DOCUMENT:Q232628  13-JUL-1999  [msnetwork]
TITLE   :Err Msg: The Service Profile Is Damaged. Re-install the...
PRODUCT :The Microsoft Network
PROD/VER:WINDOWS:2.5,2.51,2.52,2.6
OPER/SYS:WINDOWS
KEYWORDS:msnsetup msninterop msnconnect

======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

 - The Microsoft Network versions 2.5, 2.51, 2.52, 2.6 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, use either one of the following methods:

Insert the Missing Text Into the Files
--------------------------------------

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click "Files or Folders".

2. In the Named box, type "msn.cmp msn.cms" (without the quotation marks), and
   then click Find Now.

3. Right-click the Msn.cms file, and then click Open With.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. Save the changes to this file, and then repeat steps 3-5 for the Msn.cmp
   file.

Uninstall and Reinstall MSN
---------------------------

To uninstall MSN:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs, and then click MSN v2.5 or MSN v2.6 from
   the Install/Uninstall dialog box that appears.

3. Click Add/Remove, and when asked if you want to remove MSN, click Yes.

To reinstall MSN using your Windows 98 Second Edition CD:

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click "Files or Folders".

2. Insert your Windows 98 Second Edition CD.

3. In the Look in box, select your CD-ROM drive.

4. In the Named box, type "rstormsn" (without the quotation marks), and then
   click Find Now.

5. Double-click rstormsn to open, and then double-click rstormsn.exe to
   reinstall MSN.

6. 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.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at
the beginning of this article.

Additional query words: 2.50 2.60

======================================================================
Keywords          : msnsetup msninterop msnconnect 
Version           : WINDOWS:2.5,2.51,2.52,2.6
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

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