how to copy good user system settings to broken on or....

how to rebuilt user with broken system settings and keep directory structure (for scripts and non -windows friendly software) and hopefully user name.

<HR>

OK, call me lazy if you want, but I would like to have the one I have work and not to make a new one - especially as it comes to the directory structure.

Problem: Main user profile is broken, flat out broken. After login the screen starts flashing and it gets worse from there. Once past the flashing (which requires a particular expression and just the right amount of swearing) everything attempted draws a shell32 error or 'the extended attributes are inconsistent' error. Now, before you tell me to start replacing OS files you need to know that other user on the machine WORKS PERFECTLY. Brilliant, without fail, I can run everything and not duplicate the error message. Thank goodness I always create a pristine user when I do an OS install. Administrator is OK, but it has saved me more than once to have the regular admin-type account. Since I have the nice, fluffy, running profile now I would like to learn just where is it reading these files that tell it bad things. Someone suggested sound files, another is a broken video driver (sounds were Windows Default on the working one, I told it no sounds in light of what I read) Both profiles are running the exact desktop wallpaper changer, it is working fine on the one account. I couldn't turn it off anyway on the bad account, I can't get to any of the settings windows, regedit, control panel items (that I want) are not running. Same errors as above. I assume the calls are in the .appdata directory or perhaps the registry. I used to know how to open another user's registry in regedit but can't figure it out in Windows 8. Is there a way to tell it only to run particular services for a certain user, I can't see the services module when in the broken profile, again, same type of errors as before. Not sure which info you want on the machine or how you get it.

Computer:
Operating System Windows 8.1 Pro Professional
OS Service Pack -
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)
Computer Name NEW-FREEDOM
User Name Spiritbrook

Motherboard:
CPU Type Unknown, 1666 MHz
Motherboard Name Unknown
Motherboard Chipset Unknown
System Memory 4096 MB
BIOS Type Unknown

Display:
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS
Monitor Generic PnP Monitor [NoDB]

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter High Definition Audio Controller [NoDB]

Storage:
IDE Controller Intel(R) ICH8M SATA AHCI Controller - 2829
IDE Controller Intel(R) ICH8M Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 2850
IDE Controller Ricoh Memory Stick Controller
IDE Controller Ricoh SD Host Controller
IDE Controller Ricoh SD/MMC Host Controller
IDE Controller Ricoh xD-Picture Card Controller
SCSI/RAID Controller Microsoft Storage Spaces Controller
Disk Drive FUJITSU MHW2120BH (111 GB)
Disk Drive FUJITSU MHW2080BH PL (74 GB)
Disk Drive Ricoh SD/MMC Disk Device
Optical Drive HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-T20L ATA Device
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 105581 MB (21073 MB free)
D: (NTFS) 76316 MB (748 MB free)
E: (NTFS) 8535 MB (4347 MB free)
Total Size 186.0 GB (25.6 GB free)

Input:
Keyboard HID Keyboard Device
Keyboard HID Keyboard Device
Keyboard Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard with HP QLB
Mouse Microsoft USB Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 (Mouse and Keyboard Center)
Mouse Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad

Network:
Network Adapter Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
Network Adapter Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (192.168.0.111)
Modem Motorola SM56 Speakerphone Modem

Peripherals:
Printer Fax
Printer Microsoft XPS Document Writer
USB1 Controller Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2830 [NoDB]
USB1 Controller Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2831 [NoDB]
USB1 Controller Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2832 [NoDB]
USB1 Controller Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2834 [NoDB]
USB1 Controller Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2835 [NoDB]
USB2 Controller Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 2836 [NoDB]
USB2 Controller Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 283A [NoDB]
USB Device AuthenTec Inc. AES2501B
USB Device Generic USB Hub
USB Device HP Webcam
USB Device Microsoft Hardware USB Mouse
USB Device USB Composite Device
USB Device USB Composite Device
USB Device USB Input Device
USB Device USB Input Device
Battery Microsoft AC Adapter
Battery Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery

You are probably going to need to create a new user account (thereby creating a new profile), and then copy the files (and directory structure) from the old profile into the new.

It sounds like you may have some form of malware/adware/virus - I noticed you mentioned a desktop background changer, and I know a lot of those, while advertised as "free", can come with a lot of extra baggage, installing a lot of unnecessary bloat that can put a stranglehold on your system resources. Besides the desktop changer, what other programs do you have set to run at startup (rt. click taskbar > task manager > startup tab)? Disable everything that is not absolutely necessary, then try restarting.

If that doesn't work, here is the link to copy an old profile to a new one:

Fix a corrupted user profile - Windows Help

I have two, one that comes with Windows 8 and one I paid for from Stardock. I have had stardock stuff for over 10 years, I don't think it is a problem.

As you can see, I made several suggestions as to what to try/do, but you seemed to skip right over them...? Did you try the startup tab as I suggested? How many other programs/utils do you have running/installed that could be running in the background?

Did you try to create a new profile?

I don't mean to be rude, but people here are taking their time to try to help others. I cannot help you if I don't have more information, and your post to my suggestions, while probably not intentional, left me with little/nothing to go on...does this mean you're not interested anymore? You still need help? Have moved on? What I'm saying is you need to work with me if you need some help.

If you had read, I said the new profile works great. I wrote that at first. I took things out of the startup file, I couldn't edit the registry, I couldn't run msconfig, I can't run services, i can't run most of the control panel programs, short of uninstalling the programs using the new alternate profile I don't know how to unload them. this is why I want to simply copy from the spare profile (and I have made another spare profile for just in case) From the ORIGINAL post, you read first before criticizing:

Since I have the nice, fluffy, running profile now I would like to learn just where is it reading these files that tell it bad things. Someone suggested sound files, another is a broken video driver (sounds were Windows Default on the working one, I told it no sounds in light of what I read) Both profiles are running the exact desktop wallpaper changer, it is working fine on the one account. I couldn't turn it off anyway on the bad account, I can't get to any of the settings windows, regedit, control panel items (that I want) are not running.

Click to expand...

Sorry I called a pristine, never been used profile "fluffy". I didn't think it would be misunderstood and that is my fault.

I'm sorry if I don't quite understand the problem correctly, but I'm sure we can get it figured out with your systems background and my help. Let's just take baby steps.

You had a user profile that was corrupt and giving you problems. Then you created a new user account that runs perfectly, but....this is where you lose me...the new user account cannot access anything in the system (like services, etc.), but everything else is ok ... is this correct?