Windows 7 - Defragmenter won't run: "Access is Denied"

Asked By Darkeforc

15-Mar-08 04:35 AM

Whenever I try to run the disk defragmenter, I get an error that says Access
is Denied. There is only one user on the computer; I'm the administrator. How
can I be denied from using that utility when I have full authorization to do
everything on the computer?

Windows XP SP2

15-Mar-08 09:59 AM

Why you want to defrag and did you run Disk CleanUp before defrag your HDD?.
Run the Disk Cleanup and scan for malware and viruses on this machine then
Start In Safe Mode and Defrag your system.
Here some info on how to repair Defrag if it damaged:
Open a run command and register these DLLs:
regsvr32 msxml3.dll
regsvr32 dfrgui.dll
regsvr32 dfrgsnap.dll

= Open Windows Explorer and locate this path;
C:\Windows\inf =in the right Pane/Window select dfrg.inf and right click on
it and select install

=Open a run command and type in:
services.msc
Locate this service and make sure it is started Automatic:
DCOM Server Process Launcher
Reboot your Machine and see if you can Defrag, best if you start it in safe
Mode.
Repair Disk Defragmenter in Windows 2000/XP
http://smallvoid.com/tweak/winnt/install.html#DEFRAG
Note you mean the Scannow command from the run command is:
sfc /scannow click [OK] and let it run.
HTH.
nass
---
http://www.nasstec.co.uk

15-Mar-08 10:17 AM

"Darkeforce" wrote:

15-Mar-08 06:28 PM

I did all these, and it failed to fix the problem. When I try to run
Defragmenter from Accessories/System Tools I still get:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dfrg.msc
Access is denied


I cannot run this either. It says Access is denied as well


I still get an Access is denied error in safe mode.


I can't follow most of what it says on that page and the linked pages.

Just to note, though. I can use defrag.exe from the C:\ prompt; at least it
successfully did an analysis.

15-Mar-08 06:40 PM

Okay, can you please state what version of XP Operating system you have, is
it XP Home Edition or XP Professional?, and how many users on this machine
and do they have Admin privileges?.
What security software you have installed and does the machine perform well
other than the Defrag issue?.
HTH.
nass
----
http://www.nasstec.co.uk

15-Mar-08 07:19 PM

XP Home Edition 5.1, Build 2600, Version 2002 SP2
There are no other users, as I stated in the first message.
I have Sympatico Security Manager installed for Antivirus, Firewall and
Anti-Spyware.
I have ran Spybot S&D and AdAware recently, and removed some spyware
I have ran two different Virus Scans, and I am in the process of running a
third even now. Viruses have been removed by previous virus scans.

The system is sluggish, even after the spyware and viruses have been
removed, and the Disk Defragmenter problem persisted. A specific problem I
noted was a tendency to hang when I selected single-line text-fields of forms.


Several system tools have been giving me the following error when I close
them as well:

memory could not be "read".
Click on OK to terminate the program"

15-Mar-08 07:35 PM

Go through these Cleaning steps:
1... Click start >> Control Panel >> Double Click Network and Internet
Connections >> Double click Internet Options, on the IE Properties window
you will see these Options:
General | Security | Privacy | Content | Connections | Programs

Click on General Tab (1st Tab on the left) and you will see a Button called
[ Clear History ..] click on it to clear your History caches, then click on
[Delete Files..] to delete Internet Files created over the time, click on [
Delete Cookies...] to delete your cookies left by visiting websites.

Then click on Advanced tab and scroll down to under the Browsing Option:
[&] Browsing
[  ] Enable Third-Party browser extensions (Req Rest) uncheck this box.
= Then try to Disable the Add-Ons on your Browser somehow installed on your
browser, On how to disable the Add-ons follow this:
Click on Programs Tab and then click the Manage Add-Ons Button there Disable
the None/Not Verified Plug-ins/Add-ons ( you need to Renable them one-by-one
later and see which is the culprit .
How to manage Add-Ons:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883256
Scan for malware from here:
SuperAntispyware - Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html
RootkitRevealer v1.71
By Bryce Cogswell and Mark Russinovich
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Security/RootkitRevealer.mspx

Run a scan from here on-line:
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx
Download Avast Cleaner (off-line scanner) from here:
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-virus-cleaner.html

Lots of tools to download and disinfect your machine (off-line scanner):
http://www.bitdefender.co.uk/site/Downloads/browseFreeRemovalTool/

After the scan run disk clean-up on your drive and run this command:
sfc /scannow click [OK] and let it run till it finish and reboot your
machine.

