Bad problem!

5 Nov 2007 2:02 PM

Mhaxx

This morning my Windows 2000 started using a brand new home directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\MyUserName.DOMAINNAME instead of C:\Documents and
Settings\MyUserName. Why?!

This implies many things are lost (desktop, settings, etc): I suppose
Windows found some problem on my original home directory.

1) How to fix this problem?
2) And how to back to my original directory home?

Please, help!!

Thanks,

Massimo

5 Nov 2007 4:55 PM

Pegasus (MVP)

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"Mhaxx" <supermhaxx@despammed.com> wrote in message
news:eBVaPS7HIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> This morning my Windows 2000 started using a brand new home directory:
> C:\Documents and Settings\MyUserName.DOMAINNAME instead of C:\Documents
> and
> Settings\MyUserName. Why?!
>
> This implies many things are lost (desktop, settings, etc): I suppose
> Windows found some problem on my original home directory.
>
> 1) How to fix this problem?
> 2) And how to back to my original directory home?
>
> Please, help!!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Massimo
>
>

There are several ways to resolve this problem. One is to log on
as administrator, launch regedit.exe and modify the data in the
location below so that points once more to your original profile
folder.
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

6 Nov 2007 8:21 AM

Mhaxx

It's really important to me to try to think about the cause of this problem:
what could it be?

> There are several ways to resolve this problem. One is to log on

What are the others?

> as administrator, launch regedit.exe and modify the data in the
> location below so that points once more to your original profile
> folder.
> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

But if Windows automatically switched to a new home dir. I suppose this is a
problem/damage on my old one, so have I to try to point it again? :-(

Thank you so much for you support,

Mhaxx

6 Nov 2007 9:19 AM

Pegasus (MVP)

"Mhaxx" <supermhaxx@despammed.com> wrote in message
news:%23$ePO4EIIHA.284@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> It's really important to me to try to think about the cause of this
> problem:
> what could it be?

I can't tell without knowing the exact history of your machine,
and even then I would be guessing.

>> There are several ways to resolve this problem. One is to log on
>
> What are the others?

You could copy the old profile folder over the top of the
new profile folder.

>> as administrator, launch regedit.exe and modify the data in the
>> location below so that points once more to your original profile
>> folder.
>> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
>
> But if Windows automatically switched to a new home dir. I suppose this is
> a
> problem/damage on my old one, so have I to try to point it again? :-(

Yes.

> Thank you so much for you support,
>

You're welcome.

6 Nov 2007 10:24 AM

Mhaxx

> I can't tell without knowing the exact history of your machine,
> and even then I would be guessing.

I understand, anyway to be honest I haven't done any strange things last
log-out before the problem happened. I can only say this problem happened to
me and other people in the same LAN!

> You could copy the old profile folder over the top of the
> new profile folder.

This is what I already done, but in the system registy you have to change
all "C:\Documents and Settings\MyUserName.DOMAINNAME" with "C:\Documents and
Settings\MyUserName": they are so many places to change! :-(

Are there other solutions?

What I'm interested to know is if this is a common problem or not?

> > problem/damage on my old one, so have I to try to point it again? :-(
>
> Yes.

Mmm, I'm afraid to loose data.. I thinking if to do it or not.. Are you so
sure? :-)

Mhaxx

6 Nov 2007 11:07 AM

Pegasus (MVP)

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"Mhaxx" <supermhaxx@despammed.com> wrote in message
news:OLxys8FIIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> I can't tell without knowing the exact history of your machine,
>> and even then I would be guessing.
>
> I understand, anyway to be honest I haven't done any strange things last
> log-out before the problem happened. I can only say this problem happened
> to
> me and other people in the same LAN!
>
>> You could copy the old profile folder over the top of the
>> new profile folder.
>
> This is what I already done, but in the system registy you have to change
> all "C:\Documents and Settings\MyUserName.DOMAINNAME" with "C:\Documents
> and
> Settings\MyUserName": they are so many places to change! :-(
>
> Are there other solutions?
>
> What I'm interested to know is if this is a common problem or not?
>
>> > problem/damage on my old one, so have I to try to point it again? :-(
>>
>> Yes.
>
> Mmm, I'm afraid to loose data.. I thinking if to do it or not.. Are you so
> sure? :-)
>
> Mhaxx

When copying profile folders, you need to use the method
built into Windows:
1. Reboot the machine.
2. Log on as administrators.
3. Control Panel / System / Advanced / User Profiles (Settings)
4. Click the "good" profile name.
5. Click "Copy to".
6. Type "c:\documents and settings\'new profile name'"
7. Log on as the user.

You will find that this will copy ALL files and ALL registry settings.

Neither this method nor the registry pointer method will lose any
data. Furthermore, if your data is important, why don't you back
it up regularly? A 2.5" disk in an external USB case costs around
$100.00. Not backing up important data is, in my eyes, madness.

6 Nov 2007 11:58 AM

Mhaxx

> When copying profile folders, you need to use the method
> built into Windows:
> 1. Reboot the machine.
> 2. Log on as administrators.
> 3. Control Panel / System / Advanced / User Profiles (Settings)
> 4. Click the "good" profile name.
> 5. Click "Copy to".
> 6. Type "c:\documents and settings\'new profile name'"
> 7. Log on as the user.
>
> You will find that this will copy ALL files and ALL registry settings.

Ok, now new profile folder and registry settings are active (all changed
manually by me yesterday): do you think I can try this method again, too?
(to point to my original folder and registry settings)

Mhaxx

6 Nov 2007 12:41 PM

Pegasus (MVP)

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"Mhaxx" <supermhaxx@despammed.com> wrote in message
news:eF$NYxGIIHA.1324@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> When copying profile folders, you need to use the method
>> built into Windows:
>> 1. Reboot the machine.
>> 2. Log on as administrators.
>> 3. Control Panel / System / Advanced / User Profiles (Settings)
>> 4. Click the "good" profile name.
>> 5. Click "Copy to".
>> 6. Type "c:\documents and settings\'new profile name'"
>> 7. Log on as the user.
>>
>> You will find that this will copy ALL files and ALL registry settings.
>
> Ok, now new profile folder and registry settings are active (all changed
> manually by me yesterday): do you think I can try this method again, too?
> (to point to my original folder and registry settings)
>
> Mhaxx

I think you are now fully aware of what the two methods do.
You also know exactly what you did to this machine, hence
you should be in excellent position to answer this question
yourself.

6 Nov 2007 2:43 PM

Mhaxx

> I think you are now fully aware of what the two methods do.

The 1st method can't be used because if you can't see old profile from
Admin! I don't know why, but it's so..

Mhaxx