Don't know quite how to describe this, but my Windows 7 essentially reset itself to (retail) factory settings. It's a Dell Inspiron 15R. I started it up, and none of my desktop items were there, and my personal folder was empty, so I restarted it. This time it does the "setting up desktop" text when I log in, and its reset to the retail stock settings, not even Dell factory settings. I can't access any of my stuff. I've never had this happen before.
You must have accidentally hit the factory restore key during bootup. Actually pretty hard to do without realizing it.
I take it you haven`t created a recent system image ?
Too bad that happened. Here is a link for drivers and reinstallation disk for your computer, at least I hope they are. I got a set last week for my newW-7 64 bit insprion 15 Good news is that they are free....
Hope it works out for you....
https://www.dell.com/support/diagnos...diagnostichome
I wonder if it had a problem with your account so created a new, default account rather than reset to factory state?
Open Computer and navigate to C:\Users. See if your original account is still there? If so, you can probably get it back or at least copy everything from the old account to the new account.
Ken has the likely explanation: it created a new account in order to log on since the extant User account was corrupt.
Sometimes this is done because of a temporary lack of access to the account due to AV scanning at boot, etc., so try a few reboots to see if your User account comes back.
See if you can find your files by browsing in the User folders. What is listed under C:\Users?
There is more information here about copying your old User account files into the new one to set it up to operate if the old one will not restore: Fix a corrupted user profile - Microsoft Windows Help
Shawn also links below tutorials I would start with if you have a corrupt User profile, and can help you determine if that is the case.
Last edited by gregrocker; 23 Feb 2014 at 22:56.
Hello GTS,
In addition, did you get either of the user profile errors below?
User Profile Error - Logged on with a Temporary Profile
OR
User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded.
I think Ztruker, gregrocker were right, a corrupted user account. A system restore to about a week ago solved the problem. I knew it hadn't somehow done a normal factory restore because the first time I started it up, it had my desktop wallpaper, but without any desktop items, and my start menu items were there, but with blank white squares. The second time it restarted was when it went to all the default things. I do want to point out, however, that there were no error messages during this whole event saying that there was an account issue. Thank you everyone, for the replies.
Problems like this are why I tell people to make sure System Restore is active and creating restore points. Never could understand why anyone would want to disable it. Even if it only helps you once, it's worth the space it takes up.
Glad you got it fixed.
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