If you are unable to log on to your Windows 11/10 computer by using a temporary user profile, then this article may interest you. When your User Profile is corrupted, you will usually get the following error message – User Profile Service failed the logon, User profile cannot be loaded.
The User Profile Service failed the logon or sign in, User profile cannot be loaded
This issue may occur if the user profile was manually deleted by using the command prompt or byusing Windows File Explorer and if the “Do not logon users with temporary profiles” Group Policy setting is configured. You may also see this error if your user profile folder is corrupted.
You will have to boot your computer in normal mode. If you cannot boot Windows normally to the desktop, you may have to try and boot in Safe Mode or into the Advanced Startup options screen to be able to carry out the fixes. You will need to make use of the Command Prompt. For some strange reason, if you can boot in Safe Mode but cannot access the Advanced Startup Options screen, when in Safe Mode, you may use the Command Prompt to boot Windows directly to the Advanced Startup Settings screen.
If you see the “The User Profile Service failed the logon or sign-in, User profile cannot be loaded” error message, use the following suggestions to resolve the problem.
- Copy the Default folder from another computer
- Check the status of the User Profile Service
- Run the Chkdsk scan
- Modify or delete a Registry Value
- Create a new user account
Let’s see all these fixes in detail.
1] Copy the Default user folder from another computer
Computers running on Windows operating system have a Default folder under the Users folder. The Default folder is a template used by Windows to create other user accounts on the same device. You should not delete or modify this folder. When you create a new user account, say The Windows Club, the following things happen:
- A profile folder with the name The Windows Club is created inside the Users folder.
- The contents of the Default folder are copied to The Windows Club folder.
If you delete or modify the Default folder, you may experience issues while signing in to your computer. You will find the Default folder at the following location:
C:\Users
To resolve this problem, copy the Default folder from another computer. Do note that the computer from which you copy the Default folder should have the same Windows version, build number, and language as your computer has. To know the Windows version, follow the steps written below:
- Open the Run command box (Win + R) keys.
- Type winver and click OK.
A new window will open showing you the Windows version and build number (see the above screenshot). On another computer with the same Windows version, build, and language, go to the location where the Default folder is located. If you do not see the Default folder, enable the hidden files and folders in File Explorer. Copy the Default folder in your USB storage device.
Now, turn on your computer. Because you are unable to sign in to Windows because of the corrupted user profile, you have to boot into Safe Mode. After booting into Safe Mode, you can enable the hidden administrator account to make things simpler. Now, go to the location where the Default folder is located. Copy the Default folder to another location on your hard drive for backup. Now, insert the USB storage device and copy the Default folder from the USB storage device to the C drive where the Default folder is located. Replace the Default folder if you get a prompt.
This trick has resolved the issue for many users. Hence, it should work for you too.
Read: Please wait for the User Profile Service takes too long
2] Check the status of the User Profile Service
If the User Profile Service is not running, you may experience user profile-related issues on your Windows computer. If you have enabled the hidden administrator account, log in to your system from that account and launch the Services Manager app.
After opening the Services Manager, look for the User Profile Service. Its Status should show Running. If it is stopped, follow the steps written below:
- Right-click on the User Profile Service and select Properties.
- Select the General tab.
- Select Automatic in the Startup type drop-down.
- Click on the Start button.
- Click Apply and then click OK.
3] Run the Chkdsk scan
You may also experience this issue if your hard disk has errors or bad sectors. The hard disk errors and bad sectors can be fixed by using a utility developed by Microsoft, known as CHKDSK. Run the CHKDSK scan and see if it helps. Some users were able to resolve the issue after repairing their hard disks by using the CHKDSK utility.
4] Modify or delete a Registry Value
If the issue persists, modifying or deleting a registry Value will help. This fix has worked for many users, so it should also work for you. The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database of system settings and configurations. Modifying Registry Values or keys incorrectly can cause serious errors in your system. Hence, follow the steps provided below carefully. From the safety point of view, create a System Restore Point and back up your Registry before proceeding.
First, sign in with an administrator account or the hidden administrator account, open Registry Editor, and navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
Locate the folder that begins with S-1-5 (SID key) followed by a long number.
Check the ProfileImagePath entry in the details pane, and identify the profile that is creating problems.
