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.​

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OR​

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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

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Windows 7: (Option Two at link)​

How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc​

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Vista: (Option One at link)​

How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc​

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

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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.​

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

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D) Go to OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO.​

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OPTION ONE

To Fix the User Account Profile

1. Open the Start menu.​

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

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

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

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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.​

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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)​

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

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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)​

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

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

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F) Go to step 8.​

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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)​

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

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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)​

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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)​

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

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11. Close regedit.​

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12. Restart the computer.​

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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.​

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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.​

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2. Open the Start menu.​

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

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

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

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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.​

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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.​

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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.​

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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.​

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C) Continue on to step 8.​

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8. To Delete the Registry SID Key​

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

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

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9. Close regedit.​

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

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

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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.​

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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

 

[nuke21]

Thank you for the warm welcome Brink.

That program you told me about looks interesting. But I have a few questions. I assume I would just need an external drive and then install this program and then it would copy right to the external? And say I got a brand new computer, I would just have to install the program again and then somehow run the backup from my external then it is just like the other computer I made the image off of? Even hidden folders and everything?

Also does it work in XP as well? I have Vista and XP on my computer and I was probably thinking of making an image of both if this would allow me to.

Also, say I make an image, then use my computer for like a month, then want to like update the image. Do I have to delete the old one and make a new one or does it just change the files that have changed within that month?

Thank you for your time and advice.

 

[Brink]

It does work with XP as well.

Since I have Vista Ultimate, I use the System Image feature in it, so I'm not real familiar with how Macrium Reflect works. The link below helps show you how to use the program in more depth though.

Macrium Reflect Disk Imaging and Backup - Tutorials

 

[kenlim]

works like a charm. Thanks for posting Option 1 otherwise i will have a hardtime getting back all that's tied to my profile.

Was vexed for 1 day with this.

For those of you who didn't get it to work because of permission denied, probably you didn't log on with an account that is a local administrator or you did not go into SAFE MODE.

Cheers

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Ken, and welcome to Vista Forums. Thank you for posting back your results.

 

[Beatlefan]

Hi Thanks for the post. I think limewire messed my system up. Unfortunate for me the problem keeps happening and i keep fixing it. How may i make this stop? I think i have cleared all of the limewire data.

 

[Brink]

Hello Beatlefan, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Since it continues to happen to you all the time, then I would recommend to backup anything that you do not want to lose to be safe.

First create a new administrator account to see if it does it for this account as well.

If not, then you can copy the contents from your old user account user folders into the corresponding new account's user folders to keep your settings and shortcuts. After everything checks out, you can delete the old account from within the new one.

If you still get the error in the new account as well, then it may be time for a clean (format) install of Vista.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Beatlefan]

Thank you, but now my problem is that the accout that was not working is working but another account has now logged in as a temporary account. why?

 

[Brink]

You may have a corrupted installation, and might consider backing up anything that you do not want to lose and start clean.

 

[jpow11]

Hello!

These steps have helped me access my main account, but I cannot access standard accounts as well as other administrative accounts.

I plan on upgrading to Windows 7 within the next 2 weeks.

If I simply upgrade, keeping the current hard drive files, will the problem be resolved, or will I have to do a clean install? I really don't want to do a clean install.

Has anybody ever had to do something like this with another upgrade (i.e XP to Vista, 2000 to XP, etc.)?

 

[Brink]

Hello Jpow, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Normall a upgrade like this will keep your user accounts, but if you have this error, then there's no guarantee that it may. I would recommend to backup anything that you do not want to lose to be safe though.

If this hasn't happened to long a go, you might try a system restore using a restore point dated before these errors to see if it may be able to fix it.

 

[jpow11]

Thanks, Brink.

Unfortunately, the profile issue began on DAY 1, and I have had the computer for 2 months now. I could get it repaired since it's still in warranty, but I use it all the time for college... :P

I used the Dell Support Center for help recently, only to learn that they are the most terrible service ever. They basically "killed" my only account, forcing me to use System Restore to go a few days back before I contacted them. I think they are still awaiting my response, but I'm gonna stay away from them for a while... :-)

I'll probably keep all my files on my iPod (since it's the only thing I have that can hold 80GB...) and keep track of what programs I installed, and just go with the clean install to "refresh" my entire computer.

 

[Brink]

As a last ditch effort, you might create a new administrator account and see if everything works ok while logged on to it.

If not, then you can do a factory restore below. Be sure to back up anything that you do not want to lose though.

Dell - Technical Support=

 

[skeee]

hi, im not to good with computers but i have a HP Pavillion Entertainment PC with Windows Vista Home Premium installed and today when i logged on the computer went very weird, nothing would log on so i tried to restart the computer to see if it would work however after i restarted it i cannot log onto it. i am the only user of the laptop and when i try to log on it comes up with "The User Profile Service service failed to logon. User profile cannot be loaded" i cant get past the logon screen and have no idea how to fix it. can someone help me please.
many thanks.

 

[jpow11]

@ Skeee

When you start your computer, continuously tap the F8 button until a screen appears with numerous options.

All computers are different, but there should be a "Safe Mode" option. Select that, and it will let you access your account with limited features. From that, follow the instructions Brink posted on page 1 of this forum thread.

Hope this works,
JPow

P.S. When typing "regedit," if nothing happens after pressing ENTER, right-click the "regedit" software when it appears, and select "Run as administrator."

 

[skeee]

thanks so much Jpow.
i fixed it and for me tht is a HUGE surprise.
thanks again. this site really helped. (:

 

[nuke21]

Brink,

Thank you again for helping me a week ago. I wanted to ask a few questions to help my understanding. Is this a one time thing with installing SP2 or can this happen again somehow?

Also, correct me if I am wrong, but I think .bak is the backup and the .bk is the current one Vista reads. And what we did is replace the current with the old to get it to work again. With that being said, after I logged on successfully, did windows remake the .bak and .bk in case this happens again I can redo this? I hope you understand my question.

 

[Brink]

Hi Nuke,

It shouldn't happen at all really unless you had some type of user profile corruption or problem.

I''m not sure what or when Vista decides on creating a backup (.bak) of the user profile. The .bk one is just the manually renamed current profile done from using the tutorial as a workaround to replace the current profile with the .bak one before the .bak was removed from it. That's all.

It's best to always keep good back ups to be safe though.

 

[Beatlefan]

You may have a corrupted installation, and might consider backing up anything that you do not want to lose and start clean.

so save all my files onto disks and flashdrives, now my laptop came with no disk of vista is my key the little numbers on the bottom? amd would i have to install programs like officce and norton again?

 

[Brink]

Beatlefan,

What brand is your laptop? I'll see if I can post back the link from your laptop manufacturer's website on how to do a factory restore of Vista from your recovery partition.

 

[Beatlefan]

hp but its alright im doing a system recovery techs from hp helped