Vista User Profile Disappears [BIG Problem]

May 23, 2008 | ML/NJ

[library user]

Are you sure it’s not reoccurring spyware that’s causing this?

[floozy22]

Based on what I’ve heard about Vista, if even one quarter of it is true, I don’t want to touch it. Gonna stay with XP for as long as possible.

[WayneS]

George W. Bush’s fault.

[ml/nj]

Are you sure it’s not reoccurring spyware that’s causing this?

I'm not sure of anything. It could be due to some sort of spyware, but I doubt it. The woman is a very light user of the internet due to her dialup connection. If it were spyware, Microsoft would have identified the cause pretty quickly, but they haven't, so far as I am aware.

ML/NJ

[Behind Liberal Lines]

My dad had a very similar problem in XP and it was a virus.

[js1138]

That would be a good starting point. What kind of virus scanner does she have, and what kind of bootable recovery utility do they have.

[Kirkwood]

I’ve had far more problems in my experience with XP than I’ve ever had with Vista. In fact the only problems I’ve actually had involving Vista were with 3rd party companies not upgrading their products.

[library user]

A virus doesn't care whether the connection is dial-up or high-speed. The reason why I mentioned spyware is because I frequent both the Geeks To Go and Bleeping Computer forums and remember a trojan/rootkit going around which renames (sometimes critical) files and creates BAKs of them.

Try running Norman Malware Cleaner in Safe Mode.

If that doesn't do the trick, here's option two:

Please download ATF Cleaner by Atribune & save it to your desktop. DO NOT use yet.
Please download and install SUPERAntiSpyware Free

• Double-click SUPERAntiSypware.exe and use the default settings for installation.
• An icon will be created on your desktop. Double-click that icon to launch the program.
• If asked to update the program definitions, click "Yes". If not, update the definitions before scanning by selecting "Check for Updates". (If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download them from here and unzip into the program's folder.)
• Under the "Configuration and Preferences", click the Preferences... button.
• Click the "General and Startup" tab, and under Start-up Options, make sure "Start SUPERAntiSpyware when Windows starts" box is unchecked.
• Click the "Scanning Control" tab, and under Scanner Options, make sure the following are checked (leave all others unchecked):
  • Close browsers before scanning.
  • Scan for tracking cookies.
  • Terminate memory threats before quarantining.
• Click the "Close" button to leave the control center screen and exit the program.
• Do not run a scan just yet.

Reboot your computer in "Safe Mode" using the F8 method. To do this, restart your computer and after hearing your computer beep once during startup (but before the Windows icon appears) press the F8 key repeatedly. A menu will appear with several options. Use the arrow keys to navigate and select the option to run Windows in "Safe Mode".

Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.

• Under Main "Select Files to Delete" choose: Select All.
• Click the Empty Selected button.
• If you use Firefox browser click Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
• Click the Empty Selected button.
  If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
• If you use Opera browser click Opera at the top and choose: Select All
• Click the Empty Selected button.
  If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
• Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program.

Note: On Vista, "Windows Temp" is disabled. To empty "Windows Temp" ATF-Cleaner must be "Run as an Administrator".

Scan with SUPERAntiSpyware as follows:

• Launch the program and back on the main screen, under "Scan for Harmful Software" click Scan your computer.
• On the left, make sure you check C:\Fixed Drive.
• On the right, under "Complete Scan", choose Perform Complete Scan and click "Next".
• After the scan is complete, a Scan Summary box will appear with potentially harmful items that were detected. Click "OK".
• Make sure everything has a checkmark next to it and click "Next".
• A notification will appear that "Quarantine and Removal is Complete". Click "OK" and then click the "Finish" button to return to the main menu.
• If asked if you want to reboot, click "Yes" and reboot normally.
• To retrieve the removal information after reboot, launch SUPERAntispyware again.
  • Click Preferences, then click the Statistics/Logs tab.
  • Under Scanner Logs, double-click SUPERAntiSpyware Scan Log.
  • If there are several logs, click the current dated log and press View log. A text file will open in your default text editor.
• Click Close to exit the program.

Language lifted from Bleeping Computer forum.

[ml/nj]

A virus doesn't care whether the connection is dial-up or high-speed.

Gee, thanks for the education Sherlock.

The reason dialup matters is that it limits the number of websites one can visit, it limits the amount of stuff that can be transferred to a computer, and the lifetime of the IP address is limited to the duration of the phone call. If you don't understand, try one of those "For Dummies," books.

BTW Spyware and Viruses are distinctly different animals.

I've read dozens of usenet threads about this and consulted Microsoft's posted information. Somehow all have missed attributing this to malware. I think I'll skip Geeks to Go.

ML/NJ

[AppyPappy]

It sounds viral.

[library user]

I try to help and you’re a jerk about it.

Nice.

[library user]

The reason dialup matters is that it limits the number of websites one can visit, it limits the amount of stuff that can be transferred to a computer

She could have inadvertently downloaded and installed a file less than 500KB which is causing the problem. That's why I said to think a virus is less likely due to dial-up didn't make much sense.

[library user]

Also, so far, four other folks on this thread, not including myself, have suggested this sounds more thirty-party, virus related.

[Kolb]

Also a prime example of why it is necessary to backup (make copies of) any data you cannot afford to lose on a source external to your computer (CD, DVD, external hard drive, flash drive, tape etc.) and then test the backup to make sure everything works. Then make a second copy to another source just in case (backup your backup).

[JHosprey]

All the fuss and you still have not provided a concise solution. By the way, the answer to this easily fixed issue is the same as most other problems. Google is your friend!

[messierhunter]

I had a friend who had this exact problem with XP, believe it or not. It turns out that his user profile just got randomly corrupted by XP, perhaps because of a hard power-off during a lockup or something, and poof, the “my documents” directory and everything in it was gone. I also started to experience this problem when my hard drive began failing on my XP laptop. Luckily I was able to log onto to the guest profile and shuffle most of my files off before it bought the farm for good. My advice is to keep all your important documents in a subfolder of the root directory, rather than trust the “my documents” folder since it’s dependent on the user profile.

[ml/nj]

I try to help and you’re a jerk about it.

Look. The fact is that you don't know what you're talking about, and you are offering advice anyway to someone whose business is computers.

ML/NJ

[r9etb]

you are offering advice anyway to someone whose business is computers.

Well and good, but the fellow has a point: there is no need to be a jerk because you're "someone whose business is computers."

A polite (and silent) decision to not respond would have had the same effect, and you wouldn't have come out second-best in the exchange.

[ml/nj]

All the fuss and you still have not provided a concise solution. By the way, the answer to this easily fixed issue is the same as most other problems.

The solution seems to be not to use Vista.

If you know how to "easily fix" this, as opposed to repairing it each time it happens, I would appreciate you're letting me know too. And if you know how to get back the really original profile and files attached to it I would appreciate that even more.

As for Goolge, it's good; but Google/Groups is better.

ML/NJ