Windows 8 Install Screwed Up

[EjayR]

Ok, I don't want to sound frantic but I really screwed up here & desperately need help. I had Windows 8 installed & working flawlessly on an SSD with my user directory on a separate HDD. I pulled a 3rd HDD from the system this morning and forgot to reconnect the cables to the HDD with my user directory on it. When I booted up, Windows began setting up as though it was installed for the first time since it didn't see my user directory. So I shut down, reconnected the HDD with my user directory and now when logging in I'm presented with a default directory that has none of my data, though I can still see it on the HDD. I cant access any of the libraries as they wont expand, and I have no idea how to reset things short of a full reinstall. Someone, please tell me this can all be corrected with a registry change, thanks in advance for any assistance offered.

 

[LTGoldman]

I would suggest identifying the profile that you are using and check the profile path in registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

(If it is anything like Windows 7)

See what physical path is set (if you do find it is wrong; take a bake up of the registry branch before making any changes)