Looks like I'm stuck with a single user machine....
I don't have the Vista install discs as the PC came with Vista pre-installed
by the OEM. The files are hidden somewhere inaccesible on the hard drive.

I contacted the OEM (Novatech) Technical Support, who tell me that there is
no way to do a Repair Install, only a Clean Install. This would involve
re-installing all of my applications afterward.
Unless.............. if I were to backup all files, do a clean install and
then restore the files, would that work? Or would the restore re-create the
problem again? I don't know.!

"Andrew McLaren" wrote:
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> > C:\Users>dir /a
> > Volume in drive C is SYSTEM
> > Volume Serial Number is 74B7-6F38
> > Directory of C:\Users
> > 10/08/2007 07:19 <DIR> .
> > 10/08/2007 07:19 <DIR> ..
> > 02/11/2006 14:02 <SYMLINKD> All Users [C:\ProgramData]
> > 02/11/2006 14:02 <JUNCTION> Default User [C:\Users\Default]
> > 02/11/2006 13:50 174 desktop.ini
> > 09/08/2007 18:09 <DIR> IanC
> > 1 File(s) 174 bytes
> > 5 Dir(s) 134,548,062,208 bytes free[/color]
>
> Hi Ian,
>
> That explains it (sort of ...). You have no Default users' directory. This
> "Default" is the skeleton which is used to create new home directory
> structures and profiles, for newly created users. When you created Karen as
> a user, there was no Default user directory, so no home directory or new
> profile could be created for the her account. So when she logs in, she gets
> the "User Profile Failed for logon" error message.
>
> Why you don't have a "Default" user directory, I do not know. Without
> pointing the bone prematurely, the most likely cause of a missing directory
> would be that it was deleted, possibly inadvertently, by a user. Maybe you
> deleted it accidently, at the same time you deleted the Public directory?
> The system still has a Junction point "Default User" pointing towards the
> C:\Users\Default directory, so we know the Default directory did exist, at
> some time in the past. Anyway, it's gone now ...
>
> As to how you fix this problem ... hmm, that's hard. The Default user
> directory is quite complex, it has a bunch of junction points to other
> directories, so it's not as simple as copying across a copy from another
> machine (well, you could; but to do it correctly would be a complex, fiddly
> operation).
>
> I'd be inclined to try an inplace "upgrade" of Vista, over the top of your
> existing Vista installation. This is the equivalent of a Repair Install,
> under XP - you make a new installation of Vista on top of your existing
> Vista; because it is an "upgrade", all your douments and seetings, and
> installed applications will be preserved. Basically it fills in all the
> missing pieces in the old installation. Just boot from your Vista DVD, and
> choose "Upgrade" from the installation options.
>
> If you don't feel like trying an inplace up-grade (although, it should be
> fairly safe) you could, I guess, just resign yourself to having a single
> user machine :-(
>
> Anyway ... hope this helps a bit. Let me know if you have questions.
>
> --
> Andrew McLaren
> amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au
>
>
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