Err Msg: The Service Profile Is Damaged. Re-install the...
The information in this article applies to:
The Microsoft Network 2.5, 2.51, 2.52, 2.6, 5.0, 5.4
Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Symptoms
After you double-click the MSN, Internet Explorer, or Outlook Express icons,
you may receive the following error message when the MSN dialer tool starts:

The Service Profile is damaged. Re-install the service profile.
Cause
This problem can occur after you upgrade to Microsoft Windows 98 Second
Edition. When you do so, the following entry may not exist in the Msn.cms
file or the Msn.cmp file:
[Profile Format]
Version=1

This message can also occur if the AOL tray is being loaded at startup.
Resolution
To resolve this problem, use one of the following four methods:

Uninstall and Reinstall MSN
To uninstall MSN:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Add/Remove Programs, and then click MSN v2.5 or MSN v2.6 from
the Install/Uninstall dialog box that appears.
Click Add/Remove, and when asked if you want to remove MSN, click Yes.
To upgrade to the current version of MSN you can download or order your free
CD. Go to http://free.msn.com/upgrade.asp.

To reinstall MSN using your Windows 98 Second Edition CD:

Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
Insert your Windows 98 Second Edition CD.
In the Look in box, select your CD-ROM drive.
In the Named box, type rstormsn, and then click Find Now.
Double-click rstormsn to open, and then double-click rstormsn.exe to
reinstall MSN.
Once the installation process is complete, return to the desktop by closing
all open windows, and then double-click the Setup MSN Internet Access icon
to configure MSN.


Rename msn.cmp and msn.cms and install MSN 5.0 or later.
This applies to MSN 5.0 only. To rename msn.cmp and msn.cms:
Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
In the Named box, type msn.cmp msn.cms, and then click Find Now.
Right click on msn.cmp, click Rename, type msn.cmp.old, and then hit ENTER.
Right click on msn.cms, click Rename, type msn.cms.old, and then hit ENTER.
Close the Find Files or Folders dialogue box.
On the Windows 98 CD, in the \Tools\MTSutil\Rstormsn folder, double-click
RSTORMSN.EXE.
Click OK.


Insert the Missing Text Into the Files
Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
In the Named box, type msn.cmp msn.cms, and then click Find Now.
To open the Msn.cms file, click once to select it, hold down the left SHIFT
key, and then right-click the file.
Click Open With.
In the Open With dialog box, click Notepad, verify that the Always use this
program to open this file check box is cleared, and then click OK.
Verify that the following information is the first line in the opened text
file, and if it is not, add it:
[Profile Format]
Version=1
Save the changes to this file, and then repeat steps 3-6 for the Msn.cmp
file.


If you do not want MSN installed, delete registry key:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Connection Manager

Remove the AOL Tray from the statup group by following these steps:
Click the Start button, then choose Programs \ Startup.
Right-click the AOL Tray and choose Delete
WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that
may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot
guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor
can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And
Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete
Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in
Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.
Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
Type Reged and click Find Now.
Double click on Regedt32.exe or Regedit.exe.
Open the following folders in order: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE >
MICROSOFT
Delete the folder CONNECTION MANAGER
Close the Registry editor.
Shut down computer and restart.

Status
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that
are listed at the beginning of this article.
First Published: May 19 1999 4:22PM