Cannot access user profile as limited user

[Guest]

One of the users on my Windows XP Professional has this problem: When the
user account is a limited user, she cannot fully access the user profile.
Keyboard settings is wrong, background picture is blocked... If I change the
account to administrator, everything is ok. I have checked the security
settings in Documents and settings, and it seems that the user has all rights
on the files and folders in the user profile. But it still does'nt work when
she is a limited user.
Any suggustions?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

One of the users on my Windows XP Professional has this problem: When the
user account is a limited user, she cannot fully access the user profile.
Keyboard settings is wrong, background picture is blocked... If I change
the
account to administrator, everything is ok. I have checked the security
settings in Documents and settings, and it seems that the user has all
rights
on the files and folders in the user profile. But it still does'nt work
when
she is a limited user.
Any suggustions?

Log on as administrator, then give the user full control to her
profile folder ***and to all subfolders***.

 

[Guest]

I am sorry - that was what I had checked. Tryed once more, but the problem is
still there - full control to all files and folders, but no access to
background picture, keyboard settings a.s.o.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

OK, use the sledgehammer approache:
- Log on as Administrator
- Click Start / Run / cmd {OK}
- Type these commands:
cd /d "c:\UserProfiles"{Enter}
cacls "EvaT" /e /t /g "EvatT":F{Enter}
cacls "EvaT\Desktop" > c:\perms.txt {Enter}
notepad c:\perms.txt {Enter}

Replace EvaT with the logon name of the problem user.
Paste the contents of c:\perms.txt into your reply if you
still have a problem.

 

[Guest]

Sorry - still the same problem...

Content of perms.txt:
C:\Documents and Settings\Hilde\Skrivebord BUILTIN\AdministratorerOI)(CI)F
SAMSON\HildeOI)(CI)F
NT-MYNDIGHET\SYSTEMOI)(CI)F

(Norwegian Windows - "Skrivebord"=Desktop)

Perhaps I should add one more information: The user profiles was backed up
before a clean reinstallation of Windows a few weeks ago. After
reinstallation they were copied back to the new users with the same names as
the old ones. If the users are levelled as administrators, this works
excellent, but if I change them to limited user, we have this problem. And I
don't understand why...

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Visst vet jag vad "skrivbord" betyder . . .
The commands you ran confirm that there is nothing wrong
with the permission structure of Hilde's profile folder. This
means that the problem lies in the registry. I can think of two
ways to fix this:
a) Reboot the machine, log on as Administrator and rename
"Hilde" to "Hilde.trasig". When Hilde next logs on, Windows
will generate a new profile folder for her. You can then copy
her personal files from the bad to the new profile folder. This
is the safe option.
b) While logged on as administrator, set all permissions of
Hilde's registry hive to "Full access" for her. This is a
risky option.

 

[Guest]

I tried the a)-solution, but this still doesn't work - if I did it the right
way...

I copied all the files and folders (also hidden ones) from the old
Hilde.trasig folder to the new Hilde folder. Also tried to empty the new
folder before copying the old files and folders into it. But this gives the
same old problems...

So I would like to try the risky b)-way too, but I don't understand what I
am supposed to do. How do I "set all permissions of Hilde's registry hive to
"Full access" "? Where in the registry do I find this keys?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Copying the hidden files from the "trasig" folder to the new
folder was not a good idea. It probably resulted in you
copying the bad stuff too. I suggest you try again:
1. Reboot.
2. Log on as admin.
3. Delete the new Hilde folder.
4. Log on as Hilde.
5. Copy Hilde's data files from the "trasig" folder to the new folder.
Do NOT copy hidden files, especially not ntuser.dat!

 

[Guest]

Well, then she gets a profile with norwegian keyboard, but her background
picture is gone. What else is left behind in the ntuser.dat? Is this the best
we can come up with? Why does the old profile work perfect if she is an
administrator user and not when she is a limited user? ...??

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

This is exactly what I expected: She gets the default profile,
which does not include her usual desktop background, EMail
settings etc. You now need to personalise her profile.

As I said before, she probably has a permission problem in
her registry, which is kept in ntuser.dat: It prevents her from
changing things while logged on as an ordinary user.