Vista Security Problem

Working with Vista Ultimate on a 2.66Ghz laptop with 2Gb memory. I now find
a red icon in the tray. The message is that the security service is not
running yet I cannot find the security service in admin tools/computer
management. In my user account, I can do virtually nothing... launching any
icon generates an access/permission error. Cannot get on the internet and
get a message that I can not log off/shut down. In the safe mode of my admin
account, I can navigate the internet, launch some programs, etc. In a prior
posting, I was advised to locate the hidden administrator account to enable.
I found the account and uncheecked 'disable'. My concern at this point is to
restart the computer as I would expect that this admin account will require a
password. Already tried 'last known good configuration'. It was first
sustpected that malware was involved but I was able to install malwarebytes
in safe mode as admin. Two instances were found and removed which did not
address the acess/permission problem. Guidance sought.

You didn't specify if you got to the service which is located under
Administrative Tools > Services in Control Panel. Just do a Search from the
start menu for Services. Also, the built in full Administrator account does
require a password unless you apply one.
--
Best regards,
Andre Da Costa
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com

"Maurice" <> wrote in message
news50F740B-6C7F-41C7-8A0B-...
> Working with Vista Ultimate on a 2.66Ghz laptop with 2Gb memory. I now
> find
> a red icon in the tray. The message is that the security service is not
> running yet I cannot find the security service in admin tools/computer
> management. In my user account, I can do virtually nothing... launching
> any
> icon generates an access/permission error. Cannot get on the internet and
> get a message that I can not log off/shut down. In the safe mode of my
> admin
> account, I can navigate the internet, launch some programs, etc. In a
> prior
> posting, I was advised to locate the hidden administrator account to
> enable.
> I found the account and uncheecked 'disable'. My concern at this point is
> to
> restart the computer as I would expect that this admin account will
> require a
> password. Already tried 'last known good configuration'. It was first
> sustpected that malware was involved but I was able to install
> malwarebytes
> in safe mode as admin. Two instances were found and removed which did not
> address the acess/permission problem. Guidance sought.

Andre:

Much thanks for your continued support. Rebooted under the newly created
admin account. Regrettably, services cannot be accessed. The message:
Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have
the appropriate permissions to access the icon. As administrator in safe
mode I can get to the security center service and click start but to no avail
because the message: Service cannot be started in safe mode is generated. I
am a MCP but have never encountered anything like this. What is left to try?

"Andre Da Costa" wrote:

> You didn't specify if you got to the service which is located under
> Administrative Tools > Services in Control Panel. Just do a Search from the
> start menu for Services. Also, the built in full Administrator account does
> require a password unless you apply one.
> --
> Best regards,
> Andre Da Costa
> http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
>
> "Maurice" <> wrote in message
> news50F740B-6C7F-41C7-8A0B-...
> > Working with Vista Ultimate on a 2.66Ghz laptop with 2Gb memory. I now
> > find
> > a red icon in the tray. The message is that the security service is not
> > running yet I cannot find the security service in admin tools/computer
> > management. In my user account, I can do virtually nothing... launching
> > any
> > icon generates an access/permission error. Cannot get on the internet and
> > get a message that I can not log off/shut down. In the safe mode of my
> > admin
> > account, I can navigate the internet, launch some programs, etc. In a
> > prior
> > posting, I was advised to locate the hidden administrator account to
> > enable.
> > I found the account and uncheecked 'disable'. My concern at this point is
> > to
> > restart the computer as I would expect that this admin account will
> > require a
> > password. Already tried 'last known good configuration'. It was first
> > sustpected that malware was involved but I was able to install
> > malwarebytes
> > in safe mode as admin. Two instances were found and removed which did not
> > address the acess/permission problem. Guidance sought.
>

Hello,

- Have you changed any security permissions on files recently?
- What virus scanner do you use? Can you try temporarily disabling it and
see if the 'Windows cannot access...' message goes away.
- If I understand you correctly, you do not get the 'Windows cannot access'
message in safe mode.

Additionally, It sounds like there may be some restrictive group policy
settings in place:

Using the built-in administrator account, start the local group policy
editor for both the local computer and your normal username:

- Click start
- Type: mmc.exe
- Press enter
- Select file -> add/remove snapin
- Select 'group policy object editor' from the list in the left
- click add, accept the default of local computer, and click finish
- Select it again in the left
- click add, click browse, click users, select your normal username, then ok
and finish
- click ok to get back to the management console

Now, expand out all the 'administrative templates' folders, and all their
subfolders, in the left. (There's a lot of them).

Click on each folder in the left, and manually audit any setting in the
right that does not have a state of 'not configured' (the default).

- JB


"Maurice" <> wrote in message
news:EB1F7453-1E8A-4EA4-8569-...
> Andre:
>
> Much thanks for your continued support. Rebooted under the newly created
> admin account. Regrettably, services cannot be accessed. The message:
> Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not
> have
> the appropriate permissions to access the icon. As administrator in safe
> mode I can get to the security center service and click start but to no
> avail
> because the message: Service cannot be started in safe mode is generated.
> I
> am a MCP but have never encountered anything like this. What is left to
> try?
>
> "Andre Da Costa" wrote:
>
>> You didn't specify if you got to the service which is located under
>> Administrative Tools > Services in Control Panel. Just do a Search from
>> the
>> start menu for Services. Also, the built in full Administrator account
>> does
>> require a password unless you apply one.
>> --
>> Best regards,
>> Andre Da Costa
>> http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
>>
>> "Maurice" <> wrote in message
>> news50F740B-6C7F-41C7-8A0B-...
>> > Working with Vista Ultimate on a 2.66Ghz laptop with 2Gb memory. I now
>> > find
>> > a red icon in the tray. The message is that the security service is
>> > not
>> > running yet I cannot find the security service in admin tools/computer
>> > management. In my user account, I can do virtually nothing...
>> > launching
>> > any
>> > icon generates an access/permission error. Cannot get on the internet
>> > and
>> > get a message that I can not log off/shut down. In the safe mode of my
>> > admin
>> > account, I can navigate the internet, launch some programs, etc. In a
>> > prior
>> > posting, I was advised to locate the hidden administrator account to
>> > enable.
>> > I found the account and uncheecked 'disable'. My concern at this point
>> > is
>> > to
>> > restart the computer as I would expect that this admin account will
>> > require a
>> > password. Already tried 'last known good configuration'. It was
>> > first
>> > sustpected that malware was involved but I was able to install
>> > malwarebytes
>> > in safe mode as admin. Two instances were found and removed which did
>> > not
>> > address the acess/permission problem. Guidance sought.
>>