Windows cannot access the specified device path or file. You may not have the appropriate permission to access the item

Hi
I have a computer using windows xp with 2 gig of ram and i am starting to get the following message up,more so if im copying to disk. The message is :-
Windows cannot access the specified device,path or file. You may not have the appropiate permission to access the item, Also get this message up when i try to start a game off. checked for a virus done the safe mode way as well,also noticed when i get up my explorer i try to access a site or page and it freezes for a few seconds before it allows me to go to the page, Any help on this especially the message would be most greatfull
thanks,
peter

I went to that link and pressed on the exe for the internet explorer and followed the stuff mentionede but could not find any unblock button at all, my problem is every now and again dont matter what i try and use, media player, try viewing the internet or any other file, some times it comes up then other times i get the message exactly what exe file should i be looking at to try and solve this ? God im thick, Could not find the unblock option either or the place where you alter the admin option

Are you able to open the file in safe mode but not in normal mode?

If yes,then some device or process must be assuming ownership via the registry. Here's a thought. While in safe mode, rename the file so that if it's a registry hack, the "new" name will be unknown when you reboot. Once you've booted, normally, try to execute the program with the "new" name.

• Click the Tools button , and then click Internet Options. Or, press ALT+T, and then press O.
• In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
• Click to select the Disable script debugging (Internet Explorer) and Disable script debugging (Other) check boxes, and then click to clear the Display a notification about every script error check box.
• Click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box

Hello folks!

I have been scouring a number of web sites looking for an answer to this dilemma described here. What a dumb error to receive when we know that we all log in as an administrator!

"Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access them."

And then my favorite after receiving the error and trying to reboot the damned machine:

"Failure - security options"

WTF man!! I can't access files on my own machine? It's like my machine is giving me the bird.

This is what I found on my machine and hopefully somebody else will be able to apply this solution. The error started occurring after I updated my machine with the latest drivers from NVIDIA. My board has an Nvidia Nforce controller on it. The straight drivers shouldn't be causing problems though. In addition, I also run Zonealarm Antivirus. It's these 2 pieces that make up the perfect storm. When it first happened, I thought I had been attacked by a hacker and his little trojan was locking me out. With the wealth of solutions that have been reported on the web :whistling I was left in the proverbial middle of nowhere. I saved off my data, wiped the disk, and reinstalled Vista. I downloaded the most current drivers for all my components, the latest version of Zonealarm and loaded only the applications that I would need. Within 12 hours the problem was back.

Isolating that no hacker even had a chance to get into my machine during that time frame, it had to be drivers and applications fighting.

A little more research and I found out that it's NVIDIA's fault. When you install their latest Nforce drivers, they turn on by default their "FirstPacket" setting under their Networking tab of the NVIDIA Control Panel. Come to find out that this thing is another FIREWALL. That's the one thing where "There can be only one" in your machine. The FirstPacket and Zonealarm were fighting and they eventually locked up everything in the machine where nothing could run. I disabled FirstPacket and the problem went away.

For those that need a little more instructions: Start >> Programs >> NVIDIA Corporation >> NVIDIA Control Panel >> Control Panel

Once you have the Control Panel up, select the Networking tab. It will bring you to the Configure FirstPacket Setting tab. Select the "Disable FirstPacket" radio button and click the apply button.

This was what I found in my machine. Hopefully anybody doing a search will find this post and have the same components and thus have an easy fix. If anybody else ever had ever figured it out they sure as hell didn't post it anywhere.

hi,

after my laptop (running on xp) crashed i turned it off and on again (by holding down the power button).

upon reboot a blue error screen flashed up for only a second then the computer restarted itself before asking me how i wanted to boot windows. i selected 'last known configs that worked' and then i logged on. but now i can't access barely ANY FILE/PROGRAM/ because it gives the aforementioned error message. for some reason it allows me to open IE and any other browser if i select it from the 'internet' part of the start menu, but it doesn't let me open it if i try to open it via the desktop/programs menu/or by going directly to the root (c\program files\etc.).

furthermore it doesn't let me open any files/programs on my external hard drive (xp installed on the local drive), and it seems to open and run programs that are scheduled to run on startup, but won't let me run them manually ... ARGH

i am also unable to run system restore, nor can i access control panel utilities unless im in safe mode...

i have tried taking 'ownership' of the program files folder and that hasn't made a difference, and the solutions mentioned earlier concerning IE settings/security enhancer haven't made any difference whatsoever.. furthermore as a tech novice the other solutions have gone completely over my head as i don't understand a single word!!! :'(, and none of the other related threads have helped...

i am in a real predicament since i am currently living in paris (as an english person, who speaks french but not computer french!!, and since windows is in default english im guessing that the vast vast majority of french computer repair people wouldn't understand the language), and im not able to return to england for another six weeks... EVEN WORSE: my laptop didnt come with any reinstallation cds whatsoever so the only way of reinstalling would be to d/l windows 7 :S

can ANYONE help me!?!?!

thanks

Hi,
I have been having this problem lately. One day I logged into my account on this shared computer. Background was blank. When I click on start there is nothing pinned to the quick start menu anymore, instead it showed a flashlight. Nothing is loading up on the bottom right of the task bar. Only the sound options, and that doesnt load.
When I try to run ANY program, whether it be by double clicking, on the program directly from its install location, to using shortcuts, does not work. Instead it gives me an error.

"Windows cannot access the specified device,path or file. You may not have the appropriate permission to access the item"

After trying a lot of things I found that I can start programs by right clicking on file from the program such as a .dll file for a game and "opening with" the .exe file that usually starts it. But this works on only a handful of programs.

