Corrupt User Profile - Screen blinking

[BillyCarpenter]

A customer called with a weird problem. Her screen was blinking and couldn't do anything. When I arrived, I found it to be do exactly that. The mouse was unresponsive. I was able to go into the task manger and it wasn't blinking. When I originally set up the copier a couple of years ago, I set up a profile for only the copier. I restarted the PC and logged in to the profile I crated for the copier and it was fine. That didn't do much good because none of her data was on that profile. But it did let me know that her profile was corrupt.

Fortunately, I had set her one drive to back up all of her files and folders. I did a fresh install of Windows 11 it's all working.

I'm just wondering if there was an easier solution that I didn't think of?

[ihatefinishers13]

A customer called with a weird problem. Her screen was blinking and couldn't do anything. When I arrived, I found it to be do exactly that. The mouse was unresponsive. I was able to go into the task manger and it wasn't blinking. When I originally set up the copier a couple of years ago, I set up a profile for only the copier. I restarted the PC and logged in to the profile I crated for the copier and it was fine. That didn't do much good because none of her data was on that profile. But it did let me know that her profile was corrupt.

Fortunately, I had set her one drive to back up all of her files and folders. I did a fresh install of Windows 11 it's all working.

I'm just wondering if there was an easier solution that I didn't think of?

You could have "recreated" the profile. Essentially, delete it in registry and log in, and it could have fixed it potentially.

[rthonpm]

Delete the user folder out of C:\Users and then delete the registry key for the profile in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. Then for domain machines have the user log in and for local accounts create a new user account from another admin account on the machine.

[BillyCarpenter]

Delete the user folder out of C:\Users and then delete the registry key for the profile in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. Then for domain machines have the user log in and for local accounts create a new user account from another admin account on the machine.

Messing around with the registry scares me. That's because of a complete lack of knowledge. I need to set up a virtual machine and gain some knowledge. I appreciate the tip...even though you make me feel like a dummy sometimes. lol

[BillyCarpenter]

Delete the user folder out of C:\Users and then delete the registry key for the profile in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. Then for domain machines have the user log in and for local accounts create a new user account from another admin account on the machine.

I have a question. After I delete the user profile, I assume that I create another user profile eith the exact same name and all of her data will still be there? No?

[slimslob]

I have a question. After I delete the user profile, I assume that I create another user profile eith the exact same name and all of her data will still be there? No?

From Microsoft Community answers,

"1
If you delete a user profile account on your PC, that will delete all the personal files in that account on your PC, the user account folder inside C:\Users folder will be deleted.

So, the best option is to backup those files first.

2
If that user profile account is linked to a Microsoft Account online and you have files stored on OneDrive, those files will not be deleted, they will remain online, however you would need to log into that OneDrive account in a web browser to be able to access those files."

[BillyCarpenter]

From Microsoft Community answers,

"1
If you delete a user profile account on your PC, that will delete all the personal files in that account on your PC, the user account folder inside C:\Users folder will be deleted.

So, the best option is to backup those files first.

2
If that user profile account is linked to a Microsoft Account online and you have files stored on OneDrive, those files will not be deleted, they will remain online, however you would need to log into that OneDrive account in a web browser to be able to access those files."

Thanks, slim. I was thinking the data would be deleted. While deleting the user profile is a different way to skin the cat, I think I'd rather just do a fresh install of Windows 11.

[rthonpm]

Thanks, slim. I was thinking the data would be deleted. While deleting the user profile is a different way to skin the cat, I think I'd rather just do a fresh install of Windows 11.

After deleting the registry key for the profile, you could always just rename the profile folder in Windows to %username%_old to preserve the contents.

[slimslob]

After deleting the registry key for the profile, you could always just rename the profile folder in Windows to %username%_old to preserve the contents.

I take it that deleting the profile on the registry instead of in User Accounts leaves all data in place. If it is a local account will the new user name have to take ownership of the old data structure?

[BillyCarpenter]

After deleting the registry key for the profile, you could always just rename the profile folder in Windows to %username%_old to preserve the contents.

So, I only delete the registry key for the profile and not C:/user?

[BillyCarpenter]

I've spent the past 30 minutes watching videos on registry keys. It's complicated and boring as fu*k. My head is hurting. Don't know if the juice is worth the squeeze. lol

[slimslob]

The registry editor, regedit, is very useful as long as you know what exactly you want to change, where it is located and how to make the change. If you don't, you can crater a machine. If in doubt, backup the registry first.

[rthonpm]

I take it that deleting the profile on the registry instead of in User Accounts leaves all data in place. If it is a local account will the new user name have to take ownership of the old data structure?

Renaming the user folder will allow a new account with the same name to be created. Without deleting the registry key you'll fall into always getting logged into a temp profile as the new account can't create a folder with the same name. Domain accounts will just create a new folder with the domain name appended to it such as a user called jsmith on the company.com domain would have a user folder called jsmith.COMPANY. For a local user, you'll have to take ownership of the user_old folder as the new local user will have a different SID than the previous one.

[JLSam]

Question BillyCarpenter,

How did you create the user profile?
What was your method?