Windows Server - UPHClean and x64

Dear All,

I have a Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Terminal Services server which is
experiencing continuous "locked profile" problems (users kept being logged in
with temporary profiles because their user profiles could not be updated; you
could not delete the profiles in C:\Documents and Settings\ because NTUSER
was being used by another process; and all these problems would go away after
a reboot until the profiles got locked again), so I installed UPHClean 1.6d
from .

The installation *apparently* went well, but when I try to start the User
Profile Hive Cleanup service, I get the message:

stopped. Some services stop automatically if they have no work to do, for
example the Performance Logs and Alerts service."

Also, I get the following errors in the Event Logs:

User profile hive cleanup service was unable to load and start a required
driver.

and

\??\C:\WINDOWS\SysWow64\Drivers\uphcleanhlp.sys has been blocked from
loading due to incompatibility with this system.

On top of that, a search does not find any uphcleanhlp.sys file anywhere in
the system.

What is going on? How can I get UPHClean to work on my system to avoid
locked profiles without having to restart the system?

If I remember correctly this version of UPHClean is not compatible with
x64.  The 2.0 version is supposed to be compatible but that has not been
released yet.

Jeff Pitsch
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
Citrix Technology Professional
Provision Networks VIP

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Hi,

1.6d is not supported under x64.  For x64 you can try the
UPHClean 2.0 Beta.

Send an email to uphclean *AT* microsoft.com, explaining
that you are having profile unload problems with 2003 x64
and you would like to help with testing the beta version.

Please post the exact error messages that occur when a
in your log.  The description text is important.

When this happens, are you able to manually unload the
problem user's hive?  This is accomplished by logging on
as an administrator account (must be different than the
problem user), navigating to the problem user's key in
the registry, selecting it, and then choosing Registry-->Unload
Hive.

In order to find the user's key you need to first look up the
user's SID.  You can do this by navigating to the following key
in the registry and then using find to search on the user name
(while you are there, check and see if multiple entries exist for
the same user name):

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

The user name will be part of the ProfileImagePath registry value.
The SID is the parent key name that the ProfileImagePath is
contained within.  For example,

S-1-5-21-3829217777-1253468217-3731238512-1005

Now that you know the SID, locate it under HKEY_USERS,
click to select it, and then choose Registry-->Unload Hive.

Thanks.

-TP

UPHclean 2.0 has been in beta since early 2006 now, any idea why it hasn't
been publically released yet?

Considering the number of people running terminal services on x64 systems
these days surely its a bit much to expect them all to email MS and ask for
a copy of an 18month old beta just to get rid of their profile issues.

Peter Lawton

Going on 20 month's now.  Did M$ run out of money? Lets get this BS going I
am livid this is not out yet.

What's the betting it'll be released after Windows 2008 and won't support
Windows 2003 x64, MS never misses a trick to try to force everyone to
upgrade before they're ready.

It's either that or the only person who understood profiles has left MS to
work for someone else.

Peter Lawton

It wouldn't suprise me at all. And since this is for a terminal server it
will also force us to that sluggish pile of crap code RDP 6.0 that takes 6X
as long just to get logged into the system.

Hi,

Have either or both of you tried the beta version?

Have either or both of you sent an email asking about when
the rtm version will be released?

The features of uphclean have been included in the User Profile
Service which is a core part of Vista and Server 2008.

Just so you are aware, uphclean does not help with all profile
unload problems.  It is more of a "housekeeping" program;
sometimes it is essential to fix the root cause of the issue
instead of relying on uphclean.

-TP

Yes I have the Beta version 48 that has been out since the last days of the
dinosaurs.

The core problem is obviously MS programming, this is a 64-bit server that
basically runs just Office 2003, IE and connects to MS file servers for
network drives and that is all and it's not unloading for crap.

I don't understand how this can be such a basic install with all MS stuff
and is having problems like this.

Same here, I've been using the beta version since it was first available,
what we're complaining about is that it's been a beta for over 18 months and
it appears no work has been done on it for that amount of time either


Well, that rather confirms what I thought, MS are probably not going to ever
make UPH clean 2 available for W2003 x64 to force everyone to upgrade to
W2008 in order to get rid of their profile issues.
I can't think of any other explanation for them stopping work on it 18months
ago

Peter Lawton

Are you running any Antivirus or other security related
software?  Any other low level software like backup
agents, etc.

Your local drive mapping issue is most likely directly
related to your profile unload problems because local
drive redirection needs to create per-user class
registrations in order to function properly.

If the issue is only happening to certain users have you
tried troubleshooting steps with those?  Like completely
recreating the profiles?  Make sure they have unloaded
first.

Try and narrow the problem down.  Is the user and
class profile failing to unload, or just the user class
profile?  If the problem users don't use local drive
redirection does the problem still occur?

Have you checked the profilelist key to see if the problem
users are listed multiple times.  This is a known issue that
can cause profile unload problems.

I agree that they should release the new version of uphclean,
however, uphclean is not the answer to all profile unload
problems.  There are times when you have to work hard to
figure out the root of an issue so that you can work around
it or fix it.

In some cases it is helpful to open a case with Microsoft PSS
and have them assist you.  If it is a bug in windows it will not
cost you.  A large number of the fixes available are a direct
result of people taking the time to investigate problems in
depth with and without help from PSS.  I know in a perfect
world all software would be bug free and this would be
unnecessary.

-TP