Yesterday I 'lost' my profile in Windows XP (SP3).  My user log name is still there but loads a temporary profile with not much in it.  I have now LOCATED the lost profile in Windows Explorer, and I am ASSUMING I copy it over to a new profile. But I am not sure which files are ESSENTIAL beyond the obvious things like My Documents. Any help would be very much appreciated.Good morning whitelabrador and welcome to CH

OK if I am understanding you correct your old profile is corrupt.

What I would do if you have access to your old profile save it and open it now Pull out your STUFF (documents / pictures / favorites / music / download folder etc and past the pic in the new picture folder, same for your doc's etc etc do this folder by folder.

There is a problem with comping a profile over #1 if the old profile is corrupt you will just corrupt the new profile (that would just waste your time). #2 your old profile can not be copied as a whole over your new current one while you are using it (your profile) it must be done by someone ELSE with admin permissions / writes.

Hopefully this make since Long story short you have a good new profile don't ruin it by coping over one that is broken. Just take the contents. Mike