Now if you see two folders here, one of which ends with .bak, then you need to interchange them. To do this, right-click the one with .bak and make it end with .tmp. Next, right-click the one without .bak and make it .bak. Now right-click the .tmp folder and remove .bak.
Restart your computer and see if it has helped.
If this does not help, try the next suggestion.
A profile that is manually deleted does not remove the security identifier (SID) from the profile list in the registry.
If the SID is present, Windows will try to load the profile by using the ProfileImagePath that points to a nonexistent path. Therefore, the profile cannot be loaded.
To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
Right-click the This PC folder > Properties > Advanced system settings > Advanced tab > Under User Profiles, click Settings.
In the User Profiles dialog box, select the profile that you want to delete > click Delete > Apply/OK.
Next, open regedit and navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
Right-click the SID that you want to remove, and then click Delete.
Log on to the computer and create a new profile.
Alternatively, you can simply download and use this Fix It 50446 from Microsoft given in KB947215. Please see if it applies to your version of Windows OS. You may lose your data if you have not backed it up.
Related: You’ve been signed in with a temporary profile
5] Create a new user account
If nothing helps, create a new account and copy the data from the old account to the new account. You have to sign in to Windows using an administrator account to create a new user profile or account.
You may also want to check out ReProfiler. It is a freeware tool for manipulating user profiles on Windows. It would be useful if you face an issue where you are unable to access a user’s data and settings.
Read: How to login as an Administrator in Windows 11/10.
How do I fix The user profile cannot be loaded?
You may see the User profile cannot be loaded error due to several causes, like hard disk errors, corrupted user profile, the User Profile Service failing to start, etc. As the error message says, “User Profile Service failed to logon,” you should check the status of the User Profile Service. If it is not running, start it and set its Startup type to Automatic.
We have listed some working fixes to resolve this issue above in this article. Follow these suggestions.
Fix: We can’t sign in to your account message
What does it mean when The User Profile Services failed logon?
The User Profile Service is responsible for loading and unloading user profiles. If this service is stopped or disabled, you will not be able to sign in or sign out of your computer successfully. Moreover, apps may also have problems getting to users’ data, and components registered to receive profile event notifications won’t receive them.
Read next: Admin account is missing after Update in Windows.
Sadly the article seems to hide what I believe is some important information about using either fix it or manually following these directions, ie; users likely will lose all data not backed up preferably o an external hard drive, I also presume the data losses will include all emails on file, email handlers settings, the loss of IE Favorites, etc., etc., etc.
As such, if I’m correct, would’nt we say the article is pretty irresponsible?
I had problem loading a brand new profile on one of our Windows 7 machines. Finally got it to load by turning off the UAC in the administrators account.
each time i get an update from microsoft on my dell notebook i get the following error the user profile service failed the login user profile cannot be loaded,,,, i have to log in as a diff user and backup restore to an earlier date,,,,,can you help im using windows 7 starter
Hi waine, Could you pleased direct your question/s to the forums to get the best answers? :)
I have this very same problem: “user Profile Service failed the logon; user profile cannot be loaded”. I am a totally ignorant with this sort of thing and don’t want to try the above instructions for fear I will delete everything on my computer!!! Can you recommedn a fix, I am willing to pay for
Thank you
doing a system restore on Windows RE works better, no need to tamper with registry.. works 98% of the time!
@renee, you can pay me $35 for these.. :D
The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded.
I tried following the step above but it’s not working, even the windows flying icon if I click on it there’s nothing in there. I need to see the start button to restore the program, any other wat of fixing this problem, I should have a different OS, vista is not good very complicated and slow one promise….
I had similar problem.
First logon using safe mode.
Press the F8 key when you still have a b&w screen several times until the safe mode screen comes up. Go the the Start button and enter lusrmgr.msc in the search window at the bottom and run that program. Create a new user with admin rights and password.
Log off and then logon to you new user.
Create a restore point by coing to Control Panel:Recovery
Press the start button and enter regedit in the search window and run the prgram.
Look for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windowsnt\currentversion\profilelist
You will likely see an entry that has the same number but one has a BAK extension and one does not. Delete the one without the BAK extesion and then rename the BAK entry by removing the BAK at the end. This entry should be your user profile that is not working and you should be able to logon .
