winlogon locked index.dat file in profiles

[localzuk]

We have an issue occurring randomly, and annoyingly, on computers in our suites. The machines are running Windows XP and IE8.

 

What is happening is somehow, the various index.dat files in a random profile are remaining open and locked by winlogon (confirmed by process explorer). So, when that user tries to log in, it reckons the file is in use by another process and kicks them off.

 

Has anyone got any idea what is causing this? The only fix is a reboot to safe mode and deleting the profile on the machine.

 

They are using mandatory profiles.

[Hedghog]

A-Ha! snap is there anyone out there who has an idea how to stop this.

[Azhibberd]

Gonna say not had this one before but have you got User Profile Hive Cleanup Service installed on the machines? Not sure if its something that will help with this error, but when we have had wierd problems with profiles, this program seems to have sorted them out!

 

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b286e6d-8912-4e18-b570-42470e2f3582&displaylang=en

[SYNACK]

Gonna say not had this one before but have you got User Profile Hive Cleanup Service installed on the machines? Not sure if its something that will help with this error, but when we have had wierd problems with profiles, this program seems to have sorted them out!

 

Download details: User Profile Hive Cleanup Service

+1 back when we had xp this was installed by default on all machines to clean up after the netlogon service.

[Azhibberd]

Also Forgot to add.. Its easily deployed as it comes as an msi

[gerardsweeney]

Just be careful if you have Altiris SVS (now known as Symantec Software Virtualization) - UPHC can cause some interesting problems unless you add the registry exceptions recommended by them.

[Arthur]

+1 back when we had XP this was installed by default on all machines to clean up after the netlogon service.

Me too, although we still get students who occasionally have this file locking issue.

 

At least with Vista/7 you don't need to install the UPHCS - it's built-in.

[timzim]

Do you get an error pop-up referring to winlogon? We were getting this when we'd upgraded machines to IE8: may be the same problem since it kept kicking users off again. We uninstalled IE8 and have stuck with IE7 as no-one was able to offer a solution.

[localzuk]

Do you get an error pop-up referring to winlogon? We were getting this when we'd upgraded machines to IE8: may be the same problem since it kept kicking users off again. We uninstalled IE8 and have stuck with IE7 as no-one was able to offer a solution.

 

The kids don't but if I log in as admin, I get inundated with the dratted things.

 

I'll try a few things. Am thinking of switching to Chrome or Firefox though, so may solve it that way too!

[SYNACK]

At least with Vista/7 you don't need to install the UPHCS - it's built-in.

Yeap , XP is ancient and IE8 seems to take issue with it sometimes, it runs perfectly under Vista or 7.

[gerardsweeney]

it runs perfectly under Vista or 7.

 

Sorry - did I just read "IE8" and "runs perfectly" in the same sentence?!?!!?

[SYNACK]

Sorry - did I just read "IE8" and "runs perfectly" in the same sentence?!?!!?

 

As perfectly as its legacy codebase allows while still allowing marginal compatibility with the atrocious hacks present in the previous versions and widely used and depended on by corporate web portals everywhere.

[timzim]

If you're deleting any previous profile copies when users students off then you won't get the problem. It affected all our staff as they retain profile copies on their machines (non-mandatory profiles for staff), but only affected certain pupils (i.e. where profile copy still existed).

 

Downgrading to IE7 and blocking any updates to IE8 (via GP) has solved the problem for us, if you can call that a solution. Microsoft had no solution (no surprise there).