I just fixed a system with a corrupted user account...
This was a case where the user account (The only account on the system) would fail at logon with no ability to get to desktop. However, in a limited way, I was able to get to a desktop in Safe Mode but access denied to a lot of areas.
I'm curious as to if there is a better way to go about the fix than what I did.
History on what I believe caused the issue. The system had a Norton on-line backup installed though inactive. It was also running AVG free along with a trial of the full MBAM. I find it somewhat possible that this combination MAY have caused issues but believe the true cause was CCleaner. CCleaner was there and had been run. This is what I believe actually corrupted the user account.
Here is what I did...
1) In Safe Mode I could not create a new user account but DID have access to System Restore. I restored to a month previous and was able to do a normal boot to Windows although there were errors associated with missing .sys files and areas where access was denied. I was in as an admin but it was still broken.
2) I created a new user account as an admin and logged off the original user. Logged on with the new admin user and had zero issues. I did not even bother to re-boot, just a log off and on.
3) Copied all data from the original account and then deleted the original account selecting to save the associated files in case I missed anything in the copy. Re-booted and logged in to the new account with zero issue, icons came back on the desktop and all. I mean there were desktop icons already on the new account but more showed up after the copy of the user files. All icons properly launched the associated program.
4) Re-named the new account to match the deleted old account and added the preferred client password.
5) Un-installed CCleaner, the Norton Backup, AVG (using the AVG removal tool after a Control Panel un-install) and installed MSE. (As a note, while I believe that it was the registry cleaning that caused the issue, I HAVE seen cases where the Norton backup mixed with MBAM Pro has caused issues.)
6) Performed all Windows Updates to bring the system back to current and activated the Toshiba included Office 10 Starter.
Don't get me wrong as I know what I did was effective as the system is running better than ever. My question is if there was a better way to go about this. I just have not dealt that often with a corrupted user account. Steps 1) through 5) took around 30 minutes.
Sigh, next challenge is a laptop owned by one of the managers at work. It has a high jacked home page to the point where the old style "File : Edit : View :, etc." menu is totally grayed out so you can't navigate to the proper home page and set. I figure that I'll start this one with Hijackthis.
I kind of burned out on this fixing stuff but the system I outlined above was actually fun to fix and I find myself looking forward the the high jack issue. Who knows, mayhaps I'm getting over my burn out and may get back into the flow. From what I've seen I could easily make a living doing computers in this town if I wanted. Just don't know if I want to. LOL! Not even really doing repairs except for friends or when 'in the mood' I already have a reputation. But then in an area of about 17,000 people in a state with only around 560,000 people it is hard to NOT get a reputation if you even breathe.
Shoot, I have people coming into my work store just to ask me computer questions. Management is quite cool with it as long as I get my work done, very 'laid back' area. 
[chuckle] And a LOT of people around here actually DO say 'Howdy'. 
But then so do I at times.