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

[corrupt516]

nope even if i click unblock and try to install it the same problem occurs...... what should i do???

[chuckeye333]

Hey,

I am now living in France and am having in fact the EXACT same problem you had with this nasty Windows Cannot Specify Device...... I live in the middle of nowhere Burgundy and can't get computer help and I like you prefer Computer English as opposed to French. I need help!!! How did you solve this issue? I am in Safe mode but my malware programs won't work and basically I am just computer illiterate when it comes to things like this. If you have a minute send me a line, my situation is really similar.

[KennedII]

You must be logged on to Windows as an administrator in order to modify safety permissions for a file or a folder. If the computer is your personal computer, you are likely previously logged on with an administrator account.If you are running Windows XP Home Edition, you must initiate the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an account that has administrative rights in order to access the Security tab. Access to the Security tab is necessary in order to alter security permission. If you are running Windows XP Professional, you do not have to start the computer in safe mode.

Another option for you, if the system was working ok in recent times and now isn't it may have to do with a program you freshly installed. You may have some accomplishment in resolving the concern with a System Restore to a date proceeding to when the issue started. To do a system restore click start>all programs>accessories>system tools>system restore and choose a bold date prior to when you started having the problem. I also recommend that you generate a restore point prior to doing the restore so you can revert back to it if there are any problems.

[MSTrooper]

To solve the problem you have to go to "Add or Remove Programs".
Then "Add/Remove windows components"
Uncheck "Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Component"
Next
and close.

[Sarahjoy]

Hi, I am really hoping that someone will be able to help. I am using windows 7 on my advent laptop. I have 3 user profile accounts (all my accounts) on my lap top.
User Account 1: The user profile service failed the log on. User profile cannot be loaded.

User account 2: (this account takes about 15minutes to load once the password has been typed in) then says : logged onto Temporary user profile

User account 3: this account will not let me access my computer, Control panel ... nothing as this explorer EXE. message comes up:

windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

I have looked through various suggestions on the web, and I have checked the whole properties- security- permissions for system : all the boxes are already ticked under "allow" ... I have also "taken ownership of the folder" ... of which i had to do in safe mode as i wasn't allowed access.

I would be extremely extremely grateful if someone could direct me through a solution without having to lose anything. I am not at all a computer whizz and quite frankly have no idea what to do. Any help would be much appreciated.

[frankoy84]

have noticed that karspesky can also contribute to the this effect. just go settings on kaspesky then go general settings and choose application control and make the application you want to instal "trusted"

[get-----]

After working on it for 3 hours, and trying many usual ways
(scanning for viruses, sfc /scannow gave "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service", secedit did not do anything (as usual), Subinacl refused to install and gave error “The Windows Installer Service Could Not Be Accessed”); found the problem is due to a permissions issue with C:\Windows\Registration folder

I also scoured the internet and failed to find a resolution (other than a clean windows reinstall by formatting the hard drive)


Solution:
-Click on Start
-In Search box, type c:\windows\registration
-You will get Registration folder on the top (as a part of search results)
-Right click on Registration and click on Properties
-Go to Security tab and click on Advanced on bottom
-Verify the the Current owner (under Owner tab) is set to Administrators
-Go back to Permissions tab and verify the following permission entries:

Allow Administrators Special <not inherited> This folder and files (full control)
Allow Everyone Special <not inherited> This folder and files
Allow SYSTEM Special <not inherited> This folder and files (full control)

-Edit Administrators & SYSTEM and ensure it Applies to This folder and files; and all boxes under Allow are checked

-Edit Everyone and ensure it Applies to This folder and files; and boxes to ticked are Traverse folder/execute file, List folder/read data, Read attributes, Read extended attributes and Read permissions



-If any of the three is missing (Everyone & Administrators most likely), just click on Add and type the name of the one missing, Check Names and OK it and then set the permissions as stated above


-Finally, put a check under Replace all child objects permissions with inheritable permissions from this object and click on OK on all the following prompts and restart the computer.

=Everything would be back to normal.

Then you just ensure you have a proper security program like BitDefender installed which should cover you for viruses, spywares, rootkits and has a strong firewall, to keep such issues at bay

[nitesh mehta]

One of the reason that this error message comes is because we are not allowed to do any action in the windows. So, you have to change your guest account to administrator account, if you want to change the permissions. You can use the following instructions to do the same:
First of all, click on Start, then go to control panel and then to user account and change the account type to administrator and then apply ok. This way you will get the full rights to install any programs and also take the owernship of the file incase if it isnt installing or cannot be deleted. Hope that helps.