Permissions errors in registry

I've encountered an odd problem. The HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section of the
registry has no permissions assigned to it. Here is what properties
reports:

No permissions have been assigned for this object.

Warning: this is a potential security risk because anyone who can access
this object can take ownership of it. The object's owner should assign
permissions as soon as possible.

I discovered this when a program that needs to write registry entries to
this section wouldn't install. I've tried adding ADMINISTRATOR and
ADMINISTRATORS permissions but, when I do, other sections of the registry
get corrupted, I lose a number of services, and have to use system restore
to get the computer up and running again.

Anyone have any idea how this happened and what I can do to correct it?
This is OEM Vista Business and a re-install will require starting from
scratch, removing the crapware, downloading and installing all updates and
then re-installing all of the software that I use (which is extensive). I
really don't want to do that.

I too have just experienced the problem and a search on the phrase "No
permissions have been assigned for this object" shows we're not the only ones.

I don't know the complete fix, but a couple of people have reset permissions
and things seemed to be OK. I first experienced this problem with an iTunes
update and it seems just now with Adobe Acrobat update. I think from now on
before I apply updates for either of those programs that I will create a
restore point first, do the update, then check the registry.

Anyway, the permissions to use, per the other posts, are:

System --> Full Access
Administrators --> Full Access
Users --> Read Access

These are for "This key and all subkeys"

Then, for Creator Owner, use the advanced permissions and give full control
but to "Subkeys Only"

Apply those changes and see if that helps.

Of course, Google for help from others first and edit the registry at your
own risk.

On Feb 12, 3:57 pm, Doug Perreault
<DougPerrea...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> I too have just experienced the problem and a search on the phrase "No
> permissions have been assigned for this object" shows we're not the only ones.
>
> I don't know the complete fix, but a couple of people have reset permissions
> and things seemed to be OK. I first experienced this problem with an iTunes
> update and it seems just now with Adobe Acrobat update. I think from now on
> before I apply updates for either of those programs that I will create a
> restore point first, do the update, then check the registry.
>
> Anyway, the permissions to use, per the other posts, are:
>
> System --> Full Access
> Administrators --> Full Access
> Users --> Read Access
>
> These are for "This key and all subkeys"
>
> Then, for Creator Owner, use the advanced permissions and give full control
> but to "Subkeys Only"
>
> Apply those changes and see if that helps.
>
> Of course, Google for help from others first and edit the registry at your
> own risk.

I just tried it (after a setting a restore point, of course). So far,
so good.

Thanks!