Possible corrupted user account on an unbootable Windows 10 system
Possible corrupted user account on an unbootable Windows 10 system
I understand, it’s late and I’m exhausted from work. I’ll send the text you wrote quickly for the impatient Microsoft tech support. Yesterday I changed my PC’s name to something different so it would stand out on the network. Now, when I log into Windows, I encountered a double sign-in problem—two users sharing the same name, but only one account existed on the machine. I logged in to one of them and ended up on the desktop where everything functioned properly. While browsing my files, I realized both Desktop and Documents folders were missing from the usual location (C:\Users\USERNAME\...), though they remained reachable via the "This PC" shortcut. It became clear that the new folder paths pointed to C:\Users\USERNAME\OneDrive\.... This was confusing, especially since I hadn’t installed OneDrive. I checked the properties of the shortcut on "This PC," selected "Restore Default," and all files were moved back to their original spot. To tidy things up, I restarted my machine, but Windows immediately entered Repair mode, which didn’t resolve the issue. I also tried using a bootable USB with a Windows 10 installer, but it didn’t help either. I’d like to perform a clean installation of Windows, as suggested by the tech support, but I don’t have a backup option or enough time. My only hope is to create a new user account, which might solve the problem. I’m open to any advice or suggestions you can provide.
I’d likely follow your suggestion. Switch to another drive, back up everything, and perform a fresh install. Adding a new user might fix the problem or complicate things further.
I noticed you mentioned a similar problem with your laptop, except you didn’t shift files around. It’s still functioning, though the Desktop and Documents paths are incorrect, and there are two users logged in at once on the sign-in page. This is your work machine—your personal device used daily. I’d really appreciate minimizing downtime, so a clean install would only be considered as a last option.
When using a Windows account, OneDrive often takes over your folders such as documents and desktop. If those locations aren’t present under the previous or current user, they’ll be managed by OneDrive. You can view what’s synced on OneDrive by logging in there. Sign in - Microsoft OneDrive (live.com)