Cannot access administrative tools

[David Garrett]

I am running Windows XP on a Dell laptop and have set up
administrative accounts for myself and one other person
who occasionally uses the computer. I cannot run most of
the Administrative Tools, specifically:

- comexp.msc
- compmgmt.msc
- eventvwr.msc
- secpol.msc
- perfmon.msc
- services.msc

For each of these, when I click on them, I get this error
message: "Windows cannot access the specified device,
path, or file. You may not have the appropriate
permissions to access the item."

Thanks for your help,
David

 

[Roger Abell [MVP]]

Have you determined whether you can run these if they
are specified with their full path ?

Start / Run cmd
enter into the cmd windows
path
Does the result begin with (assuming C
PATH=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;
??

Open Explorer and nav to Windows\System32
From Explorer view drag one of the mcs filenames onto
the cmd windows, and then in the cmd window press enter.

If it runs, then Windows\system32 is not in your path variable.
If it gives the same message then it is a subcomponent it
cannot find. Try then, in cmd windows doing a
cd Windows\system32
and then try running the msc again.

 

[David Garrett]

Hmmmm...cmd won't run either--I get the same error
message.

 

[Randy]

I have the exact same problem, error message below

Unable to use Administrative Tools...

MMC cannot open the file C:\windows\system32\services.msc
This may be because the file does not exist, is not an
mmc console, or was created by a later version of MMC.
This may also be because you do not have sufficient
rights to access the file.

 

[Roger Abell [MVP]]

Well, then it is not an issue with the Path env var.

Can you check the permissions of one of the msc
files and of the mmc.exe.

You can do this with cacls in a cmd windows.
You should see something similar to

C:\>cacls C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.msc
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.msc BUILTIN\Users:R
BUILTIN\Power Users:R
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F

C:\>cacls C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe BUILTIN\Users:R
BUILTIN\Power Users:R
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F

There may be some repeats (if permissions is both set
explicitly and inherited onto) for what is shown.
What is important here is the Users:R which grants all
members of Users group read/execute.

If that is missing it could be readded with such as
cacls C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe /e /g Users:R

 

[Randy]

Checked security in safe mode and all looks okay. It has
been suggested that a driver or service may not be loaded
or started. Any ideas on this theory about where to
look, since all works in safe mode. One other note, the
Search command doesn't work if normal boot. Thanks, Randy

 

[Randy]

Also, a strange error when I boot, Norton says it can't
access C:\ drive, this started after using sfc to restore
security settings. I am starting to think this is a
virus I got through yahoo instant mess and security was
changed or services stopped to avoid finding. Randy

 

[Roger Abell [MVP]]

sfc restores system files, but AFAIK not security settings

 

[Roger Abell [MVP]]

It would not hurt to check some possibly involved services
for the mmc consoles you said do not runAre there others ? Or, it is that the others do work?
Check that
the two COM+ services are started (on this system
they are set to manual and are started)
IPsec (automatic and started)
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) (automatic and started)
System Event Notification (automatic and started)
Tcp/Ip NetBIOS Helper (automatic and started)
Windows Management Instrumentation (automatic and started)
and the other two WMI services are not disabled (here they
are set to manual and not currently started)

Except for the COM+ and the WMI that should be started
these all seem long shots, and the COM+ and WMI would
be giving you other issues if not running.


Since all work in safe mode, it may be that something that
starts in a normal boot but not in safe mode is interfering.

 

[John Godfrey]

Can I jump in on this thread? I also have a new Dell and
have somehow lost all the Administrator Settings! So I
can't perform any Administrator tasks. Is there some
variation of the below that I can do to re-enter my
details?