How to Fix a Corrupted User on Windows

Windows creates user profiles that contain settings and programs for each individual who logs onto the Windows operating system. Sometimes user profiles can get corrupted because of a Windows crash or other serious issue. When you log on, you may encounter the message telling you a serious error has occurred or that "Windows cannot load your profile because it may be corrupted," according to Microsoft support. You can fix the corrupted user profile by creating and configuring a new, separate user and then deleting the old one.

Instructions

Create a New User Account

1. Log in to Windows with your administrator account or as a user who has been given administrator privileges.

2. Click the "Start" button (the Windows logo button in Windows 7 and Vista). Click "Control Panel."

3. Select the "User Accounts" section in Windows XP and click "Create a new account." In Windows Vista and 7, click "User Accounts and Family Safety," then "Add or remove user accounts" and click "Create a new account."

4. Type a name for the new user account. Select the account type--either "Administrator" or "Standard User"--and click "Create Account." Repeat this process to create a separate "dummy" user account.

Transfer Corrupted User's Files

1. Log in to Windows with the "dummy" user account or with a separate user from both the new user you created and the corrupted user.

2. Click the "Start" button in Windows XP, select "All Programs," open the "Accessories" menu and click "Windows Explorer."

   In Windows 7, type "Windows Explorer" in the Start Menu's "Search" box and press "Enter." In Windows Vista, click the Windows logo "Start" button and click "Documents."

3. Click the "Tools" menu and select "Folder Options." Click the "View" tab. Click the "Show Hidden files and folders" button and clear the "Hide protected operating system files" check box. Click "OK" in Windows XP and Vista; in Windows 7, click "Yes" in the confirmation message and then click "OK."

4. Double-click the primary drive of your computer (usually the "C:" drive) in the left column to expand it. Double-click "Documents and Settings" in Windows XP to expand it. In Windows XP, Vista and 7, double-click "Users." Double-click the corrupted Windows user's folder to show its contents in the right side of the window.

5. Click the file listed at the top of the list in the corrupted user's folder. Press and hold the "Shift" keyboard key. Scroll to the bottom of the corrupted user's folder. Click the last file in the list to simultaneously select it and all the rest of the files. Release the "Shift" key.

6. Press and hold the "Ctrl" keyboard key. Click on the "Ntuser.dat," "Ntuser.dat.log" and "Ntuser.ini" files to deselect them. Release the "Ctrl" button. Right-click the selected and highlighted files. Click "Copy."

7. Double-click the primary "C:" drive in the left column. Navigate to the "Users" folder. Click on the name of the new user you created to select it. Right-click the new user's name and click on "Paste."

8. Log off Windows as the "dummy" user. Log onto Windows as the new user (the user to which you copied files from the corrupted user).

9. Open the Control Panel and go into the "User Accounts" section. Select the corrupted user's profile. Click the "Delete the account" option. Repeat to also delete the "dummy" account you created.

References

• Microsoft Support: How to Copy Data from a Corrupted User Profile to a New Profile in Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows: Windows Vista - Fix a Corrupted User Profile
• Microsoft Windows: Windows 7 - Fix a Corrupted User Profile