domain user profile is increase username > username.domain > username.domain.000

Question

domain user profile is increase username > username.domain > username.domain.000

Yi Rang Yim 0

Hello, I am a virtualization engineer supporting Horizon VDI.

We recently deployed a Windows 11 Enterprise environment as VDI, but we encountered an issue with user profiles.

In the path where profiles are stored, folders named username, username.domain, and username.domain.000 are being created.

In the registry, there is only one SID for the corresponding username, and its ProfileImagePath points to username.domain.000.

The problem is that for some users, the files that were stored in their previous profile (such as those in the Downloads and Desktop folders) actually exist under username.domain, while the ProfileImagePath is pointing to username.domain.000.

From the user’s perspective, it appears as though their files have been deleted.

All we did was deploy a new image to apply updates. We even deployed it to a test pool beforehand to verify that no issues existed, but this is the first time we have seen profiles multiply like this.

I have reviewed nearly all existing documents related to profiles through searches, and most of them did not provide a solution.

What other methods might there be to resolve this issue?

Yi Rang Yim 0 Reputation points

2025-11-20T07:05:40.5566667+00:00

To add a bit more, I do understand that changing the ProfileImagePath to the path where the actual files are located can fix the issue.

However, if the same problem occurs again in the future, it would mean having to change it for all those users.

What I want is to identify the root cause of the issue and take measures so that it never happens again.
Yi Rang Yim 0 Reputation points

2025-11-21T14:09:17.21+00:00

First of all, thank you for your reply.

However, I know that it's possible to take action through the registry (for example, by changing the ProfileImagePath).

What I want is to understand the cause of this situation and prevent it from happening in the future.
Himanshu Shekhar 1,780 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-24T12:30:45.7566667+00:00
Yi Rang Yim

Optimize the base/gold image by removing unnecessary applications and features, applying updates, and configuring default user profile settings to prevent profile corruption and minimize profile size. Modify the default user profile registry hive (NTUSER.DAT) to apply optimized settings for new profiles.

Please apply local policies and group policies to restrict unnecessary background services, disable unnecessary Windows features, and secure profile handling to prevent profile corruption.

Please use image-based non-persistent VDI best practices where profile changes are saved to network locations, not local VMs to ensure user data persistence.

For profile management, Microsoft recommends using profile container solutions like FSLogix, which improve profile handling, reduce profile corruption risks, and eliminate duplicate or orphaned profiles common with traditional roaming or local profiles.

Cleanly sysprep or prepare the base image to ensure unique system state and proper default profile setup before deployment and try regularly monitoring and troubleshoot profile service errors and clean the orphaned or corrupted profiles to prevent users from getting multiple profile folders.

Please consider using Microsoft Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) with folder redirection for user data for streamlining profile load.

Optimizing Windows configuration for VDI desktops - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/remote-desktop-services-vdi-optimize-configuration

Create mandatory user profiles: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/client-tools/mandatory-user-profile

User profile management for Azure Virtual Desktop with FSLogix profile containers - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/fslogix-profile-containers
Himanshu Shekhar 1,780 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-26T12:40:01.6033333+00:00

Yi Rang Yim

Could you please provide an update on this post?

Kindly let us know if the suggested steps helps or you need further assistance on this issue.

1 answer

Your answer

Yi Rang Yim 0 Reputation points

2025-11-20T07:05:40.5566667+00:00

To add a bit more, I do understand that changing the ProfileImagePath to the path where the actual files are located can fix the issue.

However, if the same problem occurs again in the future, it would mean having to change it for all those users.

What I want is to identify the root cause of the issue and take measures so that it never happens again.
Yi Rang Yim 0 Reputation points

2025-11-21T14:09:17.21+00:00

First of all, thank you for your reply.

However, I know that it's possible to take action through the registry (for example, by changing the ProfileImagePath).

What I want is to understand the cause of this situation and prevent it from happening in the future.
Himanshu Shekhar 1,780 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-24T12:30:45.7566667+00:00

Yi Rang Yim

Optimize the base/gold image by removing unnecessary applications and features, applying updates, and configuring default user profile settings to prevent profile corruption and minimize profile size. Modify the default user profile registry hive (NTUSER.DAT) to apply optimized settings for new profiles.

Please apply local policies and group policies to restrict unnecessary background services, disable unnecessary Windows features, and secure profile handling to prevent profile corruption.

Please use image-based non-persistent VDI best practices where profile changes are saved to network locations, not local VMs to ensure user data persistence.

For profile management, Microsoft recommends using profile container solutions like FSLogix, which improve profile handling, reduce profile corruption risks, and eliminate duplicate or orphaned profiles common with traditional roaming or local profiles.

Cleanly sysprep or prepare the base image to ensure unique system state and proper default profile setup before deployment and try regularly monitoring and troubleshoot profile service errors and clean the orphaned or corrupted profiles to prevent users from getting multiple profile folders.

Please consider using Microsoft Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) with folder redirection for user data for streamlining profile load.

Optimizing Windows configuration for VDI desktops - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/remote-desktop-services-vdi-optimize-configuration

Create mandatory user profiles: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/client-tools/mandatory-user-profile

User profile management for Azure Virtual Desktop with FSLogix profile containers - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/fslogix-profile-containers
Himanshu Shekhar 1,780 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-26T12:40:01.6033333+00:00

Yi Rang Yim

Could you please provide an update on this post?

