If you are the admin, these should be open to you on your account unless you changed something in the registry or group policy editor to prevent it.
The exception to this is that certain spyware/viruses that infect a computer are rigged to prevent these (and a few other programs capable of detecting its presence) from opening. Usually, though, they cause a delay (where the hourglass appears for a few seconds, the hard drive chatters, then nothing happens) or a lock up.
If you are the admin, I would first update your anti-spyware/anti-virus and run a thorough scan. If that doesn't work, then try the solutions posted below. First log into the main admin account. Then, run "gpedit.exe" (only available with a non-Home version of Windows) and check all the settings to see if there are any unwanted restrictions. If there aren't, then browse to or run "regedit32.exe" and see if that works.
On a stand-alone installation of Windows, the group policy implementation is global and effects all users. If you want to lock something down for everyone buy administrators, a simple trick is to first disable simple file sharing in Folder Options. Then, browse into C:\WINDOWS\system32 and find the "GroupPolicy" folder (which is hidden). Right-click it, go to "Properties", then the Security tab. Under Administrator privileges, deselect "Read & Execute" and "Read". You will need to undo this to edit the policies, however.
You can also browse to the system32 directory and select regedit32.exe , right click on it and select run as, it will give you a box where you can enter the admin credentials, that should let you run it.
Discussions
10 years ago
If you are the admin, these should be open to you on your account unless you changed something in the registry or group policy editor to prevent it. The exception to this is that certain spyware/viruses that infect a computer are rigged to prevent these (and a few other programs capable of detecting its presence) from opening. Usually, though, they cause a delay (where the hourglass appears for a few seconds, the hard drive chatters, then nothing happens) or a lock up. If you are the admin, I would first update your anti-spyware/anti-virus and run a thorough scan. If that doesn't work, then try the solutions posted below. First log into the main admin account. Then, run "gpedit.exe" (only available with a non-Home version of Windows) and check all the settings to see if there are any unwanted restrictions. If there aren't, then browse to or run "regedit32.exe" and see if that works. On a stand-alone installation of Windows, the group policy implementation is global and effects all users. If you want to lock something down for everyone buy administrators, a simple trick is to first disable simple file sharing in Folder Options. Then, browse into C:\WINDOWS\system32 and find the "GroupPolicy" folder (which is hidden). Right-click it, go to "Properties", then the Security tab. Under Administrator privileges, deselect "Read & Execute" and "Read". You will need to undo this to edit the policies, however.
10 years ago
You can also browse to the system32 directory and select regedit32.exe , right click on it and select run as, it will give you a box where you can enter the admin credentials, that should let you run it.
Answer 10 years ago
Good point. I always forget about run_as-admin.
10 years ago
Registry editing and task manager are restrictions set in the registry.
In winxp use tweakui or tweakxp to change these settings.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx
10 years ago
Login as administrator and change your privileges as user.