Open a Notepad, customize or minimize to the taskbar as you will need it
later for this step to copy the error message on it.
Open a run command and type in:
eventvwr.msc click [OK] you will get the Event viewer control Panel.
click on each of these:
Application
System
Security
Look in the right Pane/window for error message with red (X) or Yellow
exclamation mark /!\ , double click each one to get more info about the
causer.
On the Event error properties message you will see:
Up Arrow
Down arrow
Two pages
Click on the two pages to copy the error message then bring up the Notepad
you opened earlier and right click on the first line and select Paste from
the list, this will paste the error message on a Notepad.
Please don't duplicate the error message one of each kind will be sufficient.
HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427/en-us

About the Error message:"The instruction at "0x022a2ee5" referenced memory
at "0xdd28ffff". The  memory could not be "read".
Click on OK to terminate the program". It could be a result of Bad BHO
installed from the infection or a RAM stick gone bad or a corrupt/damaged
program on your machine, so try to test the RAM by unzipping the Memory test
Zip file from the link below on a CD and test it.

You may have a bad RAM try to test your RAM by running Memory test by
downloading this tool and unzip it and make a floppy or CD/DVD and run it on
Reboot.
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp.
You may need to reposition/reset the RAM sticks in their slots.


Download the Hijackthis and send the report to one of
many
forums for analysis and troubleshooting:
When all else fails, HijackThis v2.0.2
(http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/threat_analytics/hijackthis.php) is
the preferred tool to use.
It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware. Post
your log to:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30,
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html,
http://forums.subratam.org/index.php?showforum=7
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial42.html
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/
Or other appropriate
forums for expert analysis, not here.
Can you please send me a copy at  to_you_rossREMOVETHIS@yahoo.co.uk , remove
the obvious to email me.
Let us know your progress.
nass
----
http://www.nasstec.co.uk

16-Mar-08 09:48 PM

Above steps done, although "sfc /scannow" messed with my display settings,
requiring me to reinstall my display drivers


Cannot run eventvwr.msc. It says access is denied. It seems that I cannot
access any resource on my computer that is *.msc


Posting results now. I will update this when I get any results. Any
suggestions you might have with my inability to run *.msc programs would be
greatly appreciated, though.

18-Mar-08 09:07 AM

How to reset security settings back to the defaults
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222

18-Mar-08 09:16 AM

Sorry I think that command will only work with XP Pro

18-Mar-08 07:32 PM

I tried that, but it said " 'secedit' is not recognized as an internal or
external command, operable file or batch file"

18-Apr-08 09:52 PM

On Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:40:01 -0700, nass

I don't know how permissions for the file are supposed to be,
but you might want to find out what is going on.

Try opening Windows Explorer to C:\WINDOWS\system32,
selecting dfrg.msc, right clicking and selecting properties.

Then in the "dfrg.msc Properties" window select the "Security" tab
Report the results for "Group or usernames" Administrators
and for the specific username that you are running from.

Also click on the "Advanced" button and see what is going
on in the "Permissions" tab for Administrators.
My version of the file
has "Allow" set for all categories except the grayed out

The other tabs also may be useful, especially "Effective Permissions"
for the username that you are using.

The account that I use for defragmenting has all boxes
checked in under "Effective permissions"

(As an aside, I've gotten an error message from a compare program
running in an Administrator account that said I had no permission to
read the file and I wasn't the owner, but I was permitted to change
the owner of the file.  I don't know if the Administrator username
itself would have been denied immediate access.)

18-Apr-08 10:38 PM

I thought I had posted this in all the places I asked for help. I wiped my
harddrive and reinstalled WinXP. That solved the problem.

Thanks for all the advice and help.

19-Apr-08 08:11 AM

Mark

Windows XP Home Edition here. I have no Security tab for dfrg.msc!

--



Hope  this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

27-Oct-08 01:53 PM

Try this

go to c\windows\system32\dfrg.msc

right click and select runas

in that select as current user\adminstrator

and then uncheck the box marked as protect my computer....

try it if it runs good for you

03-Nov-08 02:03 AM

I hope this helps somebody, I found out what the issue was. Also, this would happen with *ALL* .msc files, services.msc, gpedit.msc, diskmgmt.msc, etc.



It seems some virus, spyware or some other malware substituted this Registry Key [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\Shell\Open\Command] from a REG_EXPANDABLE_SZ type to a REG_SZ, hence the "Access is denied" because that wouldn't allow to form a proper command.



The solution is to remove the Key and recreate it by importing the following into the Registry:



Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00



[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\Shell\Open\Command]

@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,6d,00,6d,00,\

63,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,20,00,25,00,2a,\

00,00,00



Peace!

04-Nov-08 09:02 PM

Edgar,



Thanks for the information.  I will try this as soon as I get to the office.  I looked at registry daa for my home pc  XP-MCE and it looks exactly like your data for MSC.

Question:  How did you learn this technique?



I think this problem started after plugging in a clients USB memory stick that contained a virus or related threat.  Symantec Corporate 10.1.6000 caught it but I think

, after the damage was done.  NEW RULE  no more client USB's without a way to scan them first.





thanks again



Keith

23-Nov-08 09:41 AM

Please help. I have the same problem. I use window xp (P). I was able to defragment my PC drive but noticed  denied access  windows\system32\defrg.msc message. In fact ALL msc programs have been denied access. I suspected sort of virus or Norton 360. I have used an USB bought from Ebaya and has sort of virus that files can't be deleted and Norton can't detect it. Please help.

