"Error 5: Access Denied" - what should I do?

Windows 7 users may experience the “Error 5: Access Denied ” malfunction while using a computer. It signals that the user does not have access rights to the selected object, whether it be a folder or a program. The most amazing thing is that this error can happen even when you are logged in as administrator. Fortunately, you can fix it. There are three ways to do this.

Causes of the error

First, let's look at why “Error 5: Access Denied” appears in Windows 7. As mentioned at the beginning, this happens due to missing access rights. But the fact is that you must have them, because you are under an administrator account.

The cause of this malfunction is a failure in the account mechanism. The system simply blocks access to the folder or application. By the way, a crash happens most often due to viruses. Therefore, it is recommended that you install antivirus software so that after resolving the problem it does not happen again.

So, having figured out the reason and learning the precautions, you can go directly to the methods of eliminating the system “Error 5: Access is denied."

Method 1: Run as Administrator

You should immediately warn that this method works well with application installers and does not guarantee the correction of problems with directories. So, as you can tell from the name of the subheading, to fix the "Error 5: Access Denied", the installer must be run as administrator. Most users know how to do this, but for the rest, instructions will now be provided:

1. Right-click on the installer file.
2. From the pop-up menu that appears, select "Run as administrator."
3. If necessary, enter the password that you specified when installing the operating system.

That's all, after that the installer should work properly without displaying the message "Error 5: Access denied."

Method 2: Directory Access

It is worth noting that the above method does not always help to fix the problem, and the installer refuses to work anyway. In this case, the problem must be solved at the file system level by changing the permissions of the entire directory.

1. Run Explorer with administrator privileges. To do this, in the "Start" menu, click RMB on its icon and select the appropriate item.
2. Enter the “Windows” folder, which is located on the local “C” drive.
3. Find the "Temp" folder, right click on it and select "Properties".
4. In the window that appears after that, go to the "Security" tab.
5. Click on the "Add" button, and in the new window - "Check Names".
6. Wait for the search to finish and click "OK."
7. Now in the "Permissions for groups" window a new name will appear - "Users". Select this item and check the box "Allow", then click "OK."
8. Select "Yes" in the pop-up notification.

After this, the problem "Error 5: Access Denied" should disappear, if this does not happen, then go to the third method.

Method 3: Accounts

The last method presented in this article will seem to be an order of magnitude easier to perform than the previous one. It means changing the account setting. Here is what you need to do:

1. Open the Control Panel. The easiest way to do this is through the “Start” menu, selecting the item of the same name on the side panel.
2. Click on the "User Accounts" link.
3. Select "Change User Account Control Settings."
4. In the new window, lower the slider to the very bottom to the “Never notify” mark.
5. Restart your computer.

This should help troubleshoot. If this does not happen, then the reason lies somewhere deeper, and it will be easier to reinstall the operating system. We hope some of the ways helped you fix the problem.