Symptoms
Consider the following scenario:
-
You apply the Delete user profiles older than a specified number of days on system restart Group Policy setting on a client computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.
-
The computer is in an Active Directory domain environment.
-
A user in the domain logs on to the computer.
-
The user logs off the computer after a user profile folder for that user is created.
-
The computer is restarted after the number of days that is configured in the Group Policy setting.
-
The user logs on to the computer again.
In this scenario, the stale user profile folder is not deleted completely. Therefore, you experience one or more of the following issues:
-
An additional user profile folder is created. The name of this folder is appended with a NetBIOS domain name or with a three-digit suffix. For example, the folder name is Username.CONTOSO or Username.000.
-
If the user has a roaming profile, some applications that rely on the "Shell Folders" paths in the registry stop responding. Additionally, when the user logs off the computer, changes to the application data that is stored in the user profile do not roam to the domain database.
-
An event that resembles the following is logged in the Application log:
Notes
-
This issue occurs when the Windows Search service is enabled.
-
When this issue occurs, the registry subkey that represents the stale user profile is deleted. This subkey appears in the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
Cause
This issue occurs because of a race condition between the User Profiles service (Profsvc.dll) and the Windows Search service (SearchIndexer.exe). The User Profiles service is hosted in an Svchost.exe instance. When the Group Policy setting is applied, the User Profiles service searches the user profile folder to delete the contents recursively. However, the Windows Search service may try to verify the contents of the folder at the same time. Therefore, a deadlock situation occurs, and you experience the issues that are described in the "Symptoms" section.
Resolution
Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix. Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft website:
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=supportNote The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.Note This hotfix creates two registry entries under the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlset\Services\ProfSvc\Parameters
|
Entry name |
Default value |
Explanation |
|---|---|---|
|
DeleteRetryWait |
1000 |
The interval (measured in milliseconds) between attempts to delete a user profile folder when the deletion fails |
|
DeleteRetryAttempts |
15 |
The maximum number of times that the deletion is retried |
Note The re-attempts to delete the user profile folder are performed by a background thread in the User Profiles service. Therefore, these attempts do not delay the user logon process after the computer is restarted.
Prerequisites
To apply this hotfix, you must be running one of the following operating systems:
-
Windows 7
-
Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
-
Windows Server 2008 R2
-
Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
For more information about how to obtain a Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
976932 Information about Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2
Registry information
To apply the hotfix in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.
Restart requirement
You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.
Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.
File information
The global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes
-
The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table:
Version
Product
Milestone
Service branch
6.1.760 0.21xxx
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
RTM
LDR
6.1.760 1.21xxx
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
SP1
LDR
-
The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2 and for Windows 7" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.
For all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7
|
File name |
File version |
File size |
Date |
Time |
Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Profsvc.dll |
6.1.7600.21126 |
166,400 |
13-Jan-2012 |
07:07 |
x86 |
|
Profsvc.dll |
6.1.7601.21897 |
166,912 |
13-Jan-2012 |
07:25 |
x86 |
For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2
|
File name |
File version |
File size |
Date |
Time |
Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Profsvc.dll |
6.1.7600.21126 |
212,480 |
13-Jan-2012 |
07:59 |
x64 |
|
Profsvc.dll |
6.1.7601.21897 |
212,480 |
13-Jan-2012 |
08:13 |
x64 |
For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2
|
File name |
File version |
File size |
Date |
Time |
Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Profsvc.dll |
6.1.7600.21126 |
454,656 |
13-Jan-2012 |
06:50 |
IA-64 |
|
Profsvc.dll |
6.1.7601.21897 |
454,656 |
13-Jan-2012 |
06:54 |
IA-64 |
Workaround
To work around this issue, manually delete any stale user profile folders that do not contain an Ntuser.dat file. User profile folders are located in the following folder:
C:\UsersImportant Do not delete the All Users or Public folder.
Status
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
More Information
For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates
Additional file information
Additional file information for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2
Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7
|
File name |
X86_5abf8ad0a5d02b742af383a9d86b3503_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21126_none_33aaf9f03b91d019.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
695 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:32 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
|
File name |
X86_7d5847fc4a582c6cd7e402d2e9e2d9d0_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21897_none_dc5495183ca216c7.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
695 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:32 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
|
File name |
X86_microsoft-windows-profsvc_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21126_none_fc530db3acecd4c1.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
40,206 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:35 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
|
File name |
X86_microsoft-windows-profsvc_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21897_none_fdeee36daa4aea59.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
40,206 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:35 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2
|
File name |
Amd64_8d63e60f0bb11aca9d8984e1491451ca_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21126_none_04422b537ac7ac72.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
699 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:32 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
|
File name |
Amd64_aca71de53443408b5fac82c2161b3a2d_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21897_none_21cc1da9b03294ea.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
699 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:32 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
|
File name |
Amd64_microsoft-windows-profsvc_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21126_none_5871a937654a45f7.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
40,210 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:39 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
|
File name |
Amd64_microsoft-windows-profsvc_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21897_none_5a0d7ef162a85b8f.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
40,210 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:39 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2
|
File name |
Ia64_6a1052fafcfe0bb75f8b8708d41c06ea_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21126_none_b843b11c9dce517c.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
697 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:32 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
|
File name |
Ia64_9f14b19758caa47f572a3ebb2563e94f_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21897_none_6128e3540d3dcd9c.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
697 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:32 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
|
File name |
Ia64_microsoft-windows-profsvc_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.21126_none_fc54b1a9aceaddbd.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
40,208 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:32 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
|
File name |
Ia64_microsoft-windows-profsvc_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21897_none_fdf08763aa48f355.manifest |
|
File version |
Not Applicable |
|
File size |
40,208 |
|
Date (UTC) |
13-Jan-2012 |
|
Time (UTC) |
18:32 |
|
Platform |
Not Applicable |
