Dont have permission to update Windows XP

[Bigjakkstaffa]

I'm returnign to my own personal PC after some time away from it, and it's running as well as it ever did, however today i finally decided to take the plunge and install XP SP2, so i fired the setup file and let it do its thing when suddenly i was struck with the following error Message:

"You do not have permission to update Windows XP. Please contact your system Administrator"

To whichi thought "eh?" - i checked in Computer managment and indeed, i am still a member of Administrators and as such i should have full control, i also had a quick poke around local security policy editor to see if there was anything that could be over-riding it in there but was unabel to see anything. Curious i started poking around a bit more and found i no longer have sufficient access rights to run Acronis True Image, or even do anythign so simple as adjust the Windows clock.

I've been chasing this for a few hours now and cant think of anything that woudl be causing this - your help woudl be greatly appreciate boys n girls

Cheers

--Jakk:t

[BipolarBill]

Have you checked Control Panel to see if you still have admin privileges? Check each user.

It's possible to hack into a system that has no password for Admin by assigning one from outside and demoting the user to a lesser level.

[Bigjakkstaffa]

Yep - im still recognised as "Computer Administrator" in CPL and a member of the Administrators group in ther Computer Managment MMC.

Furthermore while ive not been using this PC on a daily basis recently i have been at home on the same network and carrying out my usual maintainance and security checks and there have been no security breaches.

It's got me stumped this one

--Jakk:t

[BipolarBill]

Have you rebooted?

[Bigjakkstaffa]

Problem persists after reboot. Interestingly enough i just logged in via the built in Windows "Administrator" administrator account and that too is reporting that it insufficient rights to change the time, update etc.

:confused:

--Jakk:t

[BipolarBill]

Well, that's nasty. You can't even scan for bugs!

You say you have Acronis. You may want to restore a backup.

[Bigjakkstaffa]

Hmmn, this is bugging the life out of me.

The irritating thing is that to nearly all intents and purposes i still have full admin control, i can install, uninstall etc. - all the daily admin-ly things you need to do - without any hassle, which leads me to suggest the accounts do still genuinely have admin rights, but something somwhere else (possibly in gpedit or lsecpol) is conflicting with it methinks :confused:

Oh well

--Jakk:t

[chubtub]

I have had this happen before on one of my work comps. I scanned the thing up and down and left and right, could not find a thing. A week later I had rights no clue how or why. I marked it up to a microsoft bug.

P.S. I even tried to run the updates out of there folders.

[Bigjakkstaffa]

I've been fiddling about all afternoon now and im not going anywhere with it - im'a jack it in and go to the pub shortly. Guess i'll just leave it a while and see what it does, if it doesnt resolve itself i may be forced to do a repai from an XP SP2 Slipstream Install Disk i've got (i'm back away from home now and havent got any full system back up's with me)

Ho hum

--Jakk:t

[rraehal]

There is a system policy that can be set to prevent automatic updates (critical patches), optional patches, and driver updates from any microsoft update site. Somehow this policy is set for your machine. Is it a memeber of a domain? The admins could have set the policy. (but I think this is personal been a while since I saw you post a PC question).

Check the Group Policy with MMC. You will find the main settings under:
Local Computer Policy\User Configuartion\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update AND
Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update

Make sure the settings are appropriate.

[Bigjakkstaffa]

Checked that already and it's not configured in a manner that would be problematic. Also the restriction is being applied on a redistriubtable SP update from the client side. Also this group policy setting would fail to explain why im being locked out of features such as Windows Time etc. The machine itself is my personal PC and as such is not part of a domain, and is the only machine on it's workgroup

Any more suggestions are welcomed because im fresh out of ideas

--Jakk:t

[bruceb]

Are you running Windows XP Home or Pro ?

Did you check Folder Permissions ?

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/filesharing.mspx

[Bigjakkstaffa]

XP Pro - checked permissions and all Administrators have full control on all drives and sub folders

--Jakk:t

[bruceb]

Try resetting the folder permissions for the System Folders & the Windows Directory & possibly also the Root Directory

Also see this site ... lots of good tips & utilities there

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/

[Bigjakkstaffa]

Well i managed to get SP2 onto the system, though the means by which i had to do it was somewhat unorthodox - basically i had to do a reapir install from an XP SP2 slipstream disk. I was hoping this might set things straight in relation to this issue however it doesnt appear so, as i was going to have a play about with DEP but the system woudl not allow me to do so as "To change these settings, you must be an Administrator for this computer" - something which i clearly am.

Oh well - i give up

--Jakk:t

[Sterling_Aug]

Send me an email.

I have a registry hack that may work for you. I use it at work to turn Windows updates on or off for each user. It is based on a Microsoft article I found in the Knowledgebase.

I'll email you the .reg files for both on and off.