Fix User Profile Service service failed the logon Error

Windows 7 and windows Vista users sometimes fall a victim to this typical Windows Error. This is triggered if your system has a corrupt or invalid user account associated with it. If your system has multiple users associated with it and one of them fails then it is easy to recover the corrupted account. But if you don’t have more than one account and the Admin account is disabled by default you might face some big time problem solving this error.

Here in this article we will be trying to solve out this error with every possible options and tricks, which will help you to get back your system to a stable working condition.

Reasons for this Error Message

The hunt for the cause is still on and there have been many guesses but none can be 100% correct till now.

• In most cases, it was found to be a manual deletion of the profile which triggers this error. This might be due to an internal program trying to override the profile and has encountered an error during the process. Since it was not be a clean deletion, the security identifier is unable to de-index it from the registry list and hence the error is shown.

• Sometime this error can also be triggered when the current working profile is pushed to a back up state.

• If you are trying to Manually rename the profile in [Installation drive]:\Users\(User Name)

Fix for the User Profile Service service failed the logon Error Message

This is a common failure Message in Windows 7 and the same error can also be found in Vista as well.

Simple Fix

If you have just encountered this error and you are sure that you have a valid system restore point, try restoring your windows. In most cases this will help you out. But if you are unable to solve it this way read below for different steps and techniques which may help you with this problem.

Easy Fix

1. Boot your system to the safe mode. (If you don’t know how to do this try pressing f8 continuously as the computer restarts and continue pressing until you see the boot up options screen)

2. Go to “Start” and search for the “regedit” file. When it id found double click it (Or run it as admin)

Important: Take a back of your registry before proceeding. If you are careless enough to make a mistake this might save you from further damage. Save the back up in any drive other than the one in which your Windows 7 is installed

3. Locate the following folder-

HKEY_lOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Profile List

4. Here you should see all the profiles listed. There should be at least one line for every individual profile listed in a sequential manner.

5. Now search for the key file whose name does not have the extension “.bak” in it.

6. Remove the “.bak” if it is shown there.

7. Check for the ref count value. If it is “0″, do not change. If some other value is listed change that to “0″

8. Check for the state value. Again if it is something other than 0 change it back to “0″.

9. Now sometimes it is found that there can be two profiles with the same profile name. Find the one with the “.bak” and delete the other one. Now Rename the “.bak” and delete the profile which has “temp” in it.

10. Cross check again that the refcount and the state value is 0. Do not experiment with it changing to some other integer.

11. Close “regedit”

12. Now “Restart” and try to log in the “user” which was not working.

13. Voila if you are able to log in. If not try a different option mentioned in this article.

Advanced Fix

If the above trick fails then grab yourself some courage and be ready to loose all the contents inside the user folder (Which includes My docs / Downloads/ Music play list / My pictures and all other folders inside the Users Document Directory). If you have prepared yourself for the loss, its time we start up your system with a new User Account

Manually delete the user folder form the path C://User/Username you want to delete

1. Go to the start menu.

2. Search for the regedit file in the blank space there. Double click the regedit file.

3. If you are asked with a prompt to continue as per UAC standard, select ok.

4. In the registry editor go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

5. Find the folder with [s-1-5....] which is called SID key. It should have along number added to it and sometimes it may have a “.bak” file extension.

6. In the right hand side of the panel, find the ProfileImagepath and check that it is the same user account that you have deleted earlier. Be sure to find the same name which you want to delete or you have deleted.

7. Take a back up of your registry by right clicking the SID key and select export. Save the file in another partition.

8. Now select the same SID key. Right click it and select delete.

9. Select yes on the confirmation message.

10. Close regedit.

11. Now go to start, move on to control panel select Users accounts.

12. Create new. Name it something other than the one you deleted. Give it admin privileges (If you want it to be)

13. Restart and Select your new user account if prompted or you will be logged in automatically if it is the default account.

If you are unable to get this problem solved with the tricks mentioned above or you have a doubt about the steps, post back your problems in the comment section. We will try to get back to your problems as fast as possible. Good luck.