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

 

[Brink]

Hi HFShaf,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

You can Copy the contents of the C:\Users\(user name) folders that you want to save to another location, then Paste them into the new accounts user name location.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[HFShaf]

this is somewhat late but it does

it gives me a second option if the problem ever arises again (i got the login working again)

thanks though

 

[Brink]

Your welcome HFShaf,

I'm happy to hear that you got the old one working again.

Shawn

 

[EpoRose]

Please help me!! On Sunday at 7 AM I logged on to my computer, and several hours later, it was telling me that User Logon Service service failed. Every single thing I have read and tried has not worked because it is an administrator account. I created a separate user account for my roommate before this happened, and that is the only way I can get online. It won't let me rename the file with .bk, saying, "Error while renaming key." It won't let me do anything because it's an administrator account. I don't know what else to do and I'm very frustrated!!

 

[Brink]

Hello EpoRose,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Use Method Two in this tutorial below to see if doing a System Restore using a restore point dated before this problem can fix it for you.

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

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[EpoRose]

The computer won't let me run any programs- it's asking for my password again and not letting me log in.

 

[Brink]

EpoRose,

If you cannot log on to your user account because you do not know your password, then Method Three in this tutorial will show you how to reset the password so you can log on again.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/102005-reset-user-account-password.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[korhalic]

Hey Shawn,

I'm running Vista x32 and having the user profile service failure. I've tried

a) booting in safe mode, logging into my user admin account, and using the regedit method

b) booting in safe mode, enabling the built-in admin account, and using regedit in this account

and neither has been successful. None of the Regedit changes (deleting .bak, modifying the State value to 0) have saved when I reboot (I've checked).

So, I successfully booted from the Vista DVD (thank you for the tutorial!) and ran system restore. Unfortunately, out of all the system restore points, the only point that successfully loaded was made after this mess began.

Given the failure at system restore, I ran the startup repair, also from the vista boot DVD. This found nothing.

So, first, is there any way to get the regedit changes to stick?

And if not, am I out of options? Must I reinstall completely?

 

[Brink]

Hi Korhalic,

With everything you already tried, a clean install would probably be best. If you wanted to try and repair it, you can try doing a Repair (upgrade) install to see if it can. This tutorial will show you how to if needed.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[korhalic]

unfortunately, I only have the reinstallation disk (vista came with the pc), so I can't do the repair installation.

If I do the clean install, do you know what files I'll lose? (Docs, Music, etc..)

 

[Brink]

Korhalic,

Unless you backup what you do not want to lose, a clean install will delete everything on the hard drive and reinstall Vista fresh. If you have access, you can manually copy what files you want to a DVD, or other media, to copy back later.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Brazilianboiii]

i tired this but did not work out for me... about the first option... i don't have two folders that have all those numbers... can you help me out? i hate this because i have to share my account profile with someone else..

 

[Brink]

Hi Brazilianboiii,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Would step 7 in OPTION ONE apply to you for one SID folder?

If not, then you can try a System Restore using a restore point dated before the problem to hopefully fix it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Brink]

i tried that many times,,

What do you have showing in the SID key location in the registry instead?

Did you get this exact error message?

Shawn

 

[Karl Snooks]

Shawn,
My problem is that with LUsrMgr.msc or with User Account Control, I can "create" a user account or an administrator account. The account shows up in those two places, but, no folder is created, no SID is created. Nothing is created, consequently, all efforts to log in with the "created" account produce the error msg you discuss in this tutorial, but there is no SID in the registry, there is no folder, nothing to "manipulate".

So far my search of the 'net has not located an answer. I'm not particularly fond of draconian actions such as reinstalls.
karl

 

[Brink]

Hi Karl,

Did you logon to the newly created account afterwards? This is when it sets up all of the other files and registry settings. Afterwards, they should show up.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Karl Snooks]

Shawn,
Yes. From my original post "all efforts to log in with the "created" account produce the error msg you discuss in this tutorial".

I should have clarified that checks for folder, SID occurred after an unsuccessfull logon attempt.

Karl

 

[Brink]

Karl,

Since it is the newly created accounts doing this to you and not the account you already have, you might consider doing a Repair (upgrade) install after deleting the new accounts that will not work. This tutorial will show you how to if needed.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[EpoRose]

It's not my password that is the problem. Both my username and password are correct, it's just the fact that it keeps saying that the service has failed and everything that I have tried can't be done because the service has failed. I've basically been running around in a circle with this for about a week and a half.

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Cris, and welcome to Vista Forums.

No donation is necessary unless you would just like to.

Vista Forums - Bills Donations

Have a great day,
Shawn