diff --git a/proton b/proton
index dd2fbe38..f350af8b 100755
--- a/proton
+++ b/proton
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import subprocess
 import sys
 import tarfile
 import shlex
-import time
 
 from ctypes import CDLL
 from ctypes import CFUNCTYPE
@@ -476,7 +475,6 @@ class CompatData:
     def __init__(self, compatdata):
         self.base_dir = compatdata + "/"
         self.prefix_dir = self.path("pfx/")
-        self.creation_sync_guard = self.path("pfx/creation_sync_guard")
         self.version_file = self.path("version")
         self.config_info_file = self.path("config_info")
         self.tracked_files_file = self.path("tracked_files")
@@ -626,13 +624,6 @@ class CompatData:
                     log("Unable to write new registry file to " + sysreg_fp)
                     pass
 
-            if int(old_proton_maj) < 7 or (int(old_proton_maj) == 7 and
-                                           int(old_proton_min) == 0 and
-                                           int(old_prefix_ver) < 101):
-                with open(self.creation_sync_guard, "w"):
-                    pass
-                os.sync()
-
             stale_builtins = [self.prefix_dir + "/drive_c/windows/system32/amd_ags_x64.dll",
                               self.prefix_dir + "/drive_c/windows/syswow64/amd_ags_x64.dll" ]
             for builtin in stale_builtins:
@@ -792,20 +783,12 @@ class CompatData:
 
             self.upgrade_pfx(old_ver)
 
-            # not fully-created prefix, copy it for future investigation
-            if file_exists(self.prefix_dir, follow_symlinks=True) and not file_exists(self.creation_sync_guard, follow_symlinks=True):
-                shutil.move(self.prefix_dir, self.path(f"corrupted_pfx-{time.time()}.bak"))
-
             if not file_exists(self.prefix_dir, follow_symlinks=True):
                 makedirs(self.prefix_dir + "/drive_c")
                 set_dir_casefold_bit(self.prefix_dir + "/drive_c")
 
+            if not file_exists(self.prefix_dir + "/user.reg", follow_symlinks=True):
                 self.copy_pfx()
-                os.sync()
-
-                with open(self.creation_sync_guard, "x"):
-                    pass
-                os.sync()
 
             self.migrate_user_paths()