So this issue seems to persist on reboots. I'll try the other mentioned fixes first before creating a new user account.
Edit: How do I make the new user account have access to everything I had with this account? Personal files etc. The standard account I'm using right now was originally the administrator account converted to a standard user account.
How To Transfer User Profiles In Windows 10
This looks interesting- if you can back up and transfer a user profile as they describe, perhaps you can also use it to transfer a user profile on the same PC.
ForensiT Free Downloads
- recommended here:
Does 10 have anything like yet? - - Windows 10 Forums
#10
Essentially dealing with user data files (Videos, photos, documents)... is relatively easy.
Replicating the startups and other settings may not be.
At this stage I don't know 100% that the user profile is corrupted... I don't really work from the admin or any other user account to know if they are affected. The missing icons doesn't necessarily happen right on boot, it seems to occur randomly.
If it is a corrupted user profile, what part of the profile/files would be corrupted? Exactly what file/folders are usually part of a user profile? Mainly Videos, photos, documents, download, appdata folders?
Is it possible to create a new user account/profile and have all of the existing file/folders linked to it from the previous user? E.g. Videos, photos, documents, download, appdata folders?
I can't see the point in backing up the above folders when they're already on the same drive... Not really sure where to head with this.
User profiles are complex. It's not just a simple matter of user folders. This touches on many areas deeply embedded in the registry. The term 'non-trivial' comes to mind.
I suspected that. The backing up of the user profile you've mentioned, what exactly is that backing up?
If I could link all of the personal data on this account to a new one that should be all I'm needing to achieve right? Are installed programs user specific?
I don't know where to even start with this, but I will try the other fixes on the first page as right now I'm not 100% sure it is a corrupted profile... Has there been any other reports of this issue from Creators Update users?
As for the particular utilities- best check the site and read up. I've not used them, just seen mention of them.
I wouldn't even begin to think about 'linking' data between accounts.
Data is the easy one. You create the new user, and copy the data from the old account.
(But indirectly as one user doesn't have access to another's user data directly)
When you install a desktop program, you are usually given an option as to whether you wish to install it just for the current user or for all users. Depending on the complexity of the program, this may mean any or all of the following may be needed per user (and I won't manage to include everything!)
- work space for the program (specific folders usually in e.g. Documents/Videos etc
- various files in %appdata%, Program Files xxxx, ProgramData on C:
- registry settings
- start menu entries
- perhaps a program specific driver
- perhaps a service or services
- various startup entries
........
So if you consider creating a new user profile, and want a program running when logged in as that user that was installed solely for a different user, there will be a lot missing. Basically, you'd need to reinstall it.
Now I don't know if those programs I mentioned can deal with that - I've just not used them. In principle there's no reason why not.
This is a more complex issue. If it helps to make sense, when I installed Win 10 earlier last year I ran my computer with the administrator account, installing programs, downloading files, pictures, playing games etc. I then decided to convert the account to a standard user account. So all that was changed was the user privileges, no files, programs, documents etc were moved or changed, just the account converted from the administrator to a standard account...
I then created a new account to be the administrator account. I really only go into the admin account now to install new programs and update programs. Only I use this computer so programs aren't installed specifically for other users...
Whether that helps in where I can go from here I'm not sure. Ultimately a clean install might be easier... But first I need to be sure I can't be fixed more easily...
I'd suggest you try creating a new user account and compare as suggested before. It's certainly true that some threads here show some text or icons are missing for some users. At some point you may have to weigh up the time spent working thru the issue and doing a clean install.
My personal approach? defer the upgrade. We're MS's testbed. Should we take that lying down?
I've got strong reasons to believe the user profile I'm using is corrupted, programs acting funny but not on a test user account.
I found this link that explains that user data can be transferred to a new user account but I'm unsure as to how successful it will be. http://www.techbout.com/fix-corrupt-...ndows-10-9139/
Right now I'm not sure whether I should try rolling back to 1603, restoring the 1603 system image I made before hand, clean installing Win 10 1703 or trying to move the data to a new user profile.
Just for interest- not quite the same effect, but you can see the conclusion..
Text Disappearing All Over Windows Randomly - Solved - Windows 10 Forums
If you have Pro, you could opt to stay with 1607, defer upgrades (as I have) and give it 3 months or so for some of the dust to settle, then try upgrading with whatever updates they've put out.
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