Opera Latest: Cant open User Profile Directory - After Power Failure & no current activity

A Former User

https://forums.opera.com/topic/17824/error-can-t-open-user-profile-directory

We did have a power failure few days back when I was working on the PC, but after restart Opera worked fine.

Then did the recent security update / + update to latest version and this time the PC was idle and opera had bunch of tabs open, when the power failure happened.

Please let me know how to ENSURE I get access to this without losing my profile info. Thanks.

A Former User

I am the Admin on my PC and current User name is also on Admin group.

Exact message:

Opera

Can't open user profile directory, because you lack sufficient privileges. You might want to contact the administrator of this machine.

OK

A Former User

Is there a within Opera fix for this? OR Does it have to be a Windows level fix?

Should I do something like a "Take Ownership" on certain folders/ folder tree via Windows Explorer or similar?

A Former User

Would downloading a full Setup of latest Opera and installing (maybe as Admin) on top work to fix this issue?

sgunhouse

sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer

No, first check that Opera's profile is not locked or set to require admin privilege. Actually, if you haven't yet you should go to Explorer, select Properties on the drive in question, go to Tools and select Error checking.

zalex108

zalex108

You may need to try this.

"You cannot know the meaning of your life until you are connected to the power that created you". · Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

A Former User

sgunhouse - You have me confused. What are you trying to say?

It was working fine for 2 years now -

I've never manually tried to give Opera or any folders Admin privileges.

My username is part of Administrators so permission should not be an issue.

When it comes up with this message what is it trying to open and not getting access to? Which folder and files does it mean when attempting to open User Profile Directory (which it was able to open until a day back?)

" Actually, if you haven't yet you should go to Explorer, select Properties on the drive in question, go to Tools and select Error checking."

Are you trying to tell me run CHKDSK via the Explorer Panel? Already run CHKDSK on the C Drive.

@Zalex -
You're basically saying that the Permissions/ Access got botched during the Power failure?

Which folders / directories does Opera mean when it cant access the User Profile?
Also, I am less concerned about bookmarks - Which are also important.
But very concerned about the DATA & Settings and how my EXTENSIONS are setup - I have tons of sessions and other data stored in SESSION BUDDY - I must have them all back as they were.

A Former User

This bug seems to have been around for a while with no clear RESPONSE from OPERA to resolve it.

https://forums.opera.com/topic/17824/error-can-t-open-user-profile-directory
https://forums.opera.com/topic/14663/user-profile-directory
https://forums.opera.com/topic/10798/cannot-open-user-profile-directory
https://forums.opera.com/topic/9943/windows-8-1-x64-cant-open-user-profile-directory-lack-insufficient-priveleges
https://forums.opera.com/topic/1782/opera-22-0-1460-0-on-windows-8-1-64-bit-can-t-open-user-profile-directory

Known bug: It's known: DNA-18784

For all the talk, where is Opera's product team responding and fixing this or finding a workaround?

sgunhouse

sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer

What do you expect them to do about you having had a power failure? The results of such things are highly unpredictable.

If you want to know where your profile is, check About Opera. It depends on your versions of Windows and your locale, on Windows 10 it is generally C:\Users{your_username}\AppData\Roaming\Opera Software\Opera Stable\ and C:\Users{your_username}\AppData\Local\Opera Software\Opera Stable\

zalex108

zalex108

@Zalex -
You're basically saying that the Permissions/ Access got botched during the Power failure?

When I install Opera and copy the profile appears this message:

Can't open user profile directory, because you lack sufficient privileges. You might want to contact the administrator of this machine.

Once I run Take ownership or through the properties - permissions... then, the profile works fine.

And for the Opera files to be backed up, @Sgunhouse said paths and here.

"You cannot know the meaning of your life until you are connected to the power that created you". · Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

A Former User

I just did a TakeOwnership (from being logged into existing Users\Username1) on the existing "Opera Stable" folder under AppData, using the Context Menu (already had it installed) thing from here:

https://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2814-take-ownership-add-context-menu-windows-8-a.html

Upon trying to open Opera I got the same message.

PS: Also, logged into separate Users\Username2 and Opera opens up. So, it seems something inside existing profile is off.

Do I need to create a fresh Profile folder and copy stuff into it or should a Take Ownership be enough?

zalex108

zalex108

If permisions are "fixed" and even still doesn't work you should do a clean profile and copy the needed files.

Then back up it periodically.

"You cannot know the meaning of your life until you are connected to the power that created you". · Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

dwmacaulay

dwmacaulay

This has become incredibly frustrating.
I have removed Opera, deleted every file I can find that's anything to do with opera, reinstalled with the latest version, and afterwards can open Opera maybe once. After closing it, waiting a minute, then opening again... it won't work and I get the "lack sufficient privileges" popup. I am the administrator, and I can't resolve this.
What's going on? Why do I not have the necessary privileges to open my own profile???
This was an occasional problem usually resolved with a reboot, and maybe related to the Microsoft "antivirus" - but now it's become impossible to overcome.
How do I completely remove Opera and all its traces so a clean install can (hopefully) restore usability???

sgunhouse

sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer

Did you ever repair the disk after the power failure? Insist on doing the surface scan. If the sector has been damaged Windows will need to allocate it to prevent programs from trying to use it.

blackbird71

blackbird71

This has become incredibly frustrating. I have removed Opera, deleted every file I can find that's anything to do with opera, reinstalled with the latest version, and afterwards can open Opera maybe once. After closing it, waiting a minute, then opening again... it won't work and I get the "lack sufficient privileges" popup. ...

Are you actually closing Opera and then manually reopening Opera "maybe once", or is the successful opening merely the usual automatic opening of Opera after its installation?