If that does not work. You can either use the newly created restore point or copy your files to you new user profile.
Hopefully this will work
This not working. I am the administrator and it keeps asking me for my password.
Jim UF-ENG’s solution worked perfectly. Thank you…
To do an immediate backup I had to go to Control Panel->”Back up your computer” under “System and Security”
The key is getting computer into safe mode.
Jims solution was brilliant and simple
thank you sooo much
I am running a hp netbook and am having this same problem. Have tried the suggested method by Jim. Has anyone got any other suggestions please?? Is there no reset back to factory button or something externally, I dont mind losing data off the computer if needs be.
Regards
Chris
Doing a system restore on Windows Recovery Environment fixes the problem all the time. Trust me, i am a computer tech phone support and it never failed me.
Well let me help you all solving this problem
it is very simple if you have another user created with admin rights try this
run regedit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windowsnt\currentversion\profilelist
and delete the sid# that represents your user account thats giving u problem. (hint use image path to guess the username for its sid)
Once you find the sed delete the sid in right pane and go to users folder
and rename the folder for username that was giving you problem and then try to log it.
Wordup with that
nice topic thank you.
this crap is stupid… how about that make a Windows that actually works?????????
Hi Jim – your instructor works! Thanks much!
This happened to me once and the account does not log on everytime I reboot. But I was able to fix it. Here’s what I did:
1. Created a temporary startup “crash” by holding down the power button while system is loading, forcing the Startup Repair to come.
2. Startup Repair confirms a startup problem and asked if I want to restore the computer to an earlier Restore Point, I confirmed yes
3. The account finally worked, but it would take several system reboots to finalize the solution.
4. If the problem does not appear on next login, create a System Restore Point.
… P.S.: Have you tried TuneUp Utilities 2011?
And still windows if having problems with loading account…wow, even after a clean install without having done anything.
Here is a fix if you have only one account: boot in safe mode and diable User Contol Account via regedit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
Change the value of ‘EnableLUA’ to zero.
Reboot and login normal, your profile might still not load, but atleast you get a temporaly one. Now you can make a new user.
I deleted all the SIDs with the long names in the registry, and now every time I log in it logs me in as the default administrator account. When I create a new profile it doesn’t help, and it still logs me in as the default administrator account
FIX: delete the file in c:usersdefaultlocalappdatamicrosofttempoaryinternetfilessqm
create a temp directory in c:users added users to have full rights
disable 2 AVG services in services and avg in startup
logon to the new user
turn the 2 avg services and avg startup item via msconfig
ta friken da
I see that this was a year ago….so here’s hoping I can still get to you and your expertise :) What if the account that I am trying to get back on, is my administrative account? Is there hope for me in this case?
I want to add that any advice you have for me is very much appreciated in advance.
As one person noted:”Sadly there seems to be hidden information about the “fix it” manually
that was not mentioned; unfortunately for me; as the absents of a “external HD to back up important
emails, and files..along with important documents. I lost alot of important information with years of
work and memories!
Thank-you for uncleverly not noting this importancr of securing important documents!
Ahem … cough cough … It has been mentioned in the post: You may lose your data if you have not backed it up.
Thank you very much.After 3 days i have again computer in function,using your indications.IspasIon(2),Romania.20.03.2013
The article does say “You may lose your data if you have not backed it up.” BUT I believe the writer could have emphasized this very important point allot more.
I am not able to log in windows. In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwaremicrosoftwindowsntcurrentversionprofilelist the SID with long numbers are missing. I have only S-1-5-18, and S-1-5-19 and S-1-5-20. can any one help.
I need some helpI have this very same problem: “user Profile Service failed the logon; user profile e loaded”. I can even log on to get to internet plz help
This worked well, I was not able to login on the server but since it was connected to domain did delete the profile folder and registry key as mentioned.
Thank you very much.
I have the same problem with loging on to a new profile, but i don’t have the BAK extension but is have a _classes extension. does any body have an answer to this one?? Thanks in front.
hi i create the new user in server 2003 and mappes z: as user_profile/username folder and put data into this folder.after 2 3 days all data are gone and created new folders like my document, desktop, etc.
so how can i recover those data?