23-Nov-08 11:38 AM

The suggestions by Nass in this thread are worth trying.
http://www.eggheadcafe.com/software/aspnet/31832431/defragmenter-wont-run-.aspx


--



Hope  this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

23-Nov-08 07:38 PM

Access denied  windows\system32\defrg.msc

Denied access Windows Defragmentor

I am using Window XP, and Norton 360



I found the Disk Defragmenter program not work. The program has   “access denied    Windows\system32\defrag. Msc “messages.  The program was fine months ago.

Originally I though the Norton 360 program was blocking the defragmenter but it only happens to my Toshiba, not the other computers I have got. So, it is not likely the Norton program.

Writing to Window Help and Norton Help centres, not much information nor help.

Checking the net and computer forums, noted there were/are people having similar problem.

The highly possible reason is a Malware/virus that unable to be detected by Norton got into the computer, changed the “ALL  .Msc” programs, denied be accessed.  The   ‘  .Msc ‘ programs are those performance maintenance programs within window.

I checked the Toshiba and noted the Maintenance programs denied access, and  I did have the USB got from EBay plugged to the Toshiba, the USB has Malware and had been discarded. That happened 1-2 months ago .

According to the forum, unless one knows what to do to revert the programs otherwise wipe out the hard drive and reinstalls the Windows is the choice.

If it’s not the economic crisis and I have a better status of finance, I would just get someone to do it or else. BUT this time, I have to do it myself and 5 hours spent to clarify above already.



Please help help help with thanks

23-Nov-08 11:50 PM

To All....

I have got it. I checked the net forum for 2 whold days and more than 10 hours and even didn't have my meals and have a flight with my wife trying to be alone to solve the problem. Somehow in the forum I got the message.

Locate the dfrg.msc , right click, run as. Uncleck the protected my computer, then run. It worked.

Wow

Paul

24/11/08 Australia

29-Nov-08 11:51 AM

Edgar,



Thanks for posting the regedit tip.  Where did you find this technique?  I backed up my registry, created the new key, and then tried to delete the old one, but it wouldn't let me remove it so I just ended up modifying the original.  I then noticed that it was "REG_EXPANDABLE_SZ" in the first place, so I'm assuming that's not whats causing my "Access Denied" problem.  Btw, I'm getting my error message when trying to schedule defrag.exe, not when running it normally through System Tools.  Works fine for me through there.



-Brendan

Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command

Norfolk, Virginia

29-Nov-08 11:52 AM

Edgar,



Thanks for posting the regedit tip.  Where did you find this technique?  I backed up my registry, created the new key, and then tried to delete the old one, but it wouldn't let me remove it so I just ended up modifying the original.  I then noticed that it was "REG_EXPANDABLE_SZ" in the first place, so I'm assuming that's not whats causing my "Access Denied" problem.  Btw, I'm getting my error message when trying to schedule defrag.exe, not when running it normally through System Tools.  Works fine for me through there.



-Brendan

Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command

Norfolk, Virginia

01-Dec-08 12:19 AM

I can confirm that the registry edit Edgar Sanchez provided resolved this issue. Thanks Edgar!



As a side note, when I right-clicked defrag and changed the protect my computer option in "run as," the change didn't stick; it only ran once. I *could* also run it as either administrator or myself (both are admins) or click "Author" in the right-click menu.



I started experiencing this very denial to run .msc applications after contracting W32.Silly, Google redirect virus, and [some other small annoyances]. They were hidden within a "license" Windows Media Player prompted me to install in order to play a video capture of the election night speeches. The license was associated with "Homeview." Symantec AV 10 Corporate caught the intruders, but wasn't able to stop all of the spawning and registry changes before it was too late. My Silly variant just happened to call kdkea.exe withing the Win/Cur/Run registry keys.



Symantec has generic removal instructions for W32.Silly variants here: http://securityresponse.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2006-071111-0646-99&tabid=3



I'm still fighting with the google one as SDFix helped but didn't cure me. Thread here: http://www.computing.net/answers/security/google-redirect-virus-help/23894.html



Good luck everyone!

14-Jan-09 04:12 PM

Hello Edgar,

I'm suffering the same access problems, and wonder if you'd mind posting a
step-by-step guide to editing the registry in the way you'd suggested?  I ask
as i'm not exactly computer literate and i'm having difficulty working out if
i need to modify the binary value, or exactly what the process is.

Many thanks,
David

29-Mar-09 10:04 PM

Win XP:
my defrag does not work, so I tried going to msc file

What does it mean when error says,  MMC cannot open file dfrg.msc is not an
MMC console or was created by a later version of of MMC . This may be becuase
you do not have suffiecient acces rights.

What should I do ?  the file exists, I can see it is there. Thanks.

24-Apr-09 07:02 AM

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14-May-09 05:25 AM

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