Windows 10: Windows Updates : Error "c:\Windows\system32\systemprofile\desktop" is unavailable

Hello, everybody,


Yesterday afternoon, I logged in to my computer and it said it had some updates to install and started to install them. it said it would take several minutes but after an hour I started to get suspicious, especially as the messages it was displaying just seemed to go around in a loop: "Hi", "I have some updates for you", "This may take several minutes". Eventually some other messages were displayed ("It's taking a bit longer than expected but we'll get there as fast as we can", "Leave everything to us", "Making sure your apps are good to go") but then it just restarted with the "Hi" message.


Eventually it gave an error (this is after several hours) stating that C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is unavailable. It also gave another message in a little windows titled explorer.exe - System Warning. The message read Unknown Hard Error. Clicking on Ok just restarted the process.


I decided to risk it and hit the power switch. The machine turned off. I turned it back o and logged in to my wife's account. I looked on the internet for the error only to be told it was because the folder does not exist. I checked the location but all the folders under the system32 look like they have been encrypted and have very strange names.


Is this normal? Has anybody else had this problem? Have I been infected with a virus? How can I initiate a system restore or reinstall W10 from scratch? I don't have a boot disk for Windows 10 and the only other machine I have access to is my work computer with Windows 7 on it.


Any suggestion you can give will be warmly received.


Andrew






****Modified the title from Windows Update never terminates (gives an error and then restarts trying to install updates)***

:)

 

C:\\WINDOWS\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is unavailable error, cannot login

C:\\WINDOWS\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is unavailable error, cannot login

 

C:\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\desktop is unavailable error on Windows 10

Hello Vik,

This C:\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\desktop is unavailable error may occur due to corrupt or missing Windows files.

To troubleshoot the issue, you can follow these simple steps:

• Open File Explorer and navigate to: C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile and check if it has the
  Desktop folder there.
• If the Desktop folder does not exist, then create a new folder and rename it as
  Desktop or copy it from C:\users\Default\Desktop.

Note: By default, C:\Users\Default is hidden. To unhide click on the View tab and check the
Hidden Items box.

After you have created the folder, it is required that you give full permission to the folder. You can follow these steps to give full permission:

• Right click on the folder, select Properties then click on the Security tab.
• Click on Edit.
• On the Permissions for Desktop window, select Everyone and then click on
  Add.
• In the Enter the object names to select dialog box, type
  Everyone and click on Check Names.
• Click OK.

If you need further assistance, let us know.

 

C:\\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is unavailable.

Hi all,

I updated to the new Windows 10 update and then I saw my desktop was black with only the recycle bin icon.

I have been getting this error message:

C:\\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is unavailable. If the location is on this PC, make sure the device or drive is connected or the disc is inserted, and then try again. If the location is on a network, make sure you're connected to the
network or the internet, and then try again. If the location still can't be found, it might have been moved or deleted.

I have read various tips and I have already tried adding the Desktop folder to
C:\\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\

however, when I restarted my laptop after this, the screen was still black with the recycle bin icon and I got this message:

C:\\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is not accessible. Access is denied.

Is anyone able to help from here?

Kind regards.

UPDATE:

The screen came back and I got this message:

sihost.exe unknown hard error

As soon as I clicked "Ok" the screen went completely black and I can only see my cursor.