Kindly let us know if the suggested steps helps or you need further assistance on this issue.

Answer 1

Yi Rang Yim

When Windows can’t load your usual user profile because something is broken or conflicting, it creates a new profile folder for you. To avoid deleting or overwriting your old one, it adds your domain name or a number at the end of the folder name. This is why you might see folders like:

User

User.DOMAIN

User.DOMAIN.000

Now In the registry, Windows is pointing your user’s profile to a folder called username.domain.000, but the actual user files are still in username.domain.

This mismatch usually happens when a profile wasn’t fully cleaned up while creating or deploying the system image (for example, during Sysprep).

For renaming a user account doesn't automatically change the profile path - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/troubleshoot/windows-client/renaming-user-account-not-change-profile-path

You can try manual copy important files (Desktop, Downloads, Documents) from username.domain to the active profile folder username.domain.000 using File Explorer or PowerShell.

Example PowerShell commands for copying user data: (please use as per your data)

Copy-Item "C:\Users\username.domain\Desktop\*" -Destination "C:\Users\username.domain.000\Desktop\" -Force
Copy-Item "C:\Users\username.domain\Downloads\*" -Destination "C:\Users\username.domain.000\Downloads\" -Force

Now verify the correct SID and registry path in ProfileList:

Get-ItemProperty -Path "Registry::HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\*" |
Where-Object { $_.ProfileImagePath -like "*username*" }

Note: Please ensure ProfileImagePath for the user’s SID points exactly to the active profile folder (e.g., C:\Users\username.domain.000), correct any mismatches by editing the registry key’s ProfileImagePath to the correct folder location and ensure the State value is 0 indicating a normal profile state

Backup the registry before making changes:

reg export "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList" "C:\Backup\ProfileList_backup.reg"

Remove orphaned profile entries corresponding to old or unused profile folders and then restart machines to apply changes.

Troubleshoot user profiles with events https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/user-profiles-and-logon/troubleshoot-user-profiles-events

Renaming a user account doesn't automatically change the profile path https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/troubleshoot/windows-client/renaming-user-account-not-change-profile-path

Optimize the base/gold image by removing unnecessary applications and features, applying updates, and configuring default user profile settings to prevent profile corruption and minimize profile size. Modify the default user profile registry hive (NTUSER.DAT) to apply optimized settings for new profiles.

Please apply local policies and group policies to restrict unnecessary background services, disable unnecessary Windows features, and secure profile handling to prevent profile corruption.

Please use image-based non-persistent VDI best practices where profile changes are saved to network locations, not local VMs to ensure user data persistence.

For profile management, Microsoft recommends using profile container solutions like FSLogix, which improve profile handling, reduce profile corruption risks, and eliminate duplicate or orphaned profiles common with traditional roaming or local profiles.

Cleanly sysprep or prepare the base image to ensure unique system state and proper default profile setup before deployment and try regularly monitoring and troubleshoot profile service errors and clean the orphaned or corrupted profiles to prevent users from getting multiple profile folders.

Please consider using Microsoft Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) with folder redirection for user data for streamlining profile load.

Optimizing Windows configuration for VDI desktops - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/remote-desktop-services-vdi-optimize-configuration

Create mandatory user profiles: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/client-tools/mandatory-user-profile

User profile management for Azure Virtual Desktop with FSLogix profile containers - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/fslogix-profile-containers

Please let us know if the suggested steps help.

Regards

Himanshu

Yi Rang Yim 0 Reputation points

2025-12-01T02:08:14.71+00:00

Thank you, Himanshu Shekhar.

Leveraging additional solutions like FSLogix or DEM wasn't a decision I could make on my own.

First, I'm considering using Group Policy. Could you tell me what policies I need?
Himanshu Shekhar 1,780 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-04T17:08:23.1466667+00:00

Yi Rang Yim

For addressing user profile issues using Group Policy without adopting FSLogix or DEM, focus on these key policies:

Please enable "Do not log users on with temporary profiles" (Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > System > User Profiles) to prevent loading temporary profiles and data loss.

Then configure roaming profile paths if using roaming profiles via "Set roaming profile path for all users logging onto this computer" to ensure consistent profile locations.

Disable unnecessary services and background tasks to reduce profile corruption risks (e.g., BITS, BranchCache) via Security Settings > System Services.

Optimize logon and UI settings under System > Logon to speed up profile loading and reduce errors.

Use Folder Redirection for key user folders (Documents, Desktop) to network shares via User Configuration > Windows Settings > Folder Redirection to avoid profile bloat.

Enable "Delete cached copies of roaming profiles" to clean up stale local profiles after logoff.

Apply these in a user or computer GPO linked to your VDI desktops with loopback processing enabled for best effect.

This helps stabilizing profile handling without committing to advanced profile container solutions and monitoring user profile event logs after applying policies is recommended.

Optimizing Windows configuration for VDI desktops - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/remote-desktop-services-vdi-optimize-configuration

Deploy roaming user profiles - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/folder-redirection/deploy-roaming-user-profiles

Group Policy preferences - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/group-policy/group-policy-preferences

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domain user profile is increase username > username.domain > username.domain.000

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