Groupmind

[scarfman]

We've got a Vista laptop that since yesterday won't start any programs without giving the error message, "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item." (Though sometimes it starts the program anyway.) The only user on the machine is the administrator. Any ideas?

Comments

[sabremeister]

Wipe Vista and install XP or Win7

[dave-iii.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you have a missing driver or .dll file. You can try uninstalling and reinstalling (wholly and from scratch) the device in question, or reinstalling the entire operating system. The second option may well be a "blow up the house because the faucet is leaking" solution, but it *DOES* work.

Obviously, back everything up-- twice, if need be-- and prepare for the process to take longer than necessary. I'd also recommend it being a "second-to-last resort" plan, just before "Throw the stupid thing out the window".

[scarfman]

a missing driver or .dll file

That's something that can produce this message for every attempt to open anything?

[dave-iii.livejournal.com]

If I'm right, it'd actually be weirder for it *not* to do it every time. I like to think of drivers as being the interface between the OS and the program/device/appliance/etc., kinda like the stem between the fruit and the tree. If the stem is healthy, then the fruit grows like it's supposed to; if it's damaged or affected some way, then the fruit withers and is a lot less likely to get eaten.

Drivers, et al are supposed to be a lot harder to accidentally erase or corrupt, but OS updates can cause issues by creating an incompatibility, a virus might have snuck in and caused damage, and (worst case scenario) your hard drive may have developed an error.

**EDIT** It seems I mis-read your original post and thought the messages were only cropping up on using a specific device, rather than every time you do *anything*-- Everything I said still stands, but it appears you'll have to track down what's actually causing the screw-up. Windows Update *might* have a fix, but I find that to be rather hit or miss, with a heavy portion of misses. It's worth a shot, if you're comfortable with it.

That, or go straight to Plan B.

[tempusdominus10.livejournal.com]

oh lord. i hate that sort of thing. does it have that bios thingie and can you get to THAT?maybe you cna do something from there?

Micro-puft.

[abates.livejournal.com]

I only have XP, but if I shift-right click on a program, I get a "Run as..." option that lets me select which user to run the program as. That would at least let you check it's it messed up in that area...

[scarfman]

I can try that, but the computer has only one user.