Corrupted user profile

[Lozzy_uk]

Hi,

I've just been asked to fix a laptop with a corrupt user profile running windows 10.

Now i've seen all the usual net posts about this, safe mode, admin accounts etc, but this one is a bit less straightforward.

To summarise:

The PC has 2 user accounts.
A regular USER account which logs in ok, and an ADMIN account which fails with a profile logon message.

Fine I thought, I can create a new admin user called (xxx)2 and problem solved.
So I restarted using the built in admin account and created the account.
This hasn't shown the account as a logon option on the login screen, and in addition it hasn't created a user folder under 'c:\users'
Incidentally, the admin account which can't login, also doesn't have a folder there.

If I login under the working user account, and try to do something administrative, it asks me for the administrative user's account password. I duly put that in which it accepts, but no application will run. For example: I login as the regular user, try to run CMD as admin, it prompts for password, I then get a message saying the apllication could not be found, even though it is physically there!

I have a screenshot to illustrate, but if anyone can shed light on this I'd be most grateful.

Lozzy_uk

 

[Trouble]

How were you able to activate the hidden administrator account without actually having an account functioning as a member of the administrator's group to do so?
Is there a profile folder for "Administrator" indicating that, that account has been successfully used?


Did you possibly attempt to use method 1 described here to fix the User Profile Service failed the logon?
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/947215
I've used it a couple times before and it has worked for me.

 

[Lozzy_uk]

Thanks for the prompt reply.

Initially I restarted using the advanced options to get an admin cmd window up - the only way i could get it.
There is an administrator folder created under c:\users
weirdly if i do 'net user' command, the regular user that can log on does not show as an account.

I did attempt to use method1, but I didn't see any entries in the registry corresponding to the accounts I was trying to deal with.

Lozzy_uk

 

[Trouble]

IF you can actually produce a function elevated command prompt you might try this and see if it works.
Go to
C:\Windows\System32
Find
Cmd.exe
Right click it and choose run as administrator
At the admin command prompt type
net user JohnSmith /add
hit enter
then type
net localgroup administrators JohnSmith /add
hit enter
type
exit
hit enter
Restart and log in as JohnSmith

 

[Lozzy_uk]

Hi,

if I go to
C:\Windows\System32
Find Cmd.exe, right click it and choose run as administrator, I get asked for the non-functioning admin's account password.
I put that in and it's accepted, but i get the message as in my screenshot that cmd.exe cannot be found.

Additionally, if i restart to the admin cmd prompt, create a new user, i get:
user was successfully created but could not be added to the USERS local group.

lozzy_uk

 

[Trouble]

Is this home or pro?
IF it is pro, is it a domain joined system?
IF it is pro can you run the local user manager management console
lusrmgr.msc

 

[Lozzy_uk]

sadly, home

 

[Trouble]

Can you physically sign in using "Administrator" (typically with a blank password)??

 

[Lozzy_uk]

I don't quite follow you. Sign in in what way?
My only options are to login as users on the login screen, or restart in 'safe' mode which puts me into an admin cmd window with drive X:

 

[Trouble]

Typically when trying to resolve an issue on a computer with profile problems associated with the one and only account that is a member of the Local Administrators Group.
Enabling the hidden Administrator Account is used, and.....
I thought that somewhere above you had mentioned that you had actually used that account to sign-in with a one point or other.
IF not, then you might want to enable it and then use it to actually create a new user account that is also a member of the local administrators group so you can move along with your profile fixing.
Give this a look see and see if provides any help.
http://pureinfotech.com/2015/11/20/how-reset-windows-10-forgotten-password-regain-access-computer/

 

[Lozzy_uk]

I did at one point create a new user - received the error message about it not added to the USERS group.
I then added it to adminitrators group without error. But it doesn't show on login screen, and it doesn't have a folder in the users folder on c:

It seems to me that a local account and an online MS account can be linked but are not by default.
The login screen only seems to show online MS ones.
The admin one I have that was broken, does have an online login on their website, but no local files hence the error for that I think.

To be honest if I could just upgrade the USER one that works to an admin one I'd settle for that at this point.

 

[Trouble]

To be honest if I could just upgrade the USER one that works to an admin one I'd settle for that at this point.

It's possible that you could use something like
http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/
I believe it has the ability to promote a user into the administrators group as one of its' features.

 

[Lozzy_uk]

It's possible that you could use something like
http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/
I believe it has the ability to promote a user into the administrators group as one of its' features.

It might, but it doesn't mention support for win10.

 

[MrDiamond123]

try this
try to go to recovery mode, once your there look for cmd open it then goto the folder system32 type
these commands
del sethc.exe
copy cmd.exe D:\ (or the hard drive letter)
ren D:\cmd.exe sethc.exe
copy D:\sethc.exe
reboot windows
when you select your user DO NOT LOGIN, then press shift 5 times then there is the command prompt which will let you do any command (the logon screen is logged on to system)
I Hope this worked

 

[Trouble]

The last post in this thread is almost 3 years old.

 

[MrDiamond123]

The last post in this thread is almost 3 years old.

so?

 

[BigFeet]

So??? Bumping a 3 year old thread is spam. For the most part the OP has either fixed the issue or long moved on. Or in most cases, the issue has to do with a version of Windows 10 that is no longer valid.

 

[Trouble]

so?

 

[Aaa28828]

Other people might have similar issues never too late to respond to a thread keep it goin