Incompatibility between Windows 8 roaming user profiles and roaming profiles in other versions of Windows

Hotfix information

To prevent this issue, follow these steps before deploying roaming, mandatory, super-mandatory, or domain default profiles in an environment where users will be used other versions of the operating system in addition to Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012:

1. Install the hotfix that is described in this article.
2. Create a new registry entry by following the steps that are described in the "Registry information" section.
3. Restart the computer.

Note If roaming user profile corruption has already occurred, you cannot use this hotfix to resolve the issue. To recover from profile corruption, restore the roaming user profile from a backup.

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix Download Available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, submit a request to Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft website:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note The "Hotfix Download Available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must be running Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012.

Registry information

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

After you apply this hotfix, you must create a registry key before you restart the computer. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. Or, if you are using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, and then click Search. In the search box, type regedit, and then tap or click regedit. 
   If you are prompted for an administrator password, type the password. If you are prompted for confirmation, provide confirmation.
2. Locate and then tap or click the following registry subkey: 
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlset\Services\ProfSvc\Parameters
3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then tap or click DWORD Value.
4. Type UseProfilePathExtensionVersion. 
5. Press and hold or right-click UseProfilePathExtensionVersion, and then tap or click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 1, and then tap or click OK.
7. Exit Registry Editor.

After you configure the UseProfilePathExtensionVersion registry entry, you have to restart the computer. Then, Windows 8 creates a user profile and appends the suffix ".v3" to the profile folder name to differentiate it from version 2 of the profile for Windows 7. Then, Windows 8-based computers that have this hotfix installed and the UseProfilePathExtensionVersion registry entry configured use version 3 of the profile.

Notes

• You can disable this feature by setting the value of the UseProfilePathExtensionVersion registry entry to 0. However, user profile corruption occurs if you continue roaming user profiles between Windows 8.1-based computers and other operating systems.
• You can use the Group Policy Preference (GPP) Computer Configuration Registry Preference item to populate the registry key on multiple computers. For more information about this, go to the following Microsoft website:
  
  Configure a Registry Item
• You can safely apply this hotfix on all operating systems. If these profile types are not being used, the registry setting is ignored. 

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.