If you try to log on to a temporary profile in Windows Vista or later and you get the error message “The User Profile Service Failed The Logon. User Profile Cannot Be Loaded,” then this guide is for you.
You can try to do a System Restore at boot to see if it can fix this before using the tutorial below. If you wish to not repair the user profile, you can simply delete it and create a new user account. If you wish to manually fix the corrupted profile, follow the steps listed below.
Credit goes to Vistax64 for instructions and Screenshots. Big thanks for this guide
1. Open the registry editor (run>regedit)
2. Manually navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
3. In the left pane, look for the S-1-5….. folder (SID key) with the long number that has .bak at the end of the numbers. * VERIFY that this is the account profile. Check the ProfileImagePath and make sure its the correct user’s profile. IF there are two sets of numbers that are exactly the same, follow this procedure:
A. In the left pane, right click on the first (top) S-1-5….. folder (SID key) that does not have .bakat the end of the numbers and click Rename
B. Add .bk to the end of the numbers
C. In the left pane, right click on the second S-1-5….. folder (SID key) with .bak at the end of the numbers and click Rename
D. Remove only .bak from the end of the numbers and press Enter
E. Now go back and Rename the first one with .bk to .bak now at the end of the numbers and press Enter
F. In the right pane of the one without .bak now, right click on RefCount and click on Modify. NOTE: If you do not have RefCount, then right click on a empty space in the right pane and clickNew and DWORD (32 bit) Value, then type RefCount and press Enter. This value for this entry will reset and return back to the original value after you have restarted the computer and logged on to the account. Type 0 (number) and click on OK.
G. In the right pane of the one without .bak now, right click on State and click on Modify. NOTE: This value for this entry will reset and return back to the original value after you have restarted the computer and logged on to the account. Type 0 (number) and click on OK.
H. Close regedit and restart the computer
IF there is only one set of these numbers:
A) In the left pane, right click on the S-1-5….. folder (SID key) with .bak at the end of the numbers and click Rename
B) Remove only .bak at the end of the numbers and press Enter
4. In the right pane of the one without .bak now, right click on RefCount and click on Modify. NOTE: If you do not have RefCount, then right click on a empty space in the right pane and clickNew and DWORD (32 bit) Value, then type RefCount and press Enter. This value for this entry will reset and return back to the original value after you have restarted the computer and logged on to the account.
A) Type 0 (number) and click on OK
5. In the right pane of the one without .bak now, right click on State and click on Modify. NOTE: This value for this entry will reset and return back to the original value after you have restarted the computer and logged on to the account.
A) Type 0 (number) and click on OK
6. Close regedit
7. Restart the computer
8. See if you can logon now
Note: If you still have the profile issue, then a clean install of Windows is recommended.
There is more information at Microsoft’s support page on this Vista user profile service error topic.
Did this regedit to fix the user profile service failed the logon error or did you have to reinstall Windows?
