Access denied error with changing startup services in msconfig

[Terry22]

I have experienced a new problem in all 9 computers I manage at work and at
home. In the last several weeks, every time I run MSCONFIG and try to change
a startup service (Startup tab, check or uncheck a service), I get the error
dialog "An Access Denied error was returned while attempting to change a
service. You may need to log on using an Administrator account to make the
specified changes." The service check box does change however after closing
the error message. When I hit "Apply" to close out MSCONFIG, the same error
message appears, but the changes go through anyway. This occurs despite being
logged on as an administrator. I have tried logging on as Administrator in
Safe Mode, the same thing happens. This wouldn't be so bad, except I also get
the same error when downloading and running files with active content on the
internet, e.g. Adobe Update Manager. It won't let me run the update (e.g.
Adobe Reader) after download and displays an error that I have to be logged
in using an administrator account to run the script.

I have noticed this on nine different computers. The symptom started about
two weeks ago. Was this created by a faulty Windows Update fix? Is anyone
else experiencing this? How do I fix it?

Running Windows XP Pro sp3 with all the latest updates. I am using Windows
XP security (NOT simple file sharing). As a user, I am an administrator, and
I have checked, I am in the Administrator Group. My user and Administrators
have Permission and Security for all files and folders on all drives, and are
the owners of all objects.

Any suggestions?

Terry22

 

[Elmo]

Terry22 wrote:
> I have experienced a new problem in all 9 computers I manage at work and at
> home. In the last several weeks, every time I run MSCONFIG and try to change
> a startup service (Startup tab, check or uncheck a service), I get the error
> dialog "An Access Denied error was returned while attempting to change a
> service. You may need to log on using an Administrator account to make the
> specified changes." The service check box does change however after closing
> the error message. When I hit "Apply" to close out MSCONFIG, the same error
> message appears, but the changes go through anyway. This occurs despite being
> logged on as an administrator. I have tried logging on as Administrator in
> Safe Mode, the same thing happens. This wouldn't be so bad, except I also get
> the same error when downloading and running files with active content on the
> internet, e.g. Adobe Update Manager. It won't let me run the update (e.g.
> Adobe Reader) after download and displays an error that I have to be logged
> in using an administrator account to run the script.
>
> I have noticed this on nine different computers. The symptom started about
> two weeks ago. Was this created by a faulty Windows Update fix? Is anyone
> else experiencing this? How do I fix it?
>
> Running Windows XP Pro sp3 with all the latest updates. I am using Windows
> XP security (NOT simple file sharing). As a user, I am an administrator, and
> I have checked, I am in the Administrator Group. My user and Administrators
> have Permission and Security for all files and folders on all drives, and are
> the owners of all objects.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Terry22

A Google search netted this gem:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4531999_fix-access-denied-error-using.html

HP Printer Software
http://www.pchell.com/support/msconfig_access_denied_error.shtml

--
Joe =o)

 

[Terry22]

"Elmo" wrote:

> Terry22 wrote:
> > I have experienced a new problem in all 9 computers I manage at work and at
> > home. In the last several weeks, every time I run MSCONFIG and try to change
> > a startup service (Startup tab, check or uncheck a service), I get the error
> > dialog "An Access Denied error was returned while attempting to change a
> > service. You may need to log on using an Administrator account to make the
> > specified changes." The service check box does change however after closing
> > the error message. When I hit "Apply" to close out MSCONFIG, the same error
> > message appears, but the changes go through anyway. This occurs despite being
> > logged on as an administrator. I have tried logging on as Administrator in
> > Safe Mode, the same thing happens. This wouldn't be so bad, except I also get
> > the same error when downloading and running files with active content on the
> > internet, e.g. Adobe Update Manager. It won't let me run the update (e.g.
> > Adobe Reader) after download and displays an error that I have to be logged
> > in using an administrator account to run the script.
> >
> > I have noticed this on nine different computers. The symptom started about
> > two weeks ago. Was this created by a faulty Windows Update fix? Is anyone
> > else experiencing this? How do I fix it?
> >
> > Running Windows XP Pro sp3 with all the latest updates. I am using Windows
> > XP security (NOT simple file sharing). As a user, I am an administrator, and
> > I have checked, I am in the Administrator Group. My user and Administrators
> > have Permission and Security for all files and folders on all drives, and are
> > the owners of all objects.
> >
> > Any suggestions?
> >
> > Terry22
>
> A Google search netted this gem:
>
> http://www.ehow.com/how_4531999_fix-access-denied-error-using.html
>
> HP Printer Software
> http://www.pchell.com/support/msconfig_access_denied_error.shtml
>
> --
> Joe =o)
> .
>

