Windows cannot load the user's profile

[Jimmy G]

I am having a Dell laptop running with Windows XP operating system. It worked fine until last night when I turned off the laptop after completing my work. But today morning when I booted it up, I received the following error message:

"Windows cannot laod the user's profile but has logged you on with the default profile - INCORRECT FUNCTION".

Damn, what has went wrong over night? Due to this problem I guess my internet also stopped working. There is no internet connection anymore on this laptop.

Any idea? Please help.

[Patter-Son]

Most probably your USER Profile might have been corrupted, hence you getting that error message. What you need to do is login as default Administrator and create a new profile.

Check this MS KB articles describing "Windows cannot load your profile because it may be corrupted" error message when you try to log on to Windows XP.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318011

[Jimmy G]

Thank you very much for the help Patter-Son. I followed the steps as mentioned in that KB but at stage where it says to copy from the old profile, I received the following the error message:

C:\DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\old user name IS NOT ACCESSIBLE
ACCESS IS DENIED.

What now? How can I copy from my old profile? Please help.

[CoYoTeA]

This is the ownership problem. As you already lost your user profile, you might not be having the ownership of those files. Hence better log in to Safe Mod and as an administrator and follow the steps provide on the following page for taking ownership:

"How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP"
http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp

[Bosh69]

Fixed.

If this error occurs with the symptom of not being able to install any new programs for that user, then

check your Sharing and Permissions for the user in the Document and Settings folders.

I had accidentally set permissions on my "Documents and Settings" file to Do not share. I changed it back and that solved the problem