Windows 10: Windows 10 loads default instead of user-modified profile wiping off all settings, files,...

I repeatedly run into the “default user profile instead of my user settings” problem with Windows 10. When I log in onto my user profile on my Win 10 computer, it logs into default user profile and all my settings in web browsers, office files and other software are gone! Microsoft told me to sign out or else I would lose all my documents. I repeatedly did and nothing changed. My documents are all gone and empty. So what is the problem and how to fix it quickly? Last time it happened I googled solution and quickly learned that this is pretty common problem for Windows 7, and the only fix is to

:)

 

Copy Customize Profile to Default Profile

The default user profile will be modified, all your customizations saved, if you use /generalize switch with Sysprep, and your answer file contains the following setting in settings pass Specialize:

<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>

See this tutorial, Step 4.3: Create media for automated unattended install of Windows 10 | Tutorials

 

Lost default photo viewer after profile rebuild

Thanks Brink. I've tried those steps before i started searching Google. After the profile rebuild i don't have the Photo app listed to choose to make it default in either the system settings for default apps or the Open With option.

I can't even find it doing a search. Seems to have been removed somehow with the profile rebuild, which doesn't make sense.

Might be helpful to list what i've done I've done the open with check, the choose default program in the system menu, tried that in device manager default programs also. I've checked the programs and features Turn windows features on/off and it's not listed there (never thought it was but that was a suggestion), searched the MS Store, it's not listed there either.

I don't like playing in the registry unless i have defined steps and haven't found anything for this yet, just the Win7 version like in my OP.

 

User Profile Service Service failed! User profile cannot be loaded.

Brink:
I am using registry editor from command prompt. Drilled down to c:windows\system32\config inside the Load Hive dialog window. Have selected (checked box) the SAM file; clicking on Open opens error message that says:


SAM
This file is in use.
Enter a new name or close the file that's open in another program.

_______

I am at a loss, since I am not running any other program!

Any suggestions?

The SAM file is listed as being 64KB file size.