[HELP!] Corrupt my Windows 10 profile by using an old theme!

[MatthewPatel]

So basically the title says it all, I managed to corrupt my Windows 10 user profile by trying to apply a theme that was made for a prior version to 1803 (etc... 1709...).

The theme resulted in black screen, with flashing cursor.
My keyboard kept turning numlock(1) on/off. I wasn't able to do anything at that point.
Nothing worked, not even the recovery menu, everything turned completely black.

I was able to recover my log on screen, by removing the theme using Windows 7 in dualboot options... thank god for that. I still backed it all up, just incase I need to re-use that corrupt theme to sort the issue out.

After that I got into something called logon loop. Which basically doesn't let you log in onto your profile because your theme is actually corrupt.

I managed to create a new user profile by replacing utilman.exe -> cmd.exe and use "net user" to bypass my original user.

Got onto Windows 10, everything works fine as it should.

My question is, is there a reg key, or some option that can help me remove that theme onset that I put on my original administrator profile. Or I'ma have to backup this and make a double with pre-saved settings?


Thanks in advance https://www.tenforums.com/images/smilies/002.png

[Nimbi]

So basically the title says it all, I managed to corrupt my Windows 10 user profile by trying to apply a theme that was made for a prior version to 1803 (etc... 1709...).

The theme resulted in black screen, with flashing cursor.
My keyboard kept turning numlock(1) on/off. I wasn't able to do anything at that point.
Nothing worked, not even the recovery menu, everything turned completely black.

I was able to recover my log on screen, by removing the theme using Windows 7 in dualboot options... thank god for that. I still backed it all up, just incase I need to re-use that corrupt theme to sort the issue out.

After that I got into something called logon loop. Which basically doesn't let you log in onto your profile because your theme is actually corrupt.

I managed to create a new user profile by replacing utilman.exe -> cmd.exe and use "net user" to bypass my original user.

Got onto Windows 10, everything works fine as it should.

My question is, is there a reg key, or some option that can help me remove that theme onset that I put on my original administrator profile. Or I'ma have to backup this and make a double with pre-saved settings?


Thanks in advance https://www.tenforums.com/images/smilies/002.png

Yo, sorry for the late reply. Are you still needing help with this issue or is it fixed already?

[MatthewPatel]

Well, if you can help me retrieve my old account, that'd be great. Like I said, I don't need to format my OS at all.
Everything works just fine.

It's that specific profile that won't work because some theme setting is messed up. If it's possible to use access from this user it'd be fine.
And YES I DO HAVE administrator on this profile too... Cmd trick in logon worked, like I mentioned previously. I used netuser, got a new profile that's also an admin.

So if you could help me retrieve or fix that parameter that messed up the other profile that'd be great! :D


And just to show you that it works just fine, here's a screenie of my dekstop from Windows 10 Pro Build 1803:
https://i.imgur.com/xN1jCzZ.jpg

[Nimbi]

Well, if you can help me retrieve my old account, that'd be great. Like I said, I don't need to format my OS at all.
Everything works just fine.

It's that specific profile that won't work because some theme setting is messed up. If it's possible to use access from this user it'd be fine.
And YES I DO HAVE administrator on this profile too... Cmd trick in logon worked, like I mentioned previously. I used netuser, got a new profile that's also an admin.

So if you could help me retrieve or fix that parameter that messed up the other profile that'd be great! :D


And just to show you that it works just fine, here's a screenie of my dekstop from Windows 10 Pro Build 1803:
https://i.imgur.com/xN1jCzZ.jpg

I don't think the old account itself is going to be recoverable, tbh you managed something even I didn't know could be done. However if you can access it via file explorer, you can backup anything you don't want to lose and then remove the account and just run off of your current one. It's actually much safer and much simpler then tryng to recover an account that has been borked.

To do so just navtigate to "C:\Users|#user profile#\" and locate any files you wish to backup and upload them to a cloud service so you can get them back easily. Once finished with the upload you can safley delete the account [just make sure to turn off any sync client before deleting the acount so it doesn't delete your syncs].


Also make sure the "#user profile#​" is the profile of the account that you borked.

You may have found a way back into your system, but that account is unfortunately not recoverable. Your best bet is to simply backup anything you don't want to lose and delete the account so it doesnt corrupt your system again.

I would definitely make installation media with the Media Creation Tool before deleting anything though. That way if you ever bork your system again you can simply reinstall. An 8GB USB drive should be enough for that.

[dhjohns]

So basically the title says it all, I managed to corrupt my Windows 10 user profile by trying to apply a theme that was made for a prior version to 1803 (etc... 1709...).

