Error 5: Access is denied when try to install programs

[Emily7]

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!

 

[Extensa]

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]

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.

Good idea, thanks. I set up a new administrator account, logged into it, and downloaded a small installation program (same one - winmail reader). Same problem.

Ugh! If you have any other ideas, I'm all ears. Thanks!

Emily

 

[richc46]

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.

 

[Extensa]

Would a SFC also be in order Rich?

 

[Emily7]

Thanks, Rich. I just started up a full system scan with Vipre. It's really good and normally does not let any malware creep in. Will see if that turns up anything. I'm afraid I've corrupted something myself through good intentions...sigh.

 

[Jacee]

Follow the tutorial to enable hidden built-in Administrar's account. Scroll down to option TWO
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/507-built-administrator-account-enable-disable.html

 

[richc46]

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.

 

[Emily7]

Follow the tutorial to enable hidden built-in Administrar's account. Scroll down to option TWO
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/507-built-administrator-account-enable-disable.html

Okay, I enabled the account, but I want to wait until my system scan is complete before I log off to try it out. Thank you!

 

[Emily7]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is sfc? :huh:

Emily

P.S. Scan is 30% complete with nothing found so far...

 

[richc46]

Try Jaycees advice first
You type cmd in search, do not hit enter, right click and then run as administrator

in cmd your type sfc /scannow

It will report on corruption and hopefully fix it.

But try Jaycee first. She is giving you the secret of Windows 7, the secret Administrator account.

 

[Extensa]

System File Checker is a utility in Microsoft Windows that allows users to scan for and restore corruptions in Windows system files. This utility is available on Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. Windows Vista, although in the Windows NT family of operating systems, scans files using Windows Resource Protection.

Wiki definition

 

[Emily7]

Try Jaycees advice first
You type cmd in search, do not hit enter, right click and then run as administrator

in cmd your type sfc /scannow

It will report on corruption and hopefully fix it.

But try Jaycee first. She is giving you the secret of Windows 7, the secret Administrator account.

Will do - secret accounts are cool. Appreciate the "sfc" info too!

 

[richc46]

If the virus scan is negative, you have no problem. This is an easy one to fix.

 

[Emily7]

Results so far...

Virus/malware scan: OK (found three cookies, nothing else)

Hidden Administrator account: no good, same error when trying to install a program

sfc: Windows Resource protection did not find any integrity violations.

Hmmmm...I'm so confused!

I hate to keep bugging you kind folks, but anything else you can think of that I can look at?

Thanks so much!
Emily

 

[richc46]

You are among friends here, this is not bother. I just want to help.

Ok do this it will work

Go back to a point prior to the problem. Use System Restore

Make sure you go back far enough, before any sort of problem. Your personal documents will not be touched.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html?filter[2]=Backup Restore

 

[Emily7]

Just a bit more information: The mystery user accounts I mentioned in the first post do not show up in the control panel -> user accounts area, but if I right click on a folder and go to the security tab, that's where I see them. I see a list of "Group or user names" that looks like this:

SYSTEM
Emily (Emily-PC\Emily)
?Account Unknown (S-1-5-21....lots of numbers)
?Account Unknown (S-1-5-21....lots of numbers)
?Account Unknown (S-1-5-21....lots of numbers)
Administrators (Emily-PC\Administrators)
WMPNetworkSvc

The permissions for my account (Emily) on all folders I've checked is Full Control. The "Account Unknown" guys all have Permission = Special.

Don't know if that helps at all, but I have never seen those unknown accounts before. Then again, I dunno that I've checked folder permissions for awhile, if ever on this new laptop.

Emily

 

[Emily7]

Ok do this it will work

Go back to a point prior to the problem. Use System Restore

I have never used System Restore to restore before. Will it revert my email back to the previous day's state, or just system files?

Thanks!

 

[richc46]

Go back to before any sort of problem.

The only thing affected will be the OS. If you do not like the results you can restore again to right now.


If you intalled programs they will be removed. But you can reinstall.

 

[Emily7]

Go back to before any sort of problem.

The only thing affected will be the OS. If you do not like the results you can restore again to right now.


If you intalled programs they will be removed. But you can reinstall.

That sounds perfect...I'll try it. Cross fingers for me, a system restore virgin. :shock:

Thank you!
Emily