Help with login as Administrator

[PRNole]

I've read most of the posts i could find on login in as Admin when only
a single user/Owner appears in User Accounts. However, I've not had any
luck finding a solution.

1. I use XP SP2 as a single user, no network, and autologon as "Owner."

2. Whenever I try to reconfig my "Services" and "Start Up" programs
thru <msconfig>, click Apply, then OK, I get the pop-up message that
denies me access and suggests I log on as Administrator.
3. When I "log off" and Switch Users, there's no Administrator option
available to me to log in.
4. When I re-boot into Safe Mode and seemingly can log in as Admin, I
still run into the same "access denied" when I use <msconfig> to re-do
the "Start Up" pgms, receiving the same pop-up suggesting I must logon
as Admin.
5. I have tried the "hit Ctrl-Alt-Del twice" when seeing the Welcome
Screen to no avail.
6. I have used Tweak UI and switched the Autologon from "Owner" to
"Administrator" then used it with both the box checked and unchecked,
but still no luck.

What else can I try to so I can logon as THE Administrator and allow me
full capability to change "Start Up" and "Services" programs via
<msconfig>?

Paul

 

[Gordon]

4. When I re-boot into Safe Mode and seemingly can log in as Admin, I
still run into the same "access denied" when I use <msconfig>

Sounds like that might be malware - have you used the usual applications to
detect and remove?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Use services.msc *NOT* msconfig.exe!

Start | Run | Type: services.msc | Click OK
---

<quote>
Why can't I use msconfig to change my services?

The reason is because with msconfig and Hardware Profiles, you can disable
services that may be vital to boot your system. With the management console
(services.msc) you cannot. Also, msconfig, while unchecking the box, is
disabling the service.

The "Disable All" button also scares me. It should not even be there as no
reason exists to justify disabling "everything."
<quote>
from...
Why can't I use msconfig to change my services?
http://web.archive.org/web/20041128011231/www.blackviper.com/AskBV/XP25.htm
------------

This error can occur while trying to use msconfig to disable the True Vector
Internet Monitor service (vsmon.exe)...
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.

An access denied error was returned while ATTEMPTING to change a service

If you have ZoneAlarm.

<quote>
I had this problem. It went away if I didn't load Zone Alarm, so that was
the problem. I stopped it by turning off the "OS Firewall" in Zone Alarm: Go
to Program Control > Main and press the first "Custom" button from the top.
Uncheck "Enable OS Firewall". (With thanks to chiawaikian on the ZA
forum -see
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=win_za_msgs&message.id=11470#M11470)
Chris

See my earlier post; I've found a better fix. In ZA, go to Program Control,
Programs tab, find System Configuration Utility (it's under that, not
msconfig) click on the single green bar in the Trust Level column, and
change it to Trusted (2 green bars) - Chris
<quote>
from...
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1133740266

From...
Sharon F
MS-MVP ~ Windows Shell/User
<quote>
The error appears when disabling all non-Microsoft services. Try disabling
these one at a time to find out which one is denying access/resisting
change.
<quote>

Using msconfig in Safe Mode can sometimes avoid the error. I suppose Safe
Mode disables whatever app is causing the problem.

A recent update of McAfee can also cause the problem.

<quote>
Do you have MacAfee installed??
I had the same problem, go into msconfig click on any item and hit
apply and you get : An Access Denied error was returned while
attempting to change a service.

I looked at the services tab, saw MacAfee services so I removed them all
from the registry, which was a lot of keys to remove. Then tried
msconfig again, it worked.
<quote>
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...ange+a+service"&rnum=2&hl=en#3fd0af9adf774a61

<quote>
Thanks for the reply. Those are important facts to know. Since the time I
posted the message, I think I found the solution . Disabling an HP printer
service "PML Driver HPZ12" in the configuration keeps the error message from
returning. Apparently a security update caused the problem.

For those who want the quick solution, I went to
"HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Pml Driver HPZ12", changed the Start
value from 2 (enabled) to 4 (disabled), and then rebooted. Apparently this
service is used for many models of HP printers. I have not looked for an
update from HP yet.
<quote>
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...a+service"&rnum=4&hl=en&#doc_dfa3e5d623eacc21

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[PRNole]

I am drowning in apps to detect/rid malware.

I have several aps running, including Trend Micro's Venus Spy Trap,
Webroot's Spy Sweeper, ZA's Security Suite with AV and Anti-Spyware,
Spybot's Search & Destroy, and Ad Aware. Results find no more than 2 or
3 instances, usually benign cookies, following each overnight scan.