The theme resulted in black screen, with flashing cursor.
My keyboard kept turning numlock(1) on/off. I wasn't able to do anything at that point.
Nothing worked, not even the recovery menu, everything turned completely black.

I was able to recover my log on screen, by removing the theme using Windows 7 in dualboot options... thank god for that. I still backed it all up, just incase I need to re-use that corrupt theme to sort the issue out.

After that I got into something called logon loop. Which basically doesn't let you log in onto your profile because your theme is actually corrupt.

I managed to create a new user profile by replacing utilman.exe -> cmd.exe and use "net user" to bypass my original user.

Got onto Windows 10, everything works fine as it should.

My question is, is there a reg key, or some option that can help me remove that theme onset that I put on my original administrator profile. Or I'ma have to backup this and make a double with pre-saved settings?


Thanks in advance https://www.tenforums.com/images/smilies/002.pngTry going here: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager and here: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes

[devillnside]

Well, if you can help me retrieve my old account, that'd be great. Like I said, I don't need to format my OS at all.
Everything works just fine.

It's that specific profile that won't work because some theme setting is messed up. If it's possible to use access from this user it'd be fine.
And YES I DO HAVE administrator on this profile too... Cmd trick in logon worked, like I mentioned previously. I used netuser, got a new profile that's also an admin.

So if you could help me retrieve or fix that parameter that messed up the other profile that'd be great! :D


And just to show you that it works just fine, here's a screenie of my dekstop from Windows 10 Pro Build 1803:
https://i.imgur.com/xN1jCzZ.jpg

if you can get to the logon screen then try to login having high contrast enabled from the Ease of Access button on the logon screen

[howdawg]

So basically the title says it all, I managed to corrupt my Windows 10 user profile by trying to apply a theme that was made for a prior version to 1803 (etc... 1709...).

The theme resulted in black screen, with flashing cursor.
My keyboard kept turning numlock(1) on/off. I wasn't able to do anything at that point.
Nothing worked, not even the recovery menu, everything turned completely black.

I was able to recover my log on screen, by removing the theme using Windows 7 in dualboot options... thank god for that. I still backed it all up, just incase I need to re-use that corrupt theme to sort the issue out.

After that I got into something called logon loop. Which basically doesn't let you log in onto your profile because your theme is actually corrupt.

I managed to create a new user profile by replacing utilman.exe -> cmd.exe and use "net user" to bypass my original user.

Got onto Windows 10, everything works fine as it should.

My question is, is there a reg key, or some option that can help me remove that theme onset that I put on my original administrator profile. Or I'ma have to backup this and make a double with pre-saved settings?


Thanks in advance https://www.tenforums.com/images/smilies/002.png

Had something like this happen to me. It's been a while but here's what I recall I did. Boot into safe mode. Go to the themes folder. Copy the contents of the aero theme folder to the folder of the theme you applied. Add a .bak extension to the original *.msstyle or just delete it. rename the aero.msstyle file to the name of the theme. Reboot. Try to login with the old account. if successful, apply the default windows theme and remove the folder and the theme file of the bad theme. Hope it works for you.

[howdawg]

Had something like this happen to me. It's been a while but here's what I recall I did. Boot into safe mode. Go to the themes folder. Copy the contents of the aero theme folder to the folder of the theme you applied. Add a .bak extension to the original *.msstyle or just delete it. rename the aero.msstyle file to the name of the theme. Reboot. Try to login with the old account. if successful, apply the default windows theme and remove the folder and the theme file of the bad theme. Hope it works for you.

[Mr GRiM]

another thing you can try is removing the theme msstyles and replacing it with the default aero msstyles and rename the msstyles to the same name as the one applied, done this before when this happened, lucky I was also using dual boot.

[MatthewPatel]

I've done all of what you've all previously mentioned, except trying to use ease of access in high contrast mod.
The data was backed up as soon as I got onto the new account that I've created.

[Nimbi]

Try going here: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager and here: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes


if you can get to the logon screen then try to login having high contrast enabled from the Ease of Access button on the logon screen

These are both very good options, let us know if either of these work for you =)


---edit--

or if one of the other options suggested after these works xD

[MatthewPatel]

I can't really use the regedit option, as the regedit option is related to my other account, rather than the one I can access.
And for the 2nd option, for some reason, windows isn't letting me replace the cmd.exe back to utilman.exe whatever I try.

Odd.

Is it possible to enable high contrast mode over cmd/powershell?

EDIT: Got a Sys7File Replacer. High Contrast mode WORKED! USERPROFILE Saved. Thanks a lot! :D

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