JSI Tip 7815. Some user profiles will not unload?

When you log off any Windows NT-based operating system (Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, etc..), you experience any / many of the following:

Your user profile does not unload.

Your roaming profile does not reconcile.

The Registry Size Limit (RSL) is reached.

Log off takes a long time while Saving settings….

Your Application event log may contain any of the following:

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1517
Description: Windows saved user ComputerNameUserName registry while an application or service was still using the registry during log off. The memory used by the user's registry has not been freed. The registry will be unloaded when it is no longer in use. This is caused by services running as a user account, try configuring the services to run in either the LocalService or NetworkService account.

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1524
Description: Windows cannot unload your classes registry file - it is still in use by other applications or services. The file will be unloaded when it is no longer in use.

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1500
Description: Windows cannot log you on because your profile cannot be loaded. Check that you are connected to the network, or that your network is functioning correctly. If this problem persists, contact your network administrator.
Details:
------------------------------
Access is denied

Windows 2000

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Description: Windows cannot unload your registry file. If you have a roaming profile, your settings are not replicated. Contact your administrator.
Details:
------------------------------
Access is denied

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Description: Windows cannot unload your registry class file. If you have a roaming profile, your settings are not replicated. Contact your administrator.
Details: -
-----------------------------
Access is denied

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Description: Windows cannot log you on because the profile cannot be loaded. Contact your network administrator.

Windows NT 4.0

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Userenv
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Description: The operating system was unable to load your profile. Please contact your Network Administrator.
Details:
------------------------------
Access is denied.

These problems occur because some Microsoft or 3rd-party application, device driver, antivirus, etc... does NOT stop and release resources when you log off.

Microsoft has released the User Profile Hive Cleanup Service (UPHClean), which monitors the unloading of user profiles and forces open resources to close, or optionally just reports the problem.

NOTE: See How do I cause the User Profile Hive Cleanup Service (UPHClean) to log when it finds resources that won't otherwise close?

NOTE: See How do I cause the User Profile Hive Cleanup Service (UPHClean) to NOT force resources to close?