Help, I messed up my Users and can't log in!

kragen · 15 Oct 2016

So I have a Dell Alienware M18Xr2 which I upgraded from Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 10.

Everything was fine until yesterday.

I'm building an app in Visual Studio, and was getting an access denied error trying to read a .XML file.

It turned out I had the path wrong, but before I figured that out I started playing around with my permissions and ownership settings.

Whilst I was doing this I accidentally hit delete when my user was highlighted in the security tab. I didn't notice it at first. But when my computer restarted I was no longer able to login in. And this is still the case

I can get into safe mode, but any attempt to get into regular Windows leaves me hanging on the pastel blue screen with the spinning dots.

I tried running system restore from a Windows 10 install disc, it picked up a restore point from last week, then gave an error in the restore process and now won't pick up ANY restore points.

I got into safe mode and ran sfc /scannow from an elevated command prompt, it said it found and fixed errors but didn't fix my issue.

I tried to "reset" keeping my files, but that won't work because my Users folder is on D:

Are there any options that don't involve wiping and re-installing?

EdTittel · 15 Oct 2016

Can you run a restore point from before the time of your disastrous deletion? Restore a backup of similar vintage? Both of those approaches will work from safe mode and should restore your system to its previous state.
HTH,
--Ed--

kragen · 15 Oct 2016

I'll try running system restore again, haven't actually tried it from within safe mode.

First time I tried it was from windows install media, which found a restore point but produced an error trying restore it.

Second time was from the windows troubleshooting menu when I worked out how to get that to appear. Unfortunately second time it told me there were no restore points

EdTittel · 15 Oct 2016

If it isn't able to find restore points, that could be a problem. If that proves to be unworkable, do you have a recent backup to which you can revert? Otherwise, you may need to set up a new account on your machine, and then figure out how to migrate over what you can, and recreate what you can't. It's terribly time consuming which is why you should exhaust other alternatives first and foremost before trying that instead.
Ouch!
--Ed--

kragen · 15 Oct 2016

Unfortunately no back ups that I'm aware of. If setting up a new account would work, I could I set up a new account with the same name as my old one?

EdTittel · 15 Oct 2016

Even if you use the same name, you won't automatically inherit or get access to all the stuff you had before. You'll still have to navigate into the %Windir%\Users|\<old-name> directory and copy everything over into %Windir%\Users\<new-name>. I don't recommend using the same name again, as it will take an already confusing situation and make it more confusing. Not the right direction in which to take things, I fear...
HTH,
--Ed--

kragen · 15 Oct 2016

OK, good to know, thank you. I think setting up a new user is probably the way to go.

kragen · 15 Oct 2016

I am wondering if because I only had the one user account plus my the installation admin account would I have had this issue if I had other accounts active?

EdTittel · 15 Oct 2016

One important moral to take away from this sad story is to make sure you've always got a current restore point, and a relatively current backup (disk image of the boot/sys drive is best) to turn to in case of emergency. As time permits, please do yourself a favor and take the steps necessary to ensure future access to such invaluable recovery data.
HTH,
--ed--

kragen · 15 Oct 2016

Still having issues

The add user option doesn't work, found somewhere that told me to use Win+R then type "control userpasswords2" this brought up a box where I was able to add another user.

Unfortunately it didn't bring the login screen back on startup