Active Directory login

I have a machine with a strange error when logging into ADS. (Local logins work fine.)

Profile invalid

But when I look through the hard drive I don't even see the account. I know the user has been logging onto ADS from this computer for years. Some months ago this trouble started, and they've been logging onto a local account since.

It's possible, though I wouldn't know how, that somehow the ADS account (let's call it abc) became confused with the local account (let's call it Adam Carter). But that doesn't account for the local account still working. More surprising to me, if there was no ADS folder the computer should have no trouble creating a new Users\abc folder, but instead it just gives the error as above.

Another wrinkle I don't understand: rather than present either a generic ADS login or list of local accounts, the computer displays only one choice on logon, "Other User". Clicking on this immediately (not after a minute as though loggin in) yields a second sign-on screen defaulting to our AD server. (I was able to log in and create a new account under my AD login, and it was actually validating my credentials because it denied a login when I mistyped my password.) I've never seen this interface before.

The system is Windows 7 Professional SP1, x64.

Charles

Posted 2014-07-11T14:56:34.110

Reputation: 437

1A local active domain login and a local login are entirely two different things. So what you describe is actually what should happen. Can this user log into another computer using their active domain account? – Ramhound – 2014-07-11T15:00:11.043

@Ramhound: What should actually happen is that there is a folder C:\Users\abc and there is no such folder. When I logged on (using my AD account) as def a new folder C:\Users\def was created for me. – Charles – 2014-07-11T15:16:04.347

1The folder doesn't necessarily have to be there. Our XenApp servers delete that folder after log out, as it is using a roaming profile. I have the user attempt logging in under the 'Other User' choice, and see what it does. Failing that, check in Active Directory Users & Computers for the user's account. – Tanner Faulkner – 2014-07-11T15:39:45.797

@Tanner: When the user logs in under Other User and then their AD account they get the Profile invalid message. – Charles – 2014-07-11T16:58:32.710

@Charlies Hmm, log in to the box and take a look at the Event Log. I would think there's something more than 'Invalid Profile' that could explain what's going on here. I'll take a stab though with an answer. – Tanner Faulkner – 2014-07-11T17:05:06.480

@Tanner: "Windows detected your registry file is still in use by other applications or services. The file will be unloaded now. The applications or services that hold your registry file may not function properly afterwards.

DETAIL -" – Charles – 2014-07-11T19:53:09.253

Answers

You may need to remove the profile.

Open System from the Control Panel and select 'Advanced system settings'

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Click 'Settings...' under the User Profiles section

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Select the Domain profile (domain\user, not hostname\user), and click Delete

enter image description here

Tanner Faulkner

Posted 2014-07-11T14:56:34.110

Reputation: 11 948

This looks right (+1). But what about files that existed locally? Are they gone? – Charles – 2014-07-11T17:10:17.477

I do have a backup but it's about a month old so I'd prefer to recover anything that's there. – Charles – 2014-07-11T17:10:48.090

Check the size of the profile, that could give you a clue. I'd imagine if you're not seeing them under C:\Users\username then they're gone... – Tanner Faulkner – 2014-07-11T17:11:02.097

I don't see ADS\abc at all, only the ADS\def account I created to log in and a number of local users. – Charles – 2014-07-11T19:40:57.070

Backup the files before you delete a user profile... – Ramhound – 2014-07-11T20:06:33.770

It is not possible that a domain account would become confused with a local account.

It sounds to me like it has always been logged on through a local account if you've never seen the screen that displays "other user". You put in your domain credentials on the screen that comes after clicking "other user".

6RD

Posted 2014-07-11T14:56:34.110

Reputation: 11

No, abc was indeed logged into Active Directory (though not for the last few months). Also, there is no Users folder "Other User". – Charles – 2014-07-11T15:14:54.100

If it was logged into it wasn't that particular computer – Ramhound – 2014-07-11T20:07:06.800