More than once I got this condition while booting up my HP laptop running Windows. On the opening screen where the user name is displayed and it is waiting for a login password, after entering my password I got the message: "Unable to load user profile". Then on a second try it worked and logged in normally. Then one day recently I couldn't get past it at all, so I booted up in Safe Mode (successfully) and did a system restore on an earlier backup point. That worked. Did a complete McAfee virus scan - nothing found.

A side issue, something is awry in my machine. Messages like "software error" sometimes occur.

Downloaded Seagate's hard drive tester tool, ran all the test, no issues on my hard drive.

Guess I'll look for memory diagnostic programs.

Anybody ever seen the profile unable to load error before? Any ideas what may be faulty?

Create a new account to see if the problem occurs there. You may also want to perform a Startup Repair (if you haven't already done so).

I fear a clean, fresh install of windows will be your best solution.

Sounds like you've got corrupted registry entries, especially seeing software errors.

Back-up and re-image, you'll be glad you did in the end as the change in performance will be significant.

Ok, here's the update. It does appear to have been a partially corrupted system. I restored from a system backup (not a recent one).

More than a week now with no recurrence of this problem.

I fear a clean, fresh install of windows will be your best solution.

Sounds like you've got corrupted registry entries, especially seeing software errors.

Back-up and re-image, you'll be glad you did in the end as the change in performance will be significant.

I've never done a re-image and don't know how to do it. Even though my problem has been solved by restoring from an earlier system backup, I am curious about your statement about a significant performance change. Does re-imaging improve performance? Thanks.

Does re-imaging improve performance? Thanks.

It's less significant with W7, but a freshly installed machine is invariably quicker than one that's been running for a while and picked up all sorts of redundant baggage.

One of the system cleanup utilities can often help restore to 'fresh' performance.

This last week or so I been having all kinds of weird problems with W7 (ultimate 64 bit).... (It's been in use for about 10 months without any significant issues) ....

So some thing gone strange all of a sudden, me suspects a windows update?????

Not being totally computer savvy I have done a couple of systems restores to resolve some problems.... like speakers not working, various other silly things, or today cannot make a net work connection to a second computer, which was working fine yesterday... not got that sorted yet!

Virus scans come up negative....

I would dread the thought of having to re-install!

^ How to View Windows Update History

Weird. I had exactly the same problem with an XP pc this morning. I rebooted 3 times and got the same error. I went into User Accounts and changed the password (so that the system would re-save the date) and it worked. PC running ok again.