My public profile is missing...

Are you familiar with System Restore? That's probably the easiest thing to do at the moment...

Public file, or Public Folder, and are you running Vista?

Or did it say "Local Profile" as in:

"Windows cannot find the local profile and is logging you on with a temporary profile. Changes to your profile will be lost when you log off. "

This is usually an indication that the machine you are on can't see a server, where the profile is stored.

What's the Operating System, and are you on a office/school network?

I would recommend against a system restore -- at least for now. There are other things you can do first and those options should be exhausted before you do a system restore and potentially destroy data.

System restore -- the Windows registry backup feature -- should not destroy data. Using a restore disk or the manufacturer's hidden on-disk reset would certainly do so, but that has not been and should not be advised. Let's not confuse things and get scary, eh? System restore has pulled a few chestnuts out of my fire. One only wants to be certain that the right process is being started. A System restore could restore a lost profile.

Files might be retrievable from a lost profile in Safe Mode, but a familiarity with the baroque (in the case of Vista, bizarre) file system is necessary. Why people should get to know a little about what Windows is hiding before feces happens. It's no more arcane than knowing which end of your car the engine is in.

Another favorite point: I constantly advise NOT relying on one's personal folder for all file storage. Because this kind of thing happens. There should be a regular backup in some neutral zone -- even C:\stuff can be safer sometimes.

Thanks for the clarification, Matera. Being a bit rusty on Windows arcana, I got nervous at System restore vs. Restore discs. Confusion between the two could be disasterous.