Administrator account not allowing me to make changes

C

click23

I have two XP desktops. I am the only one using each, therefore each one only has one user account, myself, and that account is an administrator account for both desktops. The one PC I have no problem making changes in Run > msconfig > Selective startup. The other PC, I am the user administrator as I already said, and I don't have a password to log on either PC user account. When I go to Run > msconfig, and try to disable some of my startup items under "Selective Startup", I always get an error message something to the effect of, "I need to be an administrator to make changes to these settings, etc." Even when I click on "Normal Startup" I receive the same message when I click on Apply and/or OK to accept the changes. Basically I cannot make changes in msconfig, and I need to in my startup programs.
Why does this keep happening, and how do I enable my PC to let me make changes?
This is driving me nuts. Please help.
 
Check permissions

on the msconfig files (system.ini, win.ini, boot.ini) and possibly the Documents and Settings\All Users\Program Files\Startup folder. Your username, even if you are an admin, may be on the DENY list of one or more of these.
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enable everything in msconfig first. Or Just click normal Startup.

Then Restart

Now go into msconfig and make your changes
Should let you apply settings now.
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Try creating a new account with admin acess and see if that works

if this works then your user account may be corrupted and you can transfer your files and data to the new account and delete the other one.
=================

when you try these steps do one at a time, check, and then try the next one and create a restore point each time to cover yourself.

Also, it would be good to check for infections, do the following:

Download, install, update and do full scan with these free malware detection programs:

Malwarebytes Free (MBAM): http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/

SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/

Remove all found, reboot, and run again until scans run clean, these can be removed afterwards if you so choose. Run scans one at a time, please.

and also what is your current antivirus and/or any other scanners installed?
are you updated to the last of the xp updates??
 
Thank you for your reply.
In msconfig, where are "permissions" to check? I'm not sure what you mean by that. I don't see a "DENY" list anywhere. Just to reiterate, I am the only owner with an administrator account on this desktop. If I click on normal startup, won't that lose all my selective startup settings? I won't remember what my selective startup settings were. I use Norton Antivirus Security Suite, and no other spyware software.
 
you will go to the control panel, select folder options and set your files to show hidden files

search.jpg


then the files system.ini, win.ini, boot.ini, will be visible, you will right click on the file and choose properties and then choose the security tab, highlight your user name and below you will see a column that will say allow, make sure the Full Control is highlighted. apply, and exit out. sometimes you have to restart to set changes, but most of the time the change is automatic.
 
ALSO: (reply 2) I do not use msconfig to configure startups, I use ccleaner which will do it for me, but yes you can take a screen shot of your msconfig as you have it set , save image to your pictures and then you will know how to set it back.

to take a screenshot, press alt + print screen for just the dialog box or print screen for the whole screen.

then you will go to start, all programs, accessories, paint

in paint, click edit, then paste and the screen shot will be there and you can edit or save as is, but save as jpg image, because paint's default save is as bitmap image, in case you ever want to post the image, as most forums will not allow .bmp image.
 
Ha you tried The "Runas" command?
you have to goto
Start
Run
CMD (Enter)
Type Runas (your admi account) and msconfig.exe
 
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