After you start SAS^® 9.4 or earlier on the Microsoft Windows operating system, the SAS log might contain one or more of the following messages:

These messages indicate that customizations will not be available if users made any customizations, such as adding key definitions, setting up automatic LIBNAME, changing the default window size, recently used file list, and so on.

This error can occur in the following scenarios:

• more than one SAS session is open
• the -RSASUSER option is set
• the SASUSER.PROFILE catalogs are corrupted
• the user does not have rights to the folder currently used for the SASUSER library

To check the cause, do the following:

1. Close all SAS Sessions and navigate to the Task Manager ► the Processes tab to verify that no SAS.EXE sessions are running. 

2. Open only one SAS session to check whether the error occurs.

3. If the error still occurs, submit the following SAS code: 

PROC options option=RSASUSER; run;

4. The log might show the following:

RSASUSER   Open SASUSER library as READONLY

If needed, you can remove the -RSASUSER option from the \nls\en\sasv9.cfg file or from the start-up command. Alternatively, if you open multiple SAS sessions at the same time and require customizations in all SAS sessions, keep this option. Then, the SASUSER file messages are expected in each SAS session start-up log. 

5. The log might show the following:

NORSASUSER Opens the Sasuser library in Write mode. 

If the SAS log still displays the message about being unable to open SASUSER.PROFILE, this indicates that your SAS Profile catalogs are corrupted or inaccessible. 

If your SAS Profile catalogs are corrupted or inaccessible, then do one of the following:

•  Rename your existing Profile catalogs in the SASUSER folder. If your USERID has sufficient rights to the folder, then new ones will be created with the default settings. 
  
  OR
   
•  Change the SASUSER folder in the \nls\en\SASv9.cfg file, and make sure that the user has full control rights to the folder. New folders will be created with the default settings.
  
  

To rename the existing SAS Profile catalogs, complete the following tasks.

1. First, determine where your SASUSER files are located:
   1. Open SAS.
   2. In the SAS Explorer window, double-click Libraries.
   3. Right-click SASUSER and select Properties.
   4. In SAS^®9 and later, make note of the drive letter and path that is displayed under Levels.
      
      
2. Rename the SAS Profile catalog files and/or Registry file:
   1. Exit all SAS sessions.
   2. Through Windows Explorer, go to your SASUSER directory, as determined above.
   3. Rename the following files, if they exist. The third file exists for SAS^® 9.2 and later only:
      • profile.sas7bcat to profile.old
      • profile2.sas7bcat to profile2.old
      • profbak.sas7bcat to profbakold.old

        If a dialog box is displayed that says that the file will become unusable, click OK.

   4. If the error messages mention SASUSER.REGSTRY and WORK.REGSTRY, then also rename regstry.sas7bitm to regstry.old.
   5. Restart just one SAS session to confirm that the message no longer occurs.
      
      

To redirect SASUSER to a different folder, do the following: 

1. Close all SAS Sessions.

2. Back up the SASv9.cfg file before editing.

The default locations for SAS 9.4 are as follows:

• • C:\Program Files\SASHome\SASFoundation\9.4\nls\en\sasv9.cfg
    OR
    
  • C:\Program Files\SASHome\x86\SASFoundation\9.4\nls\en\sasv9.cfg
    
    Note: Your SAS installation might be in a different folder.
    

3. Right-click Notepad and select Run As administrator.

1. 1. In Notepad, choose File ► Open and change the file types from *.txt files to *.* All files.
   2. Navigate to and open the SASv9.cfg file, as noted above.

4. In the SASv9.cfg file, locate the line that starts with -SASUSER. Change the path to a new folder, such as the following:

 -SASUSER "C:\SASUSER"

OR

-SASUSER "C:\users\YOURID\My SAS Files"

 Note: YOURID is the USERID used to log on to this Microsoft Windows machine.

5. Save the file and close Notepad. Verify that the changes are saved.

6. Open only one SAS session to confirm that the message no longer occurs.