Corrupt user profile

[ts8586]

A co-worker's PC (Vista Home Premium) is getting an error about having to use a temporary profile while logged on, and that any changes made to the profile will not be saved. While logged in, if you try to open up her user folder, it flashes really quick, and closes.

What is the best way to fix this? Create a new user and copy the current corrupt profile to the new profile so the desktop and documents are the same, or will this not work because the original profile is corrupt? If I can do that, would I be able to rename the new profile to the current profile?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[linney]

Is the fault constant or does logging off and on correct it sometimes? This could be the early warning signs of a failing hard drive?

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Try it first by not checking either box (this will run it in a Read-only mode) to see if it flags any hard drive or file problems. If it does, restart it by ticking both boxes, and rerun it to allow it to attempt to fix any found problems.

The hard drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic software that is bootable, or that may even run from within Windows, that will thoroughly check the condition of your hard drive.

These should answer your question about what gets copied over.


Fix a corrupted user profile

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/Windows7/Fix-a-corrupted-user-profile

Fix a corrupted user profile

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/769495bf-035c-4764-a538-c9b05c22001e1033.mspx

811151 - How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811151

Description of Windows Easy Transfer for Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928635