Windows – Problem loading user profile on Windows 7

bootuser-profileswindows 7

I'm having a strange problem on two of my home 64-bit Windows 7 machines. About 75% of the time when I boot from a cold start, my profile fails to load. The event viewer gives me this error:

Windows was unable to load the
registry. This problem is often caused
by insufficient memory or insufficient
security rights.

DETAIL – The process cannot access
the file because it is being used by
another process. for
C:\Users\Roger\ntuser.dat

If I log off and back on, the profile always loads correctly.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm not sure what other than Windows could grab my profile upon boot. I've checked permissions of the ntuser.dat file and system has full control.

Best Answer

Have you tried creating a new account and check if the problem occurs there as well?

I've seen a post on TechNet where they suggest it as a possible solution.

An accepted solution there was Startup Repair:

If the issue persists, you can also perform Startup Repair. Since you are now logging on in Windows Vista Operating System, you need to use Windows Vista installation disc. To do this, please take the following steps. Note: Please ensure that the DVD-ROM is the first booting device.

  • Please insert the Windows Vista DVD and reboot the computer.
  • When we are prompted to press a key to boot from the DVD, please press Enter or the space bar.
  • Choose your language settings, and then click Next.
  • Click Repair your computer.
  • Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
  • On the System Recovery Options menu, click Startup Repair. Startup Repair might prompt you to make choices as it tries to fix the problem, and if necessary, it might restart your computer as it makes repairs.

Another suggestion they made there makes you lave the trouble making files behind (note this was under XP I think):

You need to create another profile for each user, with all the same attributes and privilidges for that user, then go into an admin account (not the account that your changing or the account that your setting up, a different one) then in folder options make sure that "show hidden files and folders" is checked, and "hide protected operating system files" is unchecked. then go to the "C:\Documents and Settings\Old_Username folder" Press and hold down the CTRL key while you click each file and subfolder in this folder, EXCEPT the following files: Ntuser.dat, Ntuser.dat.log, Ntuser.ini. right click and choose copy, go to the C:\Documents and Settings\New_Username folder and right click and choose paste. reboot the computer and then you should be able to log on as the new user

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