Administrator ntuser.dat file corruption

[Guest]

Hi,

I think I have a corrupt ntuser.dat file in the default windows
administrator account. Which means that for every new user account created
that copies its reg off the default admin account gets corrupted as well.
However, there is 1 original user-created administrator account on my system
that isn't corrupted (created before the corruption).

Is there any way I can restore the default admin from that account?

I also tried sfc /scannow off the XP installation CD which did its thing but
the problem still occurs. Hopefully there is a solution to this problem that
doesn't require me to reinstall windows. A process that I loathe due to the
buggy nature of the windows install.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi,

I think I have a corrupt ntuser.dat file in the default windows
administrator account. Which means that for every new user account created
that copies its reg off the default admin account gets corrupted as well.
However, there is 1 original user-created administrator account on my system
that isn't corrupted (created before the corruption).

Is there any way I can restore the default admin from that account?

I also tried sfc /scannow off the XP installation CD which did its thing but
the problem still occurs. Hopefully there is a solution to this problem that
doesn't require me to reinstall windows. A process that I loathe due to the
buggy nature of the windows install.

There is no "default admin account" - there is only a "Default User"
profile folder. All account profiles - admininstrators or users - are
created
based on this profile folder. It never gets changed unless you replace it
with a profile folder of your own. Did you?

If you did then you could rename it and put an intact profile folder
in its palce.

 

[ntuser]

I never altered the default user. What i meant by default admin account is
the hidden computer administrator account only accessable through safe mode.
Is that the same thing as the 'default user'?

The reason why I think its corrupted is because for all new accounts
created, the registry for those accounts are corrupted. Whereas the old
user-created admin account works fine.

For example, attempting to merge the correct reg keys into a corrupted
registry of a new account results in the following error: Cannot import
"file": Error accessing the registry.

If I try to merge that same reg file into the working user account - I get a
message saying it merged succesfully.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Try this:
1. Reboot the machine.
2. Log on as administrator.
3. Make the hidden folder "c:\documents and settings\default user"
visible.
4. Rename this folder to "Default User.org".
5. Rename the folder "c:\documents and settings\xxx" to
"Default User". "xxx" is the name of an account that
is intact.
6. Log on as "xxx". This will recreate the profile folder
for this account.
7. Create a new account and log on under this account.
You will see the same environment as for user "xxx".

 

[ntuser]

Thanks for the help, i'll give it a try. But does this mean that whenever I
want to create a new user account i'll have to go through this same process?
Or will it fix the corruption in the default user profile that all new user
created accounts copy off from.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I previously wrote "All new account profiles - admininstrators
or users - are created based on the "Default User" profile
folder. It follows that if the "Default User" profile folder is
intact, all accounts based on it are also intact.

 

[ntuser]

One more thing, you said:
" 7. Create a new account and log on under this account. You will see the
same environment as for user "xxx"."
Is there no way to fix it such that when I create new user accounts, they
start with the usual default XP wallpaper, pop-up that says "do u want to
take a tour of XP" etc etc. Because from what you say, i understand it to
mean that all new user accounts made will open up and load to desktop with
an identical "environment" to the old working account.

Once again, thanks for the swift replies. ^.^

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

If you want the out-of-the factory default profile
folder and if your current default profile folder is
is corrupted then you have to re-install Windows.

 

[ntuser]

I was hoping you wouldn't say that. It is odd though that there is no way
to repair it off the XP CD without having to reinstall Windows all over
again - perhaps some sort of 'recovery' feature or something.

*sigh*

Anywho, thankyou for your patience and help in resolving this issue.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

There is, of course, the WinXP "System Restore" function..
You will have to find out if it goes back far enough on
your machine.

 

[ntuser]

The last time I used system restore, I had to completely reformat my hard
drive...twice; before I could get a stable installtion of Windows again .
After that I turned that 'feature' off and never looked back. Perhaps I
burned my bridges so to speak, but I'd still rather reformat and re-install
rather than use that 'feature' again.

Although, isn't there a repair option if you boot from the XP installtion
disc? I wonder if that would fix my problem.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi,

I think I have a corrupt ntuser.dat file in the default windows
administrator account. Which means that for every new user account created
that copies its reg off the default admin account gets corrupted as well.

Newly created accounts don't copy anything from the built-in
Administrator account; the settings are copied from the "Default User"
account, which exists solely for that purpose.

However, there is 1 original user-created administrator account on my system
that isn't corrupted (created before the corruption).

Is there any way I can restore the default admin from that account?

No, nor is there any need, as it can't be the source of the problem.
It is possible, however, that the Default User profile has been damaged.
Simply logon in Safe Mode, using the built-in Administrator account,
rename the Default User profile to something like "Default User.old,"
make a copy of a known good user profile, and name it "Default User."
The "All Users" Profile usually works well as the source profile.
Important: Do not attempt to shortcut the process by trying to copy only
the single NTUser.DAT file; it wouldn't work.

I also tried sfc /scannow off the XP installation CD which did its thing but
the problem still occurs.

The System File Checker would only replace damaged system files; it
won't have any affect on user-specific files within the user profiles or
any part of the registry (which, after all, is what NTUser.DAT is - the
user-specific portion of the registry).

Hopefully there is a solution to this problem that
doesn't require me to reinstall windows.

As above, isolate the suspected defective profile, and create a
replacement.

A process that I loathe due to the
buggy nature of the windows install.

If you're finding the Windows installation "buggy," then you have
severe underlying hardware problems, which also may well be what has
caused your registry corruption. Once you've recovered, you might want
to look here, as well:

How to Troubleshoot Registry Corruption Issues
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I never altered the default user. What i meant by default admin account is
the hidden computer administrator account only accessable through safe mode.
Is that the same thing as the 'default user'?

No, not at all.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[ntuser]

I see, thanks for setting me straight. Quick question though: Does it matter
that this problem includes the "built-in administrator account"?
Because...well..it does.

I.e. will making a new copy of the default user profile from the working
account also effect the problems presence in the "built-in adminstrator
account"?

Btw, some of my hardware specs are:
- Gigabyte motherboard 8KNXP rev2
- 1024 Mb of Hynix DDR3200 RAM
- Gigabyte Nvidia G-force 6600GT graphics card
- Intel P4 3.01 GHz processor
- 120Gb Western Digital HD connected via SATA
- and of course a bunch of ancillary extras that are part of the motherboard

The only parts that I am suspicious of wear are the Antec 430 watt psu that
sounds like a lawnmower and some "Gigabyte dual power system" card that came
with the MB. I really need more venitlation for this thing. Just taking off
the side panel cuts the noise level by half so its gotta be an air flow
thing even though it has 2 front side fans and 1 rear as well as the 2 fans
in the psu. Not including the gpu or cpu fans. Tthe psu fan speed slows down
dramitcally whenever i take it off the side panel - Ahhhh, the wonders of
technology *shakes fist at Gordon Moore*.

 

[ntuser]

One more thing. The corruption in question is in the "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT" reg
tree which i've been led to believe isn't user-specific. So maybe my
ntuser.dat isn't corrupted, but something sure is! o_O