question

RobMuller-9462 avatar image
0 Votes"
RobMuller-9462 asked LucasCamargo-0787 commented

C:\Windows\system32\mmc.exe Windows cannot access the specified file. No Permissions

Running Server 2019. It's a Primary DC, DNS, and DHCP for my network.

I was trying to update and my update failed. In trying to resolve that, I now have this new error. When I go to the control panel and try to access the Disk Management snapin, it tells me:

C:\Windows\system32\mmc.exe
Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

If I go to the path directly and run mmc it runs fine. It also does this for C:\Windows\system32\control.exe when trying to change adapter options.

I've run sfc \scannow and it reported no problems. I'm at a loss as to what to do next.

windows-server-2019
5 |1600 characters needed characters left characters exceeded

Up to 10 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 3.0 MiB each and 30.0 MiB total.

cthivierge avatar image
6 Votes"
cthivierge answered LucasCamargo-0787 commented

Can you validate that the following policy is set to either Enabled or Disabled

Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options / User Account Control: Admin Approval Mode for the Built-in Administrator account.

There is a known issue with Windows 2019 as soon as you promote the server to a Domain Controller, this policy is reset to "no value". This cause a lot of issues.

hth

· 3
5 |1600 characters needed characters left characters exceeded

Up to 10 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 3.0 MiB each and 30.0 MiB total.

I'm pretty rusty with these things, where might I find Security Settings? I went into group policy and sniffed around but haven't found any Security Settings that include "Local Policies"

0 Votes 0 ·

Woah, you were absolutely right! It was unset! And when I fixed that, it fixed everything back to normal. Thank you!

1 Vote 1 ·

It also solved the problem for me, thanks!
And I really had just installed ADDS and promoted the server do Domain Controller (Windows Server 2019).
I was also having trouble finding the specified configuration so let me just repeat your answer below:

"Start /
Type Local Policies and click on local policies"

0 Votes 0 ·
DSPatrick avatar image
1 Vote"
DSPatrick answered

Is there really no other answer than rebuilding my server from scratch!??! That's ridiculous.

You could spend hours or days troubleshooting this issue or even hundreds of dollars in microsoft support calls. Standing up a new domain controller can be done in about 30 minutes, so to me it just doesn't seem worth spending much time on things like this.

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--







5 |1600 characters needed characters left characters exceeded

Up to 10 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 3.0 MiB each and 30.0 MiB total.

cthivierge avatar image
0 Votes"
cthivierge answered

Start /
Type Local Policies and click on local policies

5 |1600 characters needed characters left characters exceeded

Up to 10 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 3.0 MiB each and 30.0 MiB total.

DSPatrick avatar image
0 Votes"
DSPatrick answered

Just checking if there's any progress or updates?

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--



5 |1600 characters needed characters left characters exceeded

Up to 10 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 3.0 MiB each and 30.0 MiB total.

LimitlessTechnology-2700 avatar image
0 Votes"
LimitlessTechnology-2700 answered RobMuller-9462 commented

Hi @RobMuller-9462

Make sure you are an Administrator or you are part of the Domain Admins group if you are in a domain.

Permissions are rules associated with files that determine if you can access the file and what you can do with it. To check the permission of the file or folder, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click the file or folder, and then select Properties.

  2. Select the Security tab.

  3. Under Group or User names, click your name to see the permissions you have.

  4. Select Edit, and then select to check the checkboxes for the permissions that you need, and then select OK.

You might get this error if the shortcut or installation is attempting to access a location that is not currently available such as a networked or a removable drive. Check the path of the file that Windows cannot access and make sure that the location is accessible. and also You can also receive this error if the file has been moved or deleted. Browse to the location of the file and make sure the file is in that location.

In some cases, the file may be blocked by Windows. Check the properties of the file, there may be a note saying This file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer To check for and unblock the file, follow these steps:
Right-click the blocked file and then select Properties.

In the General tab, select Unblock if the option is available.

if the problem persists do follow the below link,

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/-windows-cannot-access-the-specified-device-path-or-file-error-when-you-try-to-install-update-or-start-a-program-or-file-46361133-47ed-6967-c13e-e75d3cc29657

Hope this answers all your queries, if not please do repost back.
If an Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it : )

· 1
5 |1600 characters needed characters left characters exceeded

Up to 10 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 3.0 MiB each and 30.0 MiB total.

Make sure you are an Administrator or you are part of the Domain Admins group if you are in a domain.

So here's the strang thing about what happened: I was logging in as the default Administrator account. But when I set up this server i set the standard administrative login to be something else (e.g. CAdmin). So now when I login to the CAdmin login it all works fine. I'm thinking maybe the "Administrator" login is only a local admin to the server? It's still wierd, but at least it's working now and I didn't have to rebuild the entire server.

0 Votes 0 ·
DSPatrick avatar image
0 Votes"
DSPatrick answered RobMuller-9462 commented

Simplest solution may be to stand up a new one for replacement.

I'd use dcdiag / repadmin tools to verify health correcting all errors found before starting any operations. Then stand up the new 2019, patch it fully, license it, join existing domain, add active directory domain services, promote it also making it a GC (recommended), transfer FSMO roles over (optional), transfer pdc emulator role (optional), use dcdiag / repadmin tools to again verify health, when all is good you can decommission / demote old one.


--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--





· 1
5 |1600 characters needed characters left characters exceeded

Up to 10 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 3.0 MiB each and 30.0 MiB total.

dcdiag shows only one problem:

Starting test: DFSREvent
There are warning or error events within the last 24 hours after the SYSVOL has been shared. Failing SYSVOL replication problems may
cause Group Policy problems.
......................... SERVER1 failed test DFSREvent

From my research it appears this will sort itself out after awhile. it's fairly recently rebooted. But i'm still looking into it.

repadmin /replsummary says 0 errors, repadmin /showrepl says all successful.

Is there really no other answer than rebuilding my server from scratch!??! That's ridiculous.

0 Votes 0 ·