Windows XP User Problems

[pacmania_2001]

As the computer profile states I am running Windows XP Pro(w/out SP1) and recently I have encountered the error message.

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

Up until a week or so I didn't get this message now I get it whenever I try to access things like the clock or the control panel. I am also the administrator of the computer so it doesn't make any sense for this type of error to be showing up.

Anyone got any suggestions about a possible cause and fix?

[redwudz]

Take a look at the Microsoft Database. You should be able to find solutions there. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;KBHOWTO SP1 or parts of it are sometimes needed, especially to fill the holes in XP's security and to enable USB2 and other useful functions.

[gitreel]

As the computer profile states I am running Windows XP Pro(w/out SP1)

Are you waiting until sp2?

[pacmania_2001]

Had my hard drive crash on me a few months back and since I got it back just haven't had the need to upgrade to SP1 again.

[rallynavvie]

Lots of security vulnerabilities in non-updated XP, I hope that computer is isolated from the net.

[pacmania_2001]

Updated to SP1 and still having the problem.

[thecoalman]

If you were running windows without the updates with no firewall you probably have a worm. Matter of fact I can gurantee you have a worm. You only need to connect to the internet with a unpatched version of XP with no firewall. It's just a matter of time then.

One way to determine this is if you connect to the internet and are getting really slow speeds. Worms propogate themselves by using infected computers to infect other computers. If your sent amount in KB's is higher or near the amout in received you have a worm. You can also download a firewall such as Zonealarm. www.zonelabs.com Once you install it it wqill tell what is trying to access the internet.

[flaninacupboard]

upgrade to windows 2000 :P

[pacmania_2001]

I know for certain I don't have a worm.

My system security is probably much higher even without the SP1 patch applied than 90% of the computers on the internet today.

[thecoalman]

Well I hope your right ......But, i just did a google search for ( "windows cannot access" worm ) no paretheses. Seems your error is associated with a worm(s). Good Luck!

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22windows+cannot+access%22+worm

[pacmania_2001]

Alrighty, fixed the problem.

It turns out another user of the computer had created a firewall access rule that prevented Run DLL as an App and once that was disabled I could regain access back into things like the clock and control panel.

The thing that turned me onto the possible cause was that if I quickly clicked on the control panel or the clock when Windows first loaded the startup items I could access those things so it must have been something being loaded at startup. Also I remember reading some abstract information about it on the internet.

Thanks all for your help. Much apppreciated

[flaninacupboard]

weird, a good firewall should load as a servce before you can click anything.....