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Q216867: Corrupted User Profiles Can Cause New Local Default to be Lost

Article: Q216867
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinNT400sp5fix
Last Modified: 16-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When a corrupted profile on the central server is downloaded, an error 1009 is
logged to the Windows NT event system log. A new local profile is created from
the local default. After you restart, however, the system will not reference the
new local profile and will begin the cycle of pulling down the corrupted profile
from the server again.

The following error is displayed:

  The system cannot find the drive specified.

CAUSE
=====

When Windows NT detects a certain type of profile corruption, a flag is set,
causing the reference to the newly created user profile not to be saved in the
registry. The user is given a new copy of the local default profile and can make
changes to it which are saved to the hard disk. When the system is restarted, it
looks for the local version to check the time stamp versus the server version.
This check is made ONLY against profiles listed in the registry (not against the
physical files in the profile directory) and, thus, the recently created local
copy is ignored. The system then repeats the process of downloading the server
copy (which is still corrupted) and the cycle repeats.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, after the user logs on and creates the file copies
of the new local profile, manually copy these file copies to the profile server.
They will be downloaded the next time the computer is restarted and should work
fine from then on.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or
the individual software update. For information on obtaining the latest service
pack, please go to:

- http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/ServicePacks/

-or-

- Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

For information on obtaining the individual software update, contact Microsoft
Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support
Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the
following address on the World Wide Web:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS


STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0. This problem was
first corrected in Windows NT version 4.0 Service Pack 5.

MORE INFORMATION
================

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q196284 Controlling Default Behavior for Roaming User Profiles


Additional query words: 4.00

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Keywords          : kbWinNT400sp5fix 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0
Hardware          : ALPHA x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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