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How to find user profile disk from registry

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User Profile Disks (UPD) are a feature in Remote Desktop Services (RDS) that store user profiles on a network share instead of the local system. This allows users to have a consistent desktop experience across different sessions. If you need to locate the User Profile Disk (UPD) associated with a user, you can do so by checking the Windows Registry. The registry stores key information about user profiles, including the ProfileImagePath and associated SID (Security Identifier), which can help you trace the profile disk.

Why Locate a User Profile Disk from the Registry? #

There are several reasons why you may need to find the User Profile Disk (UPD) from the registry:

  • Troubleshooting profile loading issues – If a user’s profile is not loading correctly, finding the UPD path can help diagnose the problem.
  • Recovering user data – If a profile is corrupt or inaccessible, locating the disk allows you to retrieve important files.
  • Managing disk space – Identifying large or unnecessary UPDs can help free up storage on the profile server.
  • Auditing and security checks – Admins may need to verify user profiles and their associated registry entries.

Locate User Profile Disk (UPD) in the registry #

  1. Open the Registry Editor:
    • Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.
  2. Navigate to the Profile List in the Registry:
    • Go to the following path:Copy codeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
  3. Locate the SID for the User:
    • Each user profile is associated with a unique Security Identifier (SID).
    • Under ProfileList, you’ll see folders named with long strings that start with S-1-5-.... These are the SIDs.
    • Click through each SID and check the ProfileImagePath entry to identify which SID corresponds to the user you’re looking for.
  4. Check the Profile Path:
    • Once you’ve identified the correct SID, look at the ProfileImagePath value. This entry shows the file path to the user’s profile, which can also indicate the UPD location if it’s mapped to a specific disk or location.

If the profile is on a User Profile Disk, the path should include the location where the UPD is stored. In some environments, the UPD might be located on a network drive or a specific folder, often mapped under the C:\Users directory with the username.

Locate the User Profile Disk Path #

User Profile Disks are usually stored on a network share or a specific folder on the local system. By default, the path follows this pattern:

\\ServerName\UPD{SID}.vhdx

or

C:\UserProfileDisks\{SID}.vhdx

  • Replace {SID} with the Security Identifier found in the ProfileList registry key.
  • If you need to confirm the storage path, check Group Policy settings or RDS Profile Management settings.