Corrupted User Profiles Can Cause New Local Default to be Lost

ID: Q216867

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

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/

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://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

NOTE: If this product was already installed on your computer when you purchased it from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and you need this fix, please call the Pay Per Incident number listed on the above Web site. If you contact Microsoft to obtain this fix, a fee may be charged. This fee is refundable if it is determined that you only require the fix you requested. However, this fee is non-refundable if you request additional technical support, if your no-charge technical support period has expired, or if you are not eligible for standard no-charge technical support.

For more information about eligibility for no-charge technical support, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q154871 Determining If You Are Eligible for No-Charge Technical Support

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

Keywords : kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 nt4sp5fix
Version : winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug