W7 - User profile can not be loaded...

bloodline76 · 21 Sep 2010 at 23:26

Hi there

My friend has smashed their laptop screen and is having trouble getting into the computer to get some pictures of his baby off it before he sends it back to get repaired.

When he tried to log in it came up with "User profile can not be loaded"

I did a quick google and it suggests doing a regedit fix. Anyone had this before?

My problem is that his profile is the only admin one. What do you think I should try first as the pictures are only on his profile?

Which order should I try and get the pictures? Regedit fix....system restore...

Any other suggestions would be greatful as I dont know my way around W7 that well.

I don't want to take out the hard drive either as that might invalidate the warrenty but it's a last shot tactic if nothing else works.

Thanks in advance.

SiriusB · 21 Sep 2010 at 23:35

This happens at least a few times a year with clients, mainly XP machines. The usual method is to backup the profile folder for the user, nuke the relavent registry edit forcing Windows to create a new profile, then copy the data back over, minus certain hidden system files.

Is it still letting him use his account - with a temporary profile? If so, you can just create a new admin account then log into that to backup/retrieve the data.

bloodline76 · 22 Sep 2010 at 03:47

SiriusB said:
This happens at least a few times a year with clients, mainly XP machines. The usual method is to backup the profile folder for the user, nuke the relavent registry edit forcing Windows to create a new profile, then copy the data back over, minus certain hidden system files.

Is it still letting him use his account - with a temporary profile? If so, you can just create a new admin account then log into that to backup/retrieve the data.

No its not letting him into the account.

SiriusB · 22 Sep 2010 at 10:38

Hmm, slightly different issue then.

Personally I would yank the HDD and get my stuff off it first. Can't see it invalidating any kind of warranty - unless there is a big fat warranty void if removed sticker covering the HDD slot.

bloodline76 · 22 Sep 2010 at 15:53

SiriusB said:
Hmm, slightly different issue then.

Personally I would yank the HDD and get my stuff off it first. Can't see it invalidating any kind of warranty - unless there is a big fat warranty void if removed sticker covering the HDD slot.

Erm hopefully I can find an alternative to that. The data is still on the profile and might still be corrupt.

Any other advice guys?

bloodline76 · 22 Sep 2010 at 20:24

Ok I cant add a new user as the password doesnt seem to work. It just asks for the password and then doesnt do anything.

Anyway of getting into a safemode account admin?

If I do take the hard drive out, do I need a W7 machine to access the folders?

bees · 22 Sep 2010 at 20:59

You could login using administrator account, make a new account and copy over your data from your old account to your new account.

bloodline76 · 22 Sep 2010 at 21:48

bees said:
You could login using administrator account, make a new account and copy over your data from your old account to your new account.

Thanks. It's ok. I used safeboot to log in and that seemed to let me into the computer. Accessed the files and copied them all over.

Followed the Vista fix for this issue and all ok.