windows without formatting or deleting the current installation could correct the problem.
Do not delete or uninstall anything that is unknown. When in doubt, don't delete.
Resources
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