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Windows Problem with TEMP Documents Folder

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:12 am
by dgood
I've got a computer that has had some problems while I've been out of town. I was wondering if any of you have seen this before. Here is the data I have gathered on the situation.
1.)The computer had a virus, may still.
2.) They ran a system restore to a week ago
3.) Windows Xp SP3

Now for the issue. Windows boots up fine, goes to the login screen. When you log in there is nothing on the desktop. the my documents folder is the wrong folder for the same account. windows has created a user named TEMP. but the Person's account is logging in from their account with their password, but using the TEMP user's folder instead of their own. How do I switch the user back to using her own my documents folder and return all the shortcuts and program files and such? C:/Documents and Settings/Sue/My Documents instead of C:/Documents and Settings/Temp/My Documents?

If anyone has seen this/knows how to fix it, or just knows how to fix it or knows what caused it, all would be appreciated. I have never seen this problem.

Re: Windows Problem with TEMP Documents Folder

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:31 am
by Sparky
Not sure if this will work but can you turn off system restore, boot in to safe mode, log on as administrator, go to control panel, user accounts and delete the user account that is calling its self temp?

Re: Windows Problem with TEMP Documents Folder

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:44 am
by turnsoutitwas

Re: Windows Problem with TEMP Documents Folder

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:23 pm
by dgood
As far as I can tell from reading around on the internet, it has to do with the local user being corrupted and windows creating that file to continue running smoothly. So I need to fix the files in there and back them up then find out how to change a registry or directory so I can use the correct files again. I may need to move a from one profile to the other to repair it too. thanks for the links so far. I'm going to go make sure the computer is clean of viruses and such before I move on to fixing it. time for a back up/clean then we'll get it going on the correct folders. If anyone else knows more please do respond.

Re: Windows Problem with TEMP Documents Folder

Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:01 am
by dgood
So I've now seen this problem come up three different times and the quick fix I did on two of them didn't work on another because their user accounts interface was different and needed a domain. What is causing this to happen on multiple different computers? Is this a virus? a common error with service pack 2/3 of windows xp? I can't figure it out but it's starting to drive me nuts haha. Anybody else seen this lately?