Thanks Joe,

The computer I am working on right now has an HP printer. I checked the PML
service as recommended in this article, but it was already set to manual.
Also, the other computers affected do not have HP printers associated with
them. Things were working fine for years on these machines until lately. I
also built a brand new machine last week, and with nothing more than windows
loaded on it and all the latest updates, and it was doing the same thing.
After reading this article, I am beginning to think it is some other
reporting service in Windows itself. I often install extra Windows component
sevices such as SNMP, IIS etc. I am trying to remove them one by one to see
if it corrects the problem.

Any other suggestions?

Terry

 

[Elmo]

Terry22 wrote:
>
> "Elmo" wrote:
>
>> Terry22 wrote:
>>> I have experienced a new problem in all 9 computers I manage at work and at
>>> home. In the last several weeks, every time I run MSCONFIG and try to change
>>> a startup service (Startup tab, check or uncheck a service), I get the error
>>> dialog "An Access Denied error was returned while attempting to change a
>>> service. You may need to log on using an Administrator account to make the
>>> specified changes." The service check box does change however after closing
>>> the error message. When I hit "Apply" to close out MSCONFIG, the same error
>>> message appears, but the changes go through anyway. This occurs despite being
>>> logged on as an administrator. I have tried logging on as Administrator in
>>> Safe Mode, the same thing happens. This wouldn't be so bad, except I also get
>>> the same error when downloading and running files with active content on the
>>> internet, e.g. Adobe Update Manager. It won't let me run the update (e.g.
>>> Adobe Reader) after download and displays an error that I have to be logged
>>> in using an administrator account to run the script.
>>>
>>> I have noticed this on nine different computers. The symptom started about
>>> two weeks ago. Was this created by a faulty Windows Update fix? Is anyone
>>> else experiencing this? How do I fix it?
>>>
>>> Running Windows XP Pro sp3 with all the latest updates. I am using Windows
>>> XP security (NOT simple file sharing). As a user, I am an administrator, and
>>> I have checked, I am in the Administrator Group. My user and Administrators
>>> have Permission and Security for all files and folders on all drives, and are
>>> the owners of all objects.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions?
>>>
>>> Terry22
>> A Google search netted this gem:
>>
>> http://www.ehow.com/how_4531999_fix-access-denied-error-using.html
>>
>> HP Printer Software
>> http://www.pchell.com/support/msconfig_access_denied_error.shtml
>>
>> --
>> Joe =o)
>> .
>>
>
> Thanks Joe,
>
> The computer I am working on right now has an HP printer. I checked the PML
> service as recommended in this article, but it was already set to manual.
> Also, the other computers affected do not have HP printers associated with
> them. Things were working fine for years on these machines until lately. I
> also built a brand new machine last week, and with nothing more than windows
> loaded on it and all the latest updates, and it was doing the same thing.
> After reading this article, I am beginning to think it is some other
> reporting service in Windows itself. I often install extra Windows component
> sevices such as SNMP, IIS etc. I am trying to remove them one by one to see
> if it corrects the problem.
>
> Any other suggestions?
>
> Terry

No, but a Google search might have more causes to consider. Good luck.

--
Joe =o)

 

[Terry22]

"Terry22" wrote:

