# Solved: All user settings gone after system restart



## dbp9000 (Feb 19, 2014)

I'm a medium skilled user of Windows 7 (Home Premium SP1 64 bit) but I have never seen this before. I'm running on an HP laptop, system info below. AVG Anti-Virus kept opening windows saying that a system re-start was required. After I restarted, everything was stripped, all settings gone: Default wallpaper, desktop icons gone, program settings gone too (e.g., Firefox bookmarks, favorites, etc.).

My user name is "Don" and my account has admin privileges. When I drill down to C:\Users in Windows Explorer, there is a new user: "C:\Users\Temp\Don". The original "Don" is still there as a user, with all the original user files (Documents, etc.). But when I log onto "Don" from the windows start screen, it apparently logs me into "Temp\Don" instead of "\Don". That explains why all my settings are gone and my Doc's, pictures, etc. don't appear under "Libraries." The Windows start-up screen still shows the original three users (Don, Wife, and Guest), no "Temp\Don" only "Don." But "Don" logs me onto the "Temp\Don" account and there is no other selection for my original "Don" user account.

I'm considering simply deleting the "Temp\Don" directory under Users, but I'm afraid that then I might not be able to log on at all. Is it safe to do so? How can I direct Windows to open the REAL "Don" account instead of this *&#@ new account?

Sorry about the rambling, hope the details help. Any advise greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading...

*System Info FYI:*
Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.2
OS Version: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, Service Pack 1, 64 bit
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3610QM CPU @ 2.30GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 58 Stepping 9
Processor Count: 8
RAM: 8087 Mb
Graphics Card: Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000, -1984 Mb
Hard Drives: C: Total - 693150 MB, Free - 496013 MB; D: Total - 21949 MB, Free - 2363 MB; G: Total - 98 MB, Free - 74 MB;
Motherboard: Hewlett-Packard, 181C
Antivirus: AVG Internet Security 2014, Updated and Enabled


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

The cause is usually that your user profile has become corrupted, so windows has created the temp profile to enable you to log into windows

Please start with a chkdsk /r from a cmd prompt on the prompt C:\Windows. This must be run from a cmd prompt with admin rights which is not simply your account but OPEN the cmd prompt with admin rights please

Follow that please with a free download of Malwarebytes and run a quick scan
https://www.malwarebytes.org/free/

please ensure you download the free version and not the 14 day free trial. Allow it to clean anything it finds

Reboot then check again.

If it is still no good uninstall AVG, checking you have the means to reinstall and try again
Use the programs and features and then the AVG uninstall tool

http://www.avg.com/gb-en/utilities

and then download MSE
http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/pc-security/mse.aspx

install that, update, run a quick scan reboot and check again

NOTE please do not delete Temp Don


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## dbp9000 (Feb 19, 2014)

You, Sir (or Madam) are my hero!  Running chkdsk /r did indeed fix whatever was wrong, and things are back to normal. I downloaded and ran MalwareBytes as you suggested, and it found two issues (pup.optional.spigot.a & pup.optional.opencandy) which I fixed. Some other kinda weird stuff is happening with the "My Documents" folder, but it's managable, and I can create another posting if I can't overcome it.

Thank you so much!


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

I am here if you wish advice on this weird stuff that is happening.

thanks for replying and the appreciation - it is always a pleasure to help people who are so clearly appreciaitve


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## dbp9000 (Feb 19, 2014)

Macboatmaster said:


> I am here if you wish advice on this weird stuff that is happening.
> 
> thanks for replying and the appreciation - it is always a pleasure to help people who are so clearly appreciaitve


Credit where credit is due, my friend. Thank you for the offer of further help, as well. I'm sure I will need it some time.

I used to be a tech support engineer, though not specifically on PC's, and still help people when I can. I used to know computers and even Windows (98) so well, even did some programming (remember Basic and Fortran? HPGL, PCL and Postscript?). But technology has changed so fast and now, being out of the business, it's impossible to keep up. So I really appreciate you volunteering to help old geezers like myself.


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