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So I upgraded my Windows 10 to the 22H2 version, which worked but with a small side effect : it removed my profile, and my applications. Actually, I can only login the system via special method (shift when pressing restart, then using Safe Mode to login as Administrator (without password).

I then figured out the system didn't have my old user any more. So, I created that account, set the password (my old password actually), and then I can login with my old user. But, that user has no rights at all, unlike my old account. So I tried to give that user admin rights, but that failed when I ran out of time.

But, there's more to it, because it seems my system also is renamed to a generic name. So, it looks more like this is the result of a clean install, rather an upgrade. So, it removed my account, my profile, my documents. It renamed my machine to something else, which implies that everything is actually defaulted back to the same as having a clean install. It did not fully clean my C drive (meaning, it didnt format that disk) as it sometimes does when doing a real clean install.

The point now is: do I try to fix this situation, or do I just re-install Windows again, as that seems cleaner, now that my old profile is gone anyway. The upgrade itself worked OK, while it ran it didn't have any issues.

But I don't mind re-installing Windows again, which for me is the better choice for having a stable system, rather than using an upgraded one. In fact, the old install was getting rather old anyway, and a re-install was needed anyway.

But it's an interesting case nevertheless. For example, right after the upgrade, when it asked to login, it didn't prefill the username (like it normally always does). It now understand that is because that account name didn't exist anymore. I only understood that the login didn't work, not because the password was wrong, but because the user doesn't exist. The login procedure cannot tell that because of security reasons, but that is what happened. I wonder what happens when you would try to login with Administrator, and no password.

Because, once you create a new account, you apparently can't change the login account anymore, he forces that one new account, and you can only supply the password of that one. I tried to have a login with empty username, and then try Administrator, but I'm not allowed to. I read that the Administrator is a hidden account, so I suspect that that is the reason it is treated special. Maybe you can create another normal account, and normally then he has to supply a username field, and maybe you can try with Administrator there. I managed to login Administrator, ONLY via Safe Mode and other special methods.

Answer 1

Hello, this is Emily.

I am sorry this happened after Windows update. Normally when a user profile is corrupted, a temp user profile is given so that you can log in and it looks default, but usually you can find your data still at C:\users\username folder in that case.

Considering you don't mind a reinstall at all, I think that's the best method as it is clean and effective. Make sure you download the ISO from Microsoft and perform the clean install instead of using reset.