Error 5: Access is denied when try to install programs

I would try setting up another admin accout first, and seeing if you can install then. This will troubleshoot it to a computer issue, account issue, etc.

Emily7 said:

I hope this is the right place for this question...didn't see another sub-forum that sounded appropriate.

Today I was having networking problems, and thanks to some help over on the Networking sub-forum, changed my workgroup to MSHOME so I could see Windows XP systems on my network from my new HP Windows 7 (Home Premium) laptop. Good stuff.

However...I may have broken something pretty serious. My account is set up as an administrator, and I have always been able to do whatever I desired on my system. Now I can't install programs at all. Every one I try, I get an "access is denied" message. For example, when I try to (re)install winmail-reader-setup.exe, I get "Unable to execute file in the temporary directory. Setup aborted. Error 5: Access is denied"

What in the world have I done?! I have checked my account, folder privileges, etc, and nothing looks amiss except that I have two "unknown" user accounts that I haven't seen before...not sure how those got there. But I'm running with my own account, with full privileges, administrator access.

Any ideas?

Thanks very much!

We do not know what they did to your account over the network. Probably nothing serious, but lets be sure. If this comes up negative, we can correct anything else.

Run a full scan with your antivirus. I do not like the unknown accounts.

Download and scan with malwarebytes. If everything is negative, you will be up and running soon
Malwarebytes.org

I would run the scans, ASAP, because we truly do not know what the others have done.

Would a SFC also be in order Rich?

Follow the tutorial to enable hidden built-in Administrar's account. Scroll down to option TWO
Built-in Administrator Account - Enable or Disable

Extensa said:

Would a SFC also be in order Rich?

Actually, I was thinking of a system restore from before he had the first problem, maybe set it for a restore point about a week old.

I do not think that sfc would work in this case. If what they changed was intentional, files may not be corrupted.

From my first post, you can see what I am thinking, I am probably wrong, but lets see.

But, Extensa, it would not hurt to try that SFC first, and its easier.

Jaycee has another good though the Adm account

Emily, you see many solutions here, almost guarnated that one will work. Try them report on the results. Everyone at the Forum is wishing you luck.