Profile Corruption Issue?

Question

I'm experiencing the following issues with my specific user profile on Windows Server 2022:

• Windows Search not working - troubleshooter reports "searchIndexer.exe has failed recently"
• Settings app won't open via any method (CMD or GUI)
• Quick Access not functioning - can't add or modify entries
• Windows/Start button unresponsive

Important details:

• Issue affects only my specific user profile
• Other user profiles on same server function normally
• Already tried standard troubleshooting (SFC, DISM, rebuilding search index)

Has anyone experienced similar profile-specific corruption on Server 2022? Looking for solutions to repair without data loss.

Answer 1

1. Create a new temporary admin profile and copy data

This is often the safest and most reliable solution when multiple profile components are failing:

1. Create a new admin account
2. Log in with the new account
3. Copy your personal data from the corrupted profile to the new one
4. Set up your new profile as needed
5. Try repairing your user profile registry hive
6. Log in with a different admin account
7. Open Registry Editor (regedit)
8. Load the corrupted profile's NTUSER.DAT file:
   • Select HKEY_USERS
     • File > Load Hive
       • Navigate to C:\Users\YourUsername\NTUSER.DAT
         • Provide a temporary name (like "CorruptedProfile")
         1. Export the loaded hive as backup
         2. Look for issues in key areas like:
            • Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
              • Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search
9. Reset specific Windows components

While logged in as another admin:

1. Reset Windows Search database:
   • Stop the Windows Search service
     • Navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\
       • Rename the "Windows.edb" file to "Windows.old.edb"
         • Restart the service
2. Reset the Start Menu and Settings app:

      Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
   

3. Check EventViewer logs

Look for specific errors related to the failing components:

• Windows Search logs
• Application logs around the time Settings app fails to open
• Explorer-related errors
  1. Create a new temporary admin profile and copy data
  This is often the safest and most reliable solution when multiple profile components are failing:
  1. Create a new admin account
     1. Log in with the new account
        1. Copy your personal data from the corrupted profile to the new one
           1. Set up your new profile as needed
  2. Try repairing your user profile registry hive
     1. Log in with a different admin account
        1. Open Registry Editor (regedit)
           1. Load the corrupted profile's NTUSER.DAT file:
              • Select HKEY_USERS

                - File > Load Hive
                
                      - Navigate to C:\Users\YourUsername\NTUSER.DAT
                
                            - Provide a temporary name (like "CorruptedProfile")
                
                               1. Export the loaded hive as backup
                
                                  1. Look for issues in key areas like: 
                
                                        - Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
                
                                              - Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search
                

  3. Reset specific Windows components
  While logged in as another admin:
  1. Reset Windows Search database:
     • Stop the Windows Search service

       - Navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\
       
             - Rename the "Windows.edb" file to "Windows.old.edb"
       
                   - Restart the service
       

  2. Reset the Start Menu and Settings app:

          Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
     

  3. Check EventViewer logs
  Look for specific errors related to the failing components:
  • Windows Search logs
  • Application logs around the time Settings app fails to open
  • Explorer-related errors