Encountering a temporary profile when logging into your Server Pc can be disruptive. This issue typically arises when a user profile has been accidentally deleted from the system. This guide provides a step-by-step solution to resolve this problem by editing the Windows Registry.
Caution: Modifying the registry incorrectly can cause serious problems. Ensure you follow these instructions carefully and back up your registry before proceeding. You can restore the registry if any issues occur. Refer to Microsoft’s documentation for guidance on backing up and restoring the Windows Registry.
Step-by-Step Guide to Restore User Profile Functionality
Follow these steps to rectify the temporary profile issue on your server PC:
1. Log in with an Administrative Account
First, log on to your server PC using an administrative user account. This account must be different from the user account experiencing the temporary profile problem.
2. Backup and Delete the User Profile Folder (If Present)
If the corrupted user profile folder still exists, back up any critical data it contains. Then, delete the profile folder. By default, user profile folders are located here:
%SystemDrive%UsersUserName
Replace “UserName” with the name of the user account experiencing the problem.
3. Open Registry Editor
Click on the Start Menu, type regedit in the search box, and press Enter.
If prompted by User Account Control, click “Yes” to allow Registry Editor to make changes to your device.
4. Navigate to the ProfileList Subkey
In Registry Editor, locate the following registry subkey using the navigation pane on the left:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList
5. Delete the SID.bak Subkey
Under the ProfileList subkey, you will see a list of subkeys, some of which may be named with a .bak extension. Identify and delete the subkey ending in .bak that corresponds to the user account experiencing the temporary profile issue.
Note: The .bak subkey is usually created when the system detects a problem with the original profile and attempts to create a backup. This subkey contains a ProfileImagePath registry entry that points to the original profile folder. SID refers to the Security Identifier of the user account.
6. Exit Registry Editor and Restart
Once you have deleted the correct .bak subkey, close Registry Editor.
7. Log in Again
Log off the administrative account and then log back into the server PC using the user account that was previously experiencing the temporary profile issue.
By following these steps, your server PC should now load the correct user profile, resolving the temporary profile problem. If the issue persists, further troubleshooting might be required, and consulting with IT support is recommended.
