We have several windows 2000 professional workstations that when a user logs on to the domain they end up getting a default profile. Their profile essentially gets recreated, thus Outlook setting is cleared and all of the files in the "My Documents" folder is gone. It happens frequently on one computer and on the others it happened only couple of times. Does anyone know what might be causing this problem??? I don't think it's a virus. (I found a quick repair for the problem, but the problem keeps coming back)
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Windows 2000 User Profile Keeps Getting Recreated. 1
- Thread starter dannyyo
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- Thread starter
- #3
We don't use roaming profiles. The user profiles reside locally on each workstation. Particular subnet consists of approximately 60 computers. There is no problem with the network cables. (I tried to duplicate the issue by unplugging the patch cable and logging on to windows, but it doesn't produce the same error). There isn't that much traffic on the network. Odd thing is on one computer it happens very frequently, but another one right next to it has never had the same problem.
Bit of a puzzle then. I'd try removing problem machine from the domain and then add it back in. You are sure that machine's network connection is properly plugged in. Don't know what your environment is, but I support several schools - and its common for somebody to have pulled the machine or the cable so its not quite connected.
- Thread starter
- #5
Yeah, it's reaaly strange. I know the users don't unplug the cable. It just happened again today with a different user. The user called me because the outlook profile was missing. So I look at c:\documents and settings\ and check the list of folders. Here's what I see, a foler named jdoe and then there's another folder named jdoe.domainname. I'm at my wits end, because I can't find the cause for this problem.
An other cause of this behaviour is if the original profile becomes corrupted - windows won't use it, and creates a new one - though you usually get a warning message about corrupted profile in that case. Often happens when profiles are large.
Might be worth running chkdsk on machines that have this problem - if there's filestore corruption issues, might be affecting the profiles.
Might be worth running chkdsk on machines that have this problem - if there's filestore corruption issues, might be affecting the profiles.
- Thread starter
- #7
Hi Danny,
I think the problem is the size on profile.
You can move the outlook file (pst) or express files dbx, clear the desktop and the "My Documents" folder.
Move all in a folder that you had created on the root (as c:\PROFILE). Take Owernship.
This must resolve your problem
Paladinux
I think the problem is the size on profile.
You can move the outlook file (pst) or express files dbx, clear the desktop and the "My Documents" folder.
Move all in a folder that you had created on the root (as c:\PROFILE). Take Owernship.
This must resolve your problem
Paladinux
smiller0556
Technical User
I have had exactly the same problem recently. I eventually tracked it down to windows update. PCs on our domain are automatically updated with security patches etc overnight. I found that if a user had switched off their PC the experienced this problem. If they had not switched off their PC - ie just logged off , they were ok.
My workaround to this problem was to rename the jdoe.domainname folder to jdoe.domainname.old and rename their jdoe folder to jdoe.domainname - this worked every time.
My workaround to this problem was to rename the jdoe.domainname folder to jdoe.domainname.old and rename their jdoe folder to jdoe.domainname - this worked every time.
I have this problem on a PC that has neither Outlook, OExpress or any mail. Local profiles
It is a ghost master, i.e. i prepare it and deploy image to other PCs.
I am using the CPAU.exe tool that allows us to use Runas in scripts without prompting for the password.
When I tested, things were fine, but now i'm getting corrupt profiles for 2 accounts that I open using CPAU.
As a precaution, I had also installed uphclean, but I think it has tried closing the profile and has corrupted it.
Has anyone else had experience like this? And is there any way I can restore or recover the profile ?
Aftertaf
Sometimes it just needs a good kicking.
It is a ghost master, i.e. i prepare it and deploy image to other PCs.
I am using the CPAU.exe tool that allows us to use Runas in scripts without prompting for the password.
When I tested, things were fine, but now i'm getting corrupt profiles for 2 accounts that I open using CPAU.
As a precaution, I had also installed uphclean, but I think it has tried closing the profile and has corrupted it.
Has anyone else had experience like this? And is there any way I can restore or recover the profile ?
Aftertaf
Sometimes it just needs a good kicking.
- Thread starter
- #11
Hi Dannyyo,
I have seen this many times. It seems to happen alot on w2k. I have seen it happen because of corrupted profiles. I have seen it happen because of network latency. I have seen it happen because of corrupted or duplicate Sids. If this is happening repeatedly on the same machine my guess is Sids. I would run Sysprep and let it recreate them for you.
Good luck,
ScorpioX
I have seen this many times. It seems to happen alot on w2k. I have seen it happen because of corrupted profiles. I have seen it happen because of network latency. I have seen it happen because of corrupted or duplicate Sids. If this is happening repeatedly on the same machine my guess is Sids. I would run Sysprep and let it recreate them for you.
Good luck,
ScorpioX
This is a great discussion. I have a similar issue. Corrupt Profiles. Users are getting brand new default profiles when they login and are therefore, loosing everything. The only differrence, after years of unhindered windows 2000 use, is that I recently implemented a Patchlink Server and started patching these machines. I don't think it's Patchlink but it's probably the patches and/or how they are applied.
Can anyone speak to this problem? Do you know of any patches out there that might be causing this issue and/or and patch proceedures known to cause this (the oreder patches are deployed. Maybe oldest first is happening.)?
Thank you.
Can anyone speak to this problem? Do you know of any patches out there that might be causing this issue and/or and patch proceedures known to cause this (the oreder patches are deployed. Maybe oldest first is happening.)?
Thank you.
We're not using roaming profiles. This is a new problem. The only common thread is that before we weren't patching at all. Now we're using Patchlink for all our patching needs *grin*. Mostly, we're bringing down MS patches but others are in the mix as well. Since these are all MS patches, I'm wondering if it has something to do with the order that the patches are being deployed. I'm doing a study now. But It's a needle in a hay stack.
If anyone out there can say "oh yeah. I've seen that too and the problem is such and such a patch." Then I don't have to go looking for that needle.
What I do know is that the problem is NOT that the profiles are too large or that they're being corrupted as they get dragged around the network. These profiles are all small and local.
I'll keep looking.
If anyone out there can say "oh yeah. I've seen that too and the problem is such and such a patch." Then I don't have to go looking for that needle.
What I do know is that the problem is NOT that the profiles are too large or that they're being corrupted as they get dragged around the network. These profiles are all small and local.
I'll keep looking.
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