Member Avatar for Jonzsie

I am using windows XP SP2 home edition and I can't add another user account...I can but it won't load. At present I have 2 user profiles running (both administrators) with the guest account turned off. I have visitors and for privacy reasons I want them to have their own user account (a limited account) When I switched on the guest account this is the message I got when I tried to log on to it.

User environment
Windows cannot log you on because your profile cannot be loaded check that you are connected to the network or that your network is functioning correctly. If the problem persists contact your network administrator.
DETAIL-The system cannot find the file specified.

I then turned off the guest account and tried opening another account but the same message appeared when I tried to log on.

I then downloaded UPHclean and ran that but still no luck. When i looked in the system file under user profiles it is only showing the 2 existing one and not the new oneI have just created.

Can someone please help.......thanks.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by nelvir

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Short summary and what's actually happening: this error usually means Windows could not build a new profile from the system template (the "Default" profile) because a required file was missing, locked, or had the wrong permissions. reported the classic message ("DETAIL - The system cannot find the file specified") and tried UPHClean; other members ( and ) noticed the Default/User-template issue. The failure is frequently recorded as Event ID 1500/1508 in the Application log and is most often caused by a missing/corrupt NTUSER.DAT or bad ACLs on the default profile files. (learn.microsoft.com)

Quick diagnostic checklist (in order):

  • Open Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) and look for Source = "User Profile Service" or "Userenv" and Event IDs 1500 / 1502 / 1508 to confirm profile/template errors. (learn.microsoft.com)
  • From an elevated Command Prompt check for the hidden default folder and its files:
    dir /a "C:\Documents and Settings"
dir /a "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User"

    Look inside the Default User folder for NTUSER.DAT (and, if present, Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat). If those files are missing or are marked Read-only the profile copy will fail. (learn.microsoft.com)

Repair options and safe next steps:

  • If NTUSER.DAT is missing or corrupt, restore the whole Default profile from a known-good machine with the same Windows build and language (copying a proper Default folder is safer than creating an empty folder). After copying, clear any Read-only attributes and verify NTFS permissions so SYSTEM, Administrators and Users have appropriate access. (helgeklein.com)
  • Check the registry path below (backup the registry first) to verify Windows is pointing at the expected profiles folder and to inspect any broken SID/ProfileImagePath entries:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

    Fix or remove incorrect entries only after backing up. (learn.microsoft.com)

If the above is uncomfortable or the system is failing in other ways, back up user data and consider System Restore / a repair install. The steps above explain why the simple "create a folder named Default User" trick sometimes appears to work (it gives Windows something to copy) but also why a correct template plus correct NTUSER.DAT and file ACLs is the proper, long-term fix.

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Member Avatar for milobeckers

I am using windows XP SP2 home edition and I can't add another user account...I can but it won't load. At present I have 2 user profiles running (both administrators) with the guest account turned off. I have visitors and for privacy reasons I want them to have their own user account (a limited account) When I switched on the guest account this is the message I got when I tried to log on to it.

User environment
Windows cannot log you on because your profile cannot be loaded check that you are connected to the network or that your network is functioning correctly. If the problem persists contact your network administrator.
DETAIL-The system cannot find the file specified.

I then turned off the guest account and tried opening another account but the same message appeared when I tried to log on.

I then downloaded UPHclean and ran that but still no luck. When i looked in the system file under user profiles it is only showing the 2 existing one and not the new oneI have just created.

Can someone please help.......thanks.

I have exactly the same problem. Tried to wrestle my way through Microsoft's knowledge base but couldn't find the exact same problem. I figured you might have a solution by now. Could you please help me?
Thanks.

Member Avatar for Archon1

use regedit to find default user

so you will find profile list and it list the default user folder name

it occasionally changes from Default User to Default User.Windows and etc depending how many times you did your installation on or how many ghosting etc.

Just had to post that cause it been pissing me off after reading your trend and finding no solutions

thanks bye

Member Avatar for alpacalover

i know this is a really old thread but i came across while experiencing the same problem. since noone posted an answer, i thought i would. go to c:my computer - documents and settings - click file - add new - name the new file "Default User" then try to log in with the guest or new log in
hope it helps you. it worked for me

thanks.:o

I am using windows XP SP2 home edition and I can't add another user account...I can but it won't load. At present I have 2 user profiles running (both administrators) with the guest account turned off. I have visitors and for privacy reasons I want them to have their own user account (a limited account) When I switched on the guest account this is the message I got when I tried to log on to it.

User environment
Windows cannot log you on because your profile cannot be loaded check that you are connected to the network or that your network is functioning correctly. If the problem persists contact your network administrator.
DETAIL-The system cannot find the file specified.

I then turned off the guest account and tried opening another account but the same message appeared when I tried to log on.

I then downloaded UPHclean and ran that but still no luck. When i looked in the system file under user profiles it is only showing the 2 existing one and not the new oneI have just created.

Can someone please help.......thanks.

Member Avatar for shureshbabu

i know this is a really old thread but i came across while experiencing the same problem. since noone posted an answer, i thought i would. go to c:my computer - documents and settings - click file - add new - name the new file "Default User" then try to log in with the guest or new log in
hope it helps you. it worked for me

thanks.:o

Thanku:icon_smile: Its working

Member Avatar for rbnadans

Thank you.
Its working fine

Member Avatar for amrs

Brilliant. I just had the same problem and found this thread. It worked beautifully.

Member Avatar for dggdmn

Creating a default user did work, Thanks

Member Avatar for nelvir

unbelievable but it works!

Many Thanks

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