Hi everybody....cant get online to kill ya's! From the beginning...i backed my profile data onto a memory stick then wiped/reformatted PC, re-installed and updated patches for game. Copied the backed up profile data into the relevant folder, then went into game and it asks me to create a new profile to play online. Tried to enter my profile name and it says '.....profile unavailable'. (Says 'offline' in top right hand corner instead of profile name and regardless that i am connected to internet).

Will accept a new name which has not been used before but will not accept any previous online saved profile names
(as if the servers are saying my existing profile name is already in use by another player...(ie: me?!), but is treating me as a new player.

After research coupled with my maximum 'numpty' ability to solve the problem i have made NO progress  Tried making a new 'active.txt' document which has not solved it and tried un-checking the 'read only' on the profile/name folder, but nothing changed. (also continues  to set itself back to default 'read-only'). Running windows XP, windows firewall disabled and running Norton, have checked to make sure firewall is allowing cod5 waw and punkbuster to access internet. Did not add/open any additional ports, left it at default settings.

All help appreciated, thanking you in anticipation

make a new name then, copy all the info from your backed up file and paste it under the new alias

Yes I believe you need to create a new profile and then go into app data and put the old data into the new one. If you need any help let me know. If the profile is on the stick then you can get it put on and save it to the bk profile.

I just did this a couple of days ago, this may help to make sure you copy the profile in the right directory.   Create a new profile and play it some to make sure it creates the folder.  Then search for that profile to check that you have the right location.  Copy your old profile into the same location as is.  Then when you sign back on your old account it should work.  It worked for me anyway.  Hope this helps.

Yeah. Definitely sounds like the location you copied to is incorrect and the game can't read any profile information where it expects to or where it's placed is causing a conflict. Easiest way is what Strand suggested. For example, create a new profile called temp, making sure it works. Then exit game. Copy the files from within your backed up folder and paste them into the temp profile folder, overwriting the contents.

Then simply rename the temp folder WhooHoo-BK-

Note: It would be a good idea before doing this to remove anything from your profiles folder just so as to start clean.

sry to hear Woohoo hope u get it sorted

Woohoo,

Here is a step-by-step on how to "Hopefully" get you going again.

1) Go to "Computer" and choose the C: Drive
- Next click on Tools and choose "Folder Options"
- Choose to show hidden files and folders

2) In the C: Drive, go to "Documents and Settings"
- inside this folder, go to the folder for the account your using (do not go to the "All Users" folder)
- go to the following location inside your account folder
- Application Data/Activision/CoDWaW/Players/profiles
- since this is a new install, you should not have anything in here. If you do, do as suggested earlier and delete any data in this folder

3) Start the game and create the profile that you are going to use.
- After creating the profile, enter a server at least to the point where you can kill people. This creates the folders that will be needed.
- close the game completely and look back into your profiles folder. You should now see a new folder with your profile name.

4) Go into this new profile folder
- Copy the following files from your thumbdrive to this new folder
- config.cfg
- config_mp.cfg
- mpdata

5) Go back into game and check your new profile, it should now have all your previous rank and binds

Hope this helps, if it still does not work after this then honestly not sure anything will fix it.

Thanks for the help everybody but nothing seems to fix this issue. The problem seems to be specific to old profile name (i can successfjully create, backup and re-name profiles as long as its not to do with old profile name).  When logged into game, i continue to get error message: an error occurred while reading the stats data. After further research, i confirm i have a corrupt mpdata file. Im blue in the face from  trying to find a way around this but its a no-go! It seems im forced to start again with a new profile name....Ah dear!

[Have read advice to backup the 'servercache.file' as well as the profile file data, some players think this helps in avoiding this problem occur in the first place. The servercache.file is found near the profile.file: My Computer,  Local Disc (C), Doc & Settings, 'user name', Local settings, App Data, Activision, CoDWaW]. Cant confirm this works but i'll give it a try, anything is worth a try rather than this issue occurring again.

In the interim, i've changed my profile name to....'wait for it'.....'can we have a drum roll please'..........WooHoo
(spot the difference...dropped the letter 'h' next to 'W'). Can at least log on again to play, when in game...look behinde you, im the one throwing marshmellows at ya as i've lost all my gucci weapons and perks. Dont shoot, have mercy!

Oh no! No I won't know how to call you on ts    

All you need to do is copy the whole Activision Folder after you have found the folder in the hidden files area of my Documents folder. Replace the new Activision folder with Your backup Activision folder and start the game and you should be back to where you left off when you formated, don't just save the profile save the whole folder --> "Activision", and it should pick up your profle name in the listing for profiles in MP. I've done it afew times and know it works, just hope you saved the correct files when you backed them up at the start, if you didn't it want work and you will half to start over...CHEERS

Follow the above direction in the post up above to get to the Activision folder to backup. Yes it could be a big file appox 500+ megs but you will have everthing with out worry of messing up

hope to see u again soon i luv marshmellows ,fingers crossed u can sort it out