I'm basically not able to do anything cept go on the internet microsoft word and a few games. Now, My sister has an account on this computer as well, and when I signed into it, its running almost perfectly fine, except for a few things, I tried to run system restore on her account, it gives me this error:
"A Runtime Error has occurred. Do you wish to Debug?"
"Line: 148 Error: Oject expected"

I've tried clicking no, nothing happens, I tried cliking yes, all it gives me is an option to choose a "New instance of Microsoft Script Editor", which is then followed by another error

"Unable to continue because the system file MSXML3.DLL cannot be found."

"This error can appear if a required system component, MSXML3.DLL is either missing or was not installed. This system component must be installed before this error can be resolved.
To resolve this error, install the MSXML3.DLL system component by clicking one of the links below.
MSXML3 Service Pack 4 Release from MSDN
Internet Explorer 6.0 via Windows Update"


And the same thing happens for anything regarding major system changes, like user settings etc.

I dunno how to fix this, I cannot even System Restore, which is what i usually do and work all the time. I asked my sister if she did anything to it recently, she is very obsessive over low space on the computer, and usually goes and deletes files from the temp folders and unused programs in C:\. She told me she deleted some "nero showtime files that were in the C drive. and I thought "What nero showtime files?". I checked withing the C drive, and I noticed that ntuser files were under the file type "NeroShowTime.Files8.dat" didnt necessarily mean they were Nero files? So I'm putting two and two together she basically deleted a few system files.

Sorry for this long story, but was hoping more information might shed some light on this problem and hopefully fix this? I noticed others have had this error pop up, but they have for completely different reasons like Nvidia firewall? or Java script problem? Surely this cannot be the same.

BTW I did full system scan twice and nothing showed up I use Symantec Antivirus.

About a week ago my trial sub to Tend Micro expired. I uninstalled Trend (i have a full version Avast 4.8 home /license key) but immediately started getting this error msg --(Windows cannot access the specified device,path or file. You may not have the appropiate permission to access the item)-- when trying to open any applications, files/programs from desktop shortcuts. I also cannot open these programs from their file locations or as administrator.

I'm running Vista Home Premium / Service Pack 2 / IE8 / 32 bit all preinstalled on Dell Inspirion Laptop. This is a stand alone personal computer, NOT shared or part of any network. I'AM THE OWNER/ADMINISTRATOR.

I've already tried many of the "fixes" suggested in this forum such as:
Uninstall/reinstall IE8

De-selecting IE Enhanced Security

"unblock" from the initial properties screen
from the exe file

modified the file ownership.

System restore did not work (

I am really leaning towards a registry item being deleted but have no idea how to address that issue.

PLS HELP!!! thx

About a week ago my trial sub to Tend Micro expired. I uninstalled Trend (i have a full version Avast 4.8 home /license key) but immediately started getting this error msg --Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate permission to access the item -- when trying to open any applications, files/programs from desktop shortcuts. I also cannot open these programs from their file locations or as administrator.

I'm running Vista Home Premium / Service Pack 2 / IE8 / 32 bit all preinstalled on Dell Inspirion Laptop. This is a stand alone personal computer, NOT shared or part of any network. I'AM THE OWNER/ADMINISTRATOR.

I've already tried many of the "fixes" suggested in this forum such as:
Uninstall/reinstall IE8

De-selecting IE Enhanced Security

"unblock" from the initial properties screen
from the exe file

modified the file ownership.

System restore did not work (

I am really leaning towards a registry item being deleted but have no idea how to address that issue.

PLS HELP!!! thx

Could you please elaborate!!! I am experiencing the same problem

Are you using the Citrix with your system as this kind of Error are reported with the Citrix only. So if you are going through the same error then let me tell you that you should check for the registry key i.e. " HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/Cdm/ Parameters/ExecuteFromMappedDrive " and then change ExecuteFromMappedDrive to 1. Thats it!!!

hello,
i tried to install java for playing a multipayer game called runescape.
but when i installed it the last step was to run it...when i clicked on run the message came "windows cannot acces the specified device path or file. you may not have appropriate permission to access the item" what should i do...please help me.....

Check if you are logged in to the administrator account of the operating system or logged in with an account which has rights for installing and uninstalling various applications on the system. If the account is a guest account then the system will always give this error message while installing or uninstalling any application.

ok thank you i will try if it works...:rolleyes: :ohyeah:

oh..i have a question by the way. to log into an admin do u have to go to safe mode and do it.. because wen on my comp it just says welcome and it gets on.....

Try to do the following to force install:

1. Locate the executable file(.exe file) for the driver installation program.

2. Right-click the file, and then click Properties.

3. In the PackageName Properties dialog box, click the Compatibility tab.

4. Click to select the Run this program in compatibility mode for check box, click Windows XP in the Run this program in compatibility mode for list, and then click OK.

5. Double-click the executable file to start the installation program.

1. Locate the executable file(.exe file) for the driver installation program.

2. Right-click the file, and then click Properties.

3. In the PackageName Properties dialog box, click the Compatibility tab.

4. Click to select the Run this program in compatibility mode for check box, click Windows XP in the Run this program in compatibility mode for list, and then click OK.

5. Double-click the executable file to start the installation program.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...-compatibility

:thumbup1: thank u very much it worked and i installed java on my computer... thanks a lot for your help...:cool:

hey but when i go to compatibility mode there is no windows xp there is only the following..
1.windows 95
2.windpws98/nt
3.windows 2000
what should i do?

reply fast.....

What Operating system are you using? Are on Windows XP, if so then try to create another account with full priviledges and then try to install the java applications. As a quick fix, you can find that there is "UNBLOCK" button when you right click on the executable file, which will allow you to install the application.