WillNeedsHelpFast - My nickel's worth. More than once you have stated that you don't want to loose critical files so why don't you prioritize what you are doing.

Pick the best route from:
(a) Repairing a user profile during which files may be corrupted or lost.
(b) Backing up critical files to protect their integrity while repairing your system.

I know what my choice would be.

Good luck.

Quote from: Geek-9pm on December 13, 2009, 07:16:38 PM

Key points.
Can you boot in Safe mode?
Cany you log in as administrator in safe mode.
We don't mean a user who is and administrator.
In safe mode there is another user called "Administrator: and he not the same as the other users. We use hime when things go wrong.
As the real system Administrator, you can have something the others users don't have.

So, can you boot in safe mode and log on as the Administrator with no trouble?

If you can not do that, then my prion suggestion is of little value.

WRONG! You didn't follow directions.

Why did you sign into the old account? Why in the **** did you even THINK about signing into the old account?!!!!!

The only reason I can even imagine to sign into the corrupt account is that you forgot to give your new user account administrative rights.

If you gave your new account administrative rights and/or there is an Administrator account (like Geek-9pm) said, then you shouldn't even TOUCH the old account. Don't even imagine yourself in a faraway galaxy signing into that old account! Don't let your mom, DAD, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, finger, toe, facial air, arm hair, neck hair, LEG hair, toe hair, chest hair, dog, cat, mouse, bird, puma, elephant, donkey, or monkey sign into that account! If you have a nervous tic that types in the name of that account, CUT OFF YOUR FINGERS!

:takes a deep breath:

Now, did you create the new account?

Is there an Administrator account present on your computer, as Geek-9pm pointed out?

Did you copy C:\Documents and Settings\the old dead user account that you should never ever ever touch again\Desktop to C:\Documents and Settings\the new home of your account\Desktop? Yes? Good. No? DO IT! DOUBLE-TIME, SOLDIER!!!!

Did you copy C:\Documents and Settings\if you log into it you are dead\Favorites to C:\Documents and Settings\your new home get used to it\Favorites? Yes? Good. No. DO IT!

Did you copy C:\Documents and Settings\log into it and Samuel L. Jackson will get tired of **********ing people not following ***********ing directions and tell you to strap in 'cause he's going to blow up your computer\My Documents to C:\Documents and Settings\there's no place like home there's no place like home\My Documents? Yes? Good. No? Don't make Samuel L. Jackson angry!

Now, the last things you need to do:

1) Restart your computer.

2) Log into the NEW account.

3) Create a new FOLDER on your computer's C drive called "OLD PROFILE"

4) Move the entire C:\Documents and Settings\your old profile folder (not some, not most, ALL OF IT) to C:\OLD PROFILE. Is the folder in C:\Documents and Settings anymore? No? Good. Yes? Expect Samuel L. Jackson at your doorstep 'cause he's going to put your computer out of its misery.

5) Restart your computer again.

6) Log back into the new account.

Now...will the new account look EXACTLY like your old account? No.

Will it have your Desktop icons? Yes.

Will it have your Internet Explorer favorites? Yes.

Will it have your "My Documents" folder? If you followed directions, it will.

Will it have your Firefox bookmarks? Probably not, but that's why you have a copy of your old profile in C:\OLD PROFILE, so we can still get them back.

7) Now...go to Start -> Control Panel -> User Accounts -> and delete the old account, finally putting the death knell in it. Why? 'cuz Samuel L. Jackson is a scary scary man.

If you are still missing stuff, dig around in C:\OLD PROFILES under your old account and copy whatever it is that you are missing to the corresponding folder in your new user account.

No, I'll press F8. Choose Windows XP. But then it'll have me choose which user I want to use and none says "Administrator." Just the normal users.

Hey! Just got back! Great news. It's fixed! I dont know why, but before when I press F8, it'd automatically bring me to the OS selection. This time, it let me boot in safemode, from there I just signed on as Admin and system restored back 2 days ago. So woo hoo!

A gigantic thanks to everyone who helped, and continued to help even though I didn't quite understand some parts. You guys are a major help.

Sometimes I forget XP Home Edition is not like XP Professional. In XP Home Edition, you have no choice but to click on a name. You can't manually type in the name of the user account you want to sign into.

So I won't sick Samuel L. Jackson on you this time.

Just for the record...you don't PRESS F8 key to get to Safe Mode. You keep TAPPING F8 key, when your computer starts.

when I press F8