Forum Home
Press F1
 
Thread ID: 108033 2010-03-11 06:17:00 Vista: Can't run anything as administrator - "file not found" Agent_24 (57) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
866148 2010-03-11 06:17:00 A couple of days ago I rebooted my PC after using hibernate for about 2 weeks

Upon restart, I noticed the sound icon had a red cross through it (sound still works though)

If I open "playback devices" or whatever, the items are there but have no icons (see attached image)

I tried to open device manager to see if there was a driver problem and I got this error:


[Window Title]
%SystemRoot%\\system32\\devmgmt.msc

[Content]
Windows cannot find '%SystemRoot%\\system32\\devmgmt.msc'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

[OK]

I gave up and used Ubuntu for a while (dual boot) but now I'm on Vista again and I notice a strange thing.

If I run, for example, cmd.exe with my standard user account, it works fine.

If I try to run it as Administrator, I get this:


[Window Title]
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe

[Content]
Windows cannot find 'C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

[OK]

So for some reason, everything that needs to run (or tries to run) as Administrator, can't be found (even though the file is there and there is nothing wrong with it!)


Has anyone seen anything like this before?
Agent_24 (57)
866149 2010-03-11 06:26:00 Try System Restore? Renmoo (66)
866150 2010-03-11 06:27:00 I can't run System Restore, for the reason above.


[Window Title]
C:\Windows\System32\rstrui.exe

[Content]
Windows cannot find 'C:\Windows\System32\rstrui.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

[OK]
Agent_24 (57)
866151 2010-03-11 07:46:00 Corrupt profile maybe? Speedy Gonzales (78)
866152 2010-03-11 07:55:00 Yeah, possibly a corrupt profile.

Run system restore from Windows Recovery PE(Vista Recovery Disc, or if you have it installed already on the partition...)

Might want to have a look at eventvwr too, from the working user account(or make another Admin account)

Blam
Blam (54)
866153 2010-03-11 08:52:00 Which profile though?

Mine or Administrator?

I can't make a new account through Control Panel either, or run Event Viewer, of course.
Agent_24 (57)
866154 2010-03-11 09:01:00 Its possible the admin security settings have turned turtle - you can try running This here (support.microsoft.com) and see if it fixes it.

Can you log into the real admin account, ( not the usual user account) if its not showing you may have to unhide it the long way As described here (www.mydigitallife.info) - Because the other way you need to use cmd, but "run as administrator" - which you cant do.
wainuitech (129)
866155 2010-03-11 09:10:00 Sadly that doesn't work either, with Microsoft's fix-it installer I get this:


[Window Title]
Windows Installer

[Main Instruction]
The system administrator has set policies to prevent this installation.

[OK]

Following their commands manually is impossible too, I run into a brick wall at:

In Windows Vista
Click Start and then type cmd in the Start Search box.
In the results area, right-click cmd.exe, and then click Run as administrator.


I'll try System Restore from the DVD...
Agent_24 (57)
866156 2010-03-11 09:16:00 What if you run the fixit file? Speedy Gonzales (78)
866157 2010-03-11 09:22:00 What if you run the fixit file?

I just said that didn't work in my previous post...

Never mind, I just did a System Restore using the DVD and everything seems back to normal.

I still would have liked to know what caused this problem, to avoid it happening again...
Agent_24 (57)
1 2