XP - Generating new profiles issue...HELP!!!

bloodline76 · 11 May 2007 at 09:06

I am having some trouble at work where our customers are getting duplicate profiles created when logging into their computers.

This starts off with joe.bloggs, then goes to joe.bloggs.uk then joe.bloggs.000

Any suggestions as to why this is happening? Or how to resolve?

There are no real patterns to the problem either. Suspect it could be a permissions problem?

Thanks!

UKDTweak · 11 May 2007 at 11:58

Are they using roaming profiles, if so then their folder permission should be checked on the server, we get this all the time on our 2000 server.

.walls · 11 May 2007 at 12:01

This is caused by your user losing either Full control or ownership of the profile folder - windows then creates the next logical filename (because it can't create another folder with the same name).

Two ways around this.

1. If you use roaming profiles - log on as an admin,

start --> run --> sysdm.cpl go to advanced --> userprofiles and select the user profile(s) in question (the user may be listed twice) select delete.

Go to %systemroot%\documents and settings and make sure that there are no profiles there for the user in question (if there are, delete them - they are not registered anyway!) Log the user back on - job done

2. If you are using local profiles - log on as an admin.

Grant the user ownership of the folder, ticking the "replace owner on subcontainers" checkbox and close properties. Open properties again and grant the user full control of the folder (if he/she doesn't already have it) - in the advanced section, select "replace permission entries..." and apply.

Open regedit and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

Locate your user profile folder.

You will see several folders named according to the user SIDs - not according to the user names. The easiest way to find the profile in question is highlight the above mentioned key and press ctrl + f - then search for the username.

Once you find the relevent sub-key folder, double-click the ProfileImagePath value and add the path to the original profile.

You can now delete <username>.000

bloodline76 · 12 May 2007 at 12:59

They are roaming profiles and I will give that a shot. I thought it was something to do with permissions but this was really stumping me.

Appreciate all your help!

Thanks!!!

Trigger · 12 May 2007 at 14:55

=walls= said:
This is caused by your user losing either Full control or ownership of the profile folder - windows then creates the next logical filename (because it can't create another folder with the same name).

Two ways around this.

1. If you use roaming profiles - log on as an admin,

start --> run --> sysdm.cpl go to advanced --> userprofiles and select the user profile(s) in question (the user may be listed twice) select delete.

Go to %systemroot%\documents and settings and make sure that there are no profiles there for the user in question (if there are, delete them - they are not registered anyway!) Log the user back on - job done

Yes but when they log back on it will happen again. Just set the 'Delete local copies of roaming profiles on logoff' to enabled in your group policy

bloodline76 · 13 May 2007 at 13:06

Trigger said:
Yes but when they log back on it will happen again. Just set the 'Delete local copies of roaming profiles on logoff' to enabled in your group policy

That was going to be my next question, will it happen again? Prevention is what I would be looking for.

So by deleting the local copies on logoff will resolve this issue? What does that do exactly? No loss of data?

Could you also explain why this would suddenly start happening? As it seems quite random.

bloodline76 · 14 May 2007 at 13:40

bump

These are local profiles (My error, sorry!).

The regedit change works but unsure if this resolves the issue but certainly makes a temp fix a lot easier. Thanks for that.

Any other suggestions on a longer term fix?

bloodline76 · 15 May 2007 at 13:39

Anyone else?

The_KiD · 15 May 2007 at 14:06

After he logs in does he get any errors relating to profiles in his event vwr?

Search his profile directory for any files beginning with prf and ending in .tmp

normally something like prf1007.tmp

so a search for prf*.tmp will turn them up.

Delete all these files as they are of no use, then try logging in as the user.

bloodline76 · 16 May 2007 at 11:35

I will try that the next time someone calls in with the problem. Thanks!