Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsDeleting the contents of a folder under C:Users that matches l* generally removes that account’s personal files, application data, and settings. If the pattern matches more than one profile, it can remove another person’s data too. Microsoft’s documentation does not establish that every such deletion stops Windows from starting, or that a partly emptied profile will behave normally afterward.
First, find out what the wildcard matches
The pattern l* matches every name in C:Users that begins with “l”. That folder is not a single pile of personal files. It holds a separate profile directory for each account, a Default profile, and shared locations, and these have different roles. A pattern that looks specific can reach a second account without warning.
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Before you delete anything, list the matches. Open Command Prompt and run:
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Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
dir /ad "C:Usersl*"The /ad switch lists directories only. Confirm that each result is the account you intend to change. If more than one name appears, stop and decide which profile you mean before going further.
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What a user profile contains
Microsoft’s “About User Profiles” article describes a user profile as two things: a registry hive and a set of profile folders. Knowing both helps explain the consequences of any deletion.
Profile folders
Windows Explorer uses profile folders for the Desktop, the Start menu, and Documents. Per-user data and configuration also live in the profile. Deleting these folders removes the files stored in them directly.
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The registry hive (NTUSER.DAT)
The hive file, NTUSER.DAT, is loaded at sign-in and mapped to HKEY_CURRENT_USER. It holds the registry-based preferences and configuration for that account. Removing it removes those settings, which is why a profile can feel reset even when your documents are intact.
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Much application state lives in AppData. Microsoft’s documentation for the Keep my files reset process shows that several per-user AppData locations are not preserved by that process, while File History versioning data is. Application state and personal documents therefore follow different storage and backup rules, and a backup of one does not automatically cover the other.
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Likely consequences, by what you remove
| Contents removed | Likely consequence | Can Windows restore it from the profile? |
|---|---|---|
| Documents, Desktop, and other profile folders | Files are lost unless a separate backup or File History copy exists | Not stated by the cited Microsoft documentation |
| AppData (application data and settings) | Applications may need reconfiguration or reinstallation | Not stated by the cited Microsoft documentation |
NTUSER.DAT (registry hive) |
The account loses registry-based preferences and configuration | Not stated by the cited Microsoft documentation |
| The entire profile folder for one account | All of the above for that account; Windows may not rebuild a clean profile automatically | Whether Windows creates a clean profile automatically is not stated by the cited Microsoft documentation |
Deleting selected contents while the account is signed in is a different case. Files open in the active session may refuse to delete, and the cited documentation does not describe the outcome of removing profile contents during an active sign-in. Treat that outcome as unknown rather than predictable.
If you have already deleted files
Work through these steps in order. Each one reduces the chance of overwriting what you need.
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- Stop making changes in the affected account. Avoid running cleanup tools there or installing large applications, which can write over space that deleted data still occupies.
- Check the Recycle Bin. It holds items deleted in File Explorer. Items removed with Shift+Delete or with the
delcommand skip the Recycle Bin. - Check File History. If it was enabled, open Control Panel, go to System and Security, then File History, and select Restore personal files. File History is the versioning data that Microsoft’s reset documentation says is preserved.
- Check any separate backup, such as an external drive or a cloud sync folder, for copies of the profile folders.
- If the profile itself now misbehaves, follow Microsoft’s corrupted-profile route below. It copies files that are still accessible; it does not bring back files that are already gone.
Microsoft’s documented route for a corrupted profile
Microsoft’s support article for Windows 10 and Windows 11 describes this route for a corrupted profile:
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- Add a new user account and sign in with it.
- Copy files from the old profile to the new profile.
- Restart and sign in to the new account.
The article also notes what the route does not cover:
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- Email messages in an email program may need to be imported separately.
- Some applications may need to be reconfigured or reinstalled.
- Users may need to sign back in to Microsoft Store apps.
The route assumes the old files can still be reached. If the files were deleted, this procedure cannot copy them.
Checklist before you change profile contents
- Confirm the exact folder name with the
dircheck above, and confirm it is not another person’s account. - Make a full copy of the profile folder to a separate drive. Include AppData if you want to keep application settings.
- Make the change from a different administrator account, so the profile you are editing is not the one in use.
- Check that File History is turned on, has a recent version, and covers the folders you care about.
- Remember that a backup on the same physical drive does not protect against drive failure.
The guidance above is drawn from Microsoft’s documentation for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Where a point applies only to one version, the text says so.
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