Can't Login - User Profile Service Failed

Steve C said:

I found a reference to this command - icacls c:\users\default /T /Q /C /Reset - as a possible fix to the ntuser.dat problem file in c:\users\default.

I plan to try the icacls command fix (having backed up the currently operative c:\user\default folder). Before I do so, can someone confirm this command is the correct way to set default permissions for the c:\users\default folder?

Steve,

That command is used to reset permissions with default inherited ACLs for the specified directory or file.

Icacls

I hope the ISO will work for the repair install.

I've now done a repair install which fixed a problem with apps but not this problem.

I can create a new local standard account but when I try to login in, I now see the message 'Welcome' immediately followed by the message 'Signing Out'. I'm then taken back to the intro screen showing all users. I can create a new local admin account and login but then the start menu doesn't work and I can't do anything in the account.

I'm very unimpressed I still can't create and use a new account following the repair install - any ideas?

I'm planning do do a clean install shortly anyway since I want to move to a SSD installation.

Yeah, it looks like a clean install is the last option available then.

Steve C said:

The problem seems to be a corrupted default user folder in c:\users - see my fix at post 14. I've copied over ntuser.dat from another profile and I can now create accounts. I've no idea why this corruption happened. I had hoped the repair install would fix the problem with the default user folder but it hasn't.

A possible solution to this problem would be if someone could explain how to recreate the default user folder or else provide a download link for it on this forum. That would at least avoid the need for a clean install to solve a relatively common problem. Maybe it's not that simple?

Usually when it the profile can't be fixed, one has to create a new user account or reinstall Windows.