User Profile Error - Logged on with a Temporary Profile

How to Fix the Error "Your user profile was not loaded correctly! You have been logged on with a temporary profile." in Vista and Windows 7​

   Information

A user profile is a collection of settings that make the computer look and work the way you want it to for a user account. It contains the account's settings for desktop backgrounds, screen savers, pointer preferences, sound settings, and other features. User profiles ensure that your personal preferences are used whenever you sign in to Windows.

A user profile is different from a user account, which you use to sign in to Windows. Each user account has at least one user profile associated with it.

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

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.

For more information, see:
A temporary profile is loaded after you log on to a Windows Vista-based system

   Tip

This problem usually occurs if the current user's profile was accidentally deleted from the system or got corrupted.

   Warning

If you have this error message below instead, then see: How to Fix the Error "The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded."

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

EXAMPLE: Error Message in Windows 7

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STEP ONE

Log On to the Computer as an Administrator

   Warning

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

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 the STEP TWO section below.​

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OR​

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2. To Boot into Safe Mode for 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 2C.​

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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 the STEP TWO section below.​

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OR​

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3. To Enable the Built-in Administrator account at Boot​

A) For how, see: How to Enable the Built-in Elevated "Administrator" Account from WinRE​

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B) When enabled, log in to the built-in Administrator account, and go to the STEP TWO section below for what you would like to do​

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STEP TWO

Delete the User Account Profile's SID Key

1. Backup anything that you do not want to lose in this user account's C:\Users\(user-name) profile folder, if the profile folder still exists, to another location, then delete the (user-name) profile folder.​

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2. Open the Start menu.​

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3. In the Start Menu search box, type regedit and press Enter.​

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4. If prompted by UAC, then 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

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6. In the left pane, click on one of the S-1-5..... folders (SID key) with the long number. (See screenshot below step 7)​

NOTE: It should 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.​

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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 from step 6, 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. Right click on the SID key, from step 6 with bak at the end, and click on Delete. (see screenshot above)​

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

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10. If there is another SID key with the exact same long number from step 6 for this user account without bak at the end, repeat step 7 first, then right click on this same SID key, and click on Delete. (see screenshot below step 7)​

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11. Click on Yes to confirm deletion. (See screenshot below step 9)​

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12. Close regedit.​

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13. Log off and log on.​

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   Note

After you log on to the computer, the profile folder you are having problems with is re-created. If not, then try a System Restore using a restore point dated before you got this error. If this still does not help, then you will need to create a new account and restore the user folder files from the backup created at step 1.

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

 

[MrDuracraft]

Unfortunately this problem began over a week ago and I was only just able to try to fix it. The earliest restore point I have is from the day after the problem began

 

[Brink]

In that case, you might create a new account, and see how it works. If it works ok, then copy any files and shortcuts from the old account into the new one, and delete the old account.

 

[MrDuracraft]

Okay, thanks, I'll try that. I backed up the entire user profile folder in an external hard drive; are there any things I should avoid putting into the new profile from the old profile to avoid further problems?

 

[Brink]

As long as you only copy your files (ex: music, pictures, etc...) and any shortcuts you created from the old account, then you'll be fine.

 

[MrDuracraft]

It seems to have worked! Thank you so much! :D

 

[Brink]

That's great news. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[Mihirengg19]

Hello Brink,this did not work for me.after logging off and on the system was the same as before,no chamge at all.please help me,the data is very important to me.
Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello Mihirengg, and welcome to Vista Forums.

If you have not already, see if the blue Note box at the bottom of the thread may help.

 

[Mihirengg19]

Hello Mihirengg, and welcome to Vista Forums.

If you have not already, see if the blue Note box at the bottom of the thread may help.

Thanks for the reply,Sir.
Are you referring to the'Similar Threads' box?

 

[Brink]

Nope, it'll be the one above them just under step 13.

 

[Mihirengg19]

here is

Nope, it'll be the one above them just under step 13.

Thank you,Sir.
But,i hadnt made any backup before,then how can i restore?
Secondly,do we have to delete the whole account or just the profile folder in c:/users/username?there is nothing in the folder c:/users/hp.(hp being my acoount name.)
The desktop folder was located in c:/users/hp/desktop.now,theres nothing in the hp folder.the whole hp folder contents were wiped out.

 

[Brink]

Mihirenegg,

Following the steps exactly as written will normally have the user account recreated at the end if it is repairable. If not, then you could create a new account to use instead.

 

[Karilynn]

Hello and thank you for this forum. I followed all of the steps but when I got to ProfileLIst my long number does not have a .bak after it... Any advice? :huh:

Thank you!

 

[Brink]

Hello Karilynn, and welcome to Vista Forums.

That's ok. Delete the SID key for the user profile that is getting this error, then restart the PC.

When you sign in to your user account next, it will hopefully create a new profile for it so you will no longer get this error message.