Laptop Login Problem

[brainiac]

When I try to log in to my laptop with my normal password (I'm using a friend's now) all I get is a message: "The User Profile Service service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded" In 6 years of use I've never had this before, and it means I cannot access anything in my laptop. Absolute nightmare as I have a very important document on it that has to be sent this weekend. I logged off in the usual way last time I used it. Help, please!

[pinkyboyid]

What version of Windows is on the Laptop?

Have you powered off / restarted and still getting the error?

[brainiac]

Yes, done that a few times now. A site I found through Google suggests pressing F8 as the laptop powers up, and rebooting it somehow, but I'm nervous of doing that. Why would it suddenly have done this after so long?

[pinkyboyid]

There may be some file corruption of the user Profile data.

Pressing F8 continuously at Power-on will start up to a Menu displaying a number of modes for attempting repairs. However, if you are using Windows 10 then pressing F8 won't work.

If not using Windows 10 and F8 works to display the Options menu, you should initially try selecting the Option "Use last known good configuration"

Is that initial option accessible and does it work for you?

[brainiac]

Many thanks for your response. Have pressed F8 and it's doing a 'System restore' as I write this. Saw a very scary explanation on You Tube of a fix - way too complicated for me as it goes right in to the guts of the computer, and I'd be sure to get lost and ruin my laptop! Fingers crossed........

[brainiac]

Sorry, forgot to say I'm using Vista