>
>
> "Elmo" wrote:
>
> > Terry22 wrote:
> > > I have experienced a new problem in all 9 computers I manage at work and at
> > > home. In the last several weeks, every time I run MSCONFIG and try to change
> > > a startup service (Startup tab, check or uncheck a service), I get the error
> > > dialog "An Access Denied error was returned while attempting to change a
> > > service. You may need to log on using an Administrator account to make the
> > > specified changes." The service check box does change however after closing
> > > the error message. When I hit "Apply" to close out MSCONFIG, the same error
> > > message appears, but the changes go through anyway. This occurs despite being
> > > logged on as an administrator. I have tried logging on as Administrator in
> > > Safe Mode, the same thing happens. This wouldn't be so bad, except I also get
> > > the same error when downloading and running files with active content on the
> > > internet, e.g. Adobe Update Manager. It won't let me run the update (e.g.
> > > Adobe Reader) after download and displays an error that I have to be logged
> > > in using an administrator account to run the script.
> > >
> > > I have noticed this on nine different computers. The symptom started about
> > > two weeks ago. Was this created by a faulty Windows Update fix? Is anyone
> > > else experiencing this? How do I fix it?
> > >
> > > Running Windows XP Pro sp3 with all the latest updates. I am using Windows
> > > XP security (NOT simple file sharing). As a user, I am an administrator, and
> > > I have checked, I am in the Administrator Group. My user and Administrators
> > > have Permission and Security for all files and folders on all drives, and are
> > > the owners of all objects.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions?
> > >
> > > Terry22
> >
> > A Google search netted this gem:
> >
> > http://www.ehow.com/how_4531999_fix-access-denied-error-using.html
> >
> > HP Printer Software
> > http://www.pchell.com/support/msconfig_access_denied_error.shtml
> >
> > --
> > Joe =o)
> > .
> >
>
> Thanks Joe,
>
> The computer I am working on right now has an HP printer. I checked the PML
> service as recommended in this article, but it was already set to manual.
> Also, the other computers affected do not have HP printers associated with
> them. Things were working fine for years on these machines until lately. I
> also built a brand new machine last week, and with nothing more than windows
> loaded on it and all the latest updates, and it was doing the same thing.
> After reading this article, I am beginning to think it is some other
> reporting service in Windows itself. I often install extra Windows component
> sevices such as SNMP, IIS etc. I am trying to remove them one by one to see
> if it corrects the problem.
>
> Any other suggestions?
>
> Terry

I found the problem. It is Norton Antivirus 2010 running on Windows XP Pro
sp3.

From the Norton Forums:

"Ninko wrote: Hi there, Bit of an odd problem and I can't say if its Norton
related or not, but I'm assuming it is as it only started after upgrading to
NIS 2010.

Basically since upgrading, whenever I go to Windows Configuration Utility
and try and change anything (even NOT changing anything), and click OK, I get
the following message:

"An Access Denied error was returned while attempting to change a service.
You may need to log on using as an Administrator account to make the
specified changes."

Right away, yes I am logged on using an admin account. I will also say, even
though I get the above message, my changes DO seem to save, but I would like
to get rid of this message.

Thanks, Ninko

P.S. I'm using NIS 2010 on Windows XP Home SP3 32bit"

And

"You must be talking about MSCONFIG and I get exactly the same message,
which I have never had before. And so does my wife's XP machine.

The only changes either of us have incurred since the last time I
successfully used MSCONFIG (which fortunately was recently) is the
installation of NIS2010.

So my intuition says this is almost certainly caused by NIS2010.

Now let's see if we can get Symantec involved.

mij
[XP3 and Vista2, IE 8, Firefox 3.5.5 and 3.6.5, NSW 12 Basic, NIS2010
(17.5.0.127); No other active securityware]"

And

"mdturner wrote:
mij
Interesting issue. I'll check my other systems and see how they are - might
be worth polling a few people since this issue won't show up very often as
not a lot of ordinary users mess with msconfig. Just to gain background, did
you both over-install to get 2010 on your systems or uninstall your previous
versions first?"

"One of each. Both machines have the same problem.It's really easy to
check. Two steps:

1. Run>msconfig
2. Click "okay"

You will either get an error message or not, but either way you won't
actually be messing with the configuration.

mij
[XP3 and Vista2, IE 8, Firefox 3.5.5 and 3.6.5, NSW 12 Basic, NIS2010
(17.5.0.127); No other active securityware]"

"Nice find, Ninko!

Same thing here on two XP SP3 machines with clean installations of NIS 2010.
I still have to install on Vista SP2 and will report back when they are done.
I don't remember this issue during the testing.
Phil_D

NIS 2010 • 360 v4 Beta • Ghost 15.0
XP SP3 • Vista SP2 • IE8"

"No error message here on Vista Home Premium SP2. NIS 2010 17.5.0.127
Vista Home Premium SP2 32bit"

"No error on Vista SP2 32-bit Business
NIS 2010 17.0.0.136 "

Terry- It is not necessarily NIS 2010. I have NAV 2010 with the same
problem. As noted above, it seems fairly specific to NAV 2010 on Win XP Pro
sp3. I also have similar difficulty running scripted downloads off the
internet with NAV 2010 running, as in my original post, trying to use Adobe
Update manager for instance.

Just to let you know.

I will be reporting this to Symantec. See if they will fix it.
LOL

Terry