Question

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

Asked by: AnimatorOne

I am getting the error:

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

I get the error whenever I try to access control panel functions, most applications. One of the kids installed MSN prior to the error occuring yesterday so I restored the registry to a simpler time... but it didn't help... the error occurs even in safe mode.

Help?

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Asked On
2002-10-01 at 15:17:45ID20367930
Tags

cannot

,

windows

,

specified

,

have

,

may

Topic

Windows ME Operating System

Participating Experts
11
Points
200
Comments
18

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Answers

 

by: LeeTutorPosted on 2002-10-01 at 16:13:24ID: 7311233

I found this Microsoft Knowledge Base article on the problem, but it appears unlikely to be the explanation:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q264481
Error Message When Attempting to Start Multiple Programs at the Same Time
The information in this article applies to:

* Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to start multiple programs or open multiple files at the same time, you may receive one of the following error messages:

    * Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.
* This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Folder Options control panel.

CAUSE
This behavior can occur if you click to select multiple icons on the desktop and include the Internet Explorer icon, and then press ENTER.
RESOLUTION
To work around this issue, do not click to select the Internet Explorer icon when you select multiple icons, or double-click each icon one at a time.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
First Published: Jun 1 2000 10:06AM
Keywords: kberrmsg kbWinME kbprb

 

by: LeeTutorPosted on 2002-10-01 at 16:18:16ID: 7311237

You say that MSN was installed prior to the problem occurring; have you tried uninstalling it?  And are you talking about the Internet Service Provider, Microsoft Networks?  Or MSN Messenger, the chat client?

You also say you "restored the registry to a simpler time". Do you mean by typing "scanreg /restore" in the Run dialog box?  Or do you mean doing a System Restore?  If it is the former, I suggest you try the latter.  Click on Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then System Restore.  Choose a date before the problem started.

 

by: AnimatorOnePosted on 2002-10-01 at 18:50:30ID: 7311364

Hi Lee, I did look at the article http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us; but, as you suspected, that wasn't it.

It was the MSN chat client and I cannot uninstall it through control panel, I may try to uninstall another way tomorrow.

More suggestions are welcome guys. Thank you for the suggestions thus far!

Ani

 

by: CrazyOnePosted on 2002-10-01 at 19:22:14ID: 7311386

>>>It was the MSN chat client and I cannot uninstall it through control panel, I may try to uninstall another way tomorrow.

Look for where the program is installed and see if you can find a file that uninstalls the program. Sometimes these files are name something like UNWISE.EXE or rnuninst.exe etc.

Also you might consider using the System Restore.

Description of the System Restore Utility in Windows Millennium Edition (Q267951)
http://support.microsoft.com/search/preview.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q267951


The Crazy One

 

 

by: CrazyOnePosted on 2002-10-01 at 19:22:19ID: 7311389

>>>It was the MSN chat client and I cannot uninstall it through control panel, I may try to uninstall another way tomorrow.

Look for where the program is installed and see if you can find a file that uninstalls the program. Sometimes these files are name something like UNWISE.EXE or rnuninst.exe etc.

Also you might consider using the System Restore.

Description of the System Restore Utility in Windows Millennium Edition (Q267951)
http://support.microsoft.com/search/preview.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q267951


The Crazy One

 

by: LeeTutorPosted on 2002-10-26 at 17:48:53ID: 7373734

AnimatorOne, any feedback?  What have you tried and with what results?

 

by: AnimatorOnePosted on 2002-10-27 at 07:05:34ID: 7374851

I am sorry I did not close this question, it was a virus. You may have the points Lee for your help.

Thanks!

 

by: boyertmPosted on 2004-12-13 at 02:58:49ID: 12807710

Can someone please tell me what virus caused this problem?  I'm having the same problem now.

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

Thanks in advance!

 

by: MentalSolutionsPosted on 2008-02-26 at 02:10:04ID: 20982881

it can be caused by the SirCam virus

 

by: northfieldwifiPosted on 2008-03-17 at 09:20:44ID: 21143625

I have this issue as well.  It's weird, for me it's happening on a server of ours.  The server is part of our domain.  If I copy and past and .exe to the server, it can't run that .exe.  but if I download the file from the internet directly onto the server, the server can run it.

The server has access to all our shared network drives, has full permission but can't run any .exe.

Anyone have a fix for this?

 

by: LeeTutorPosted on 2008-03-17 at 09:27:31ID: 21143680

northfieldwifi, you need to ask your own question instead of "piggybacking" on an already answered question by someone else.  Please see this page in the online Help documentation for Experts Exchange:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi86
Asking Questions

LeeTutor
Experts-Exchange Page Editor for Windows 3.x, 9x, ME, XP and Vista

 

by: FH_JGoodwinPosted on 2008-04-01 at 16:34:06ID: 21259031

I would like to thank northfieldwifi for "piggybacking" because his question solved my problem.  I was attempting to run WSUS2 SP1 from the Microsoft website.  Only by downloading and running from the server I wanted to run it on was the file able to be opened.  

 

by: davidablumPosted on 2008-04-29 at 09:33:15ID: 21463792

I fixed this by right clicking the .exe, Under General Tab, click the "Unblock" button. Seems to be a "feature" of win 2003 datacenter edition.

 

by: callypPosted on 2008-06-11 at 00:44:17ID: 21757666

windows cannot access the specified device path or file., you dont have appropriate permision in Domain controller

 

by: GameKiwiPosted on 2008-08-31 at 22:10:26ID: 22357629

Another possible solution is the following.  It worked for me.

On the Windows 2003 server, go to add/remove windows components, then uninstall the Internet Explorer Enhanced Security component

 

by: equalizer75Posted on 2008-09-17 at 17:27:42ID: 22505411

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

I am trying to install a software which I have used before. I just reformatted the Hard Drive. Despiter that this question has apparently been answered, NOTHING of all the possible solutions has worked for me at all.

So, I am wondering what I can do to RE-OPEN this issue. It is not possible to assume that this same solution that has worked for one PC user must work for everybody else facing this matter.

Would you please tell me what I can do to fix this problem ? I am using Windows XP Home Edition and I got sick and tired of reformatting the Hard Drive when facing bugs-related or software-functionality-related problems in my computer.

Thanks a lot in advance for your nice feedback on this concern.

Equalizer75.

 

by: mizterPosted on 2010-12-22 at 07:40:59ID: 34409851

If this solution could be any more useless...

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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