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Windows cannot access the speciefied device, path or file. You may...

by Napper Apr 29, 2004 3:20PM PDT

I'm hoping that the creative thinkers out there can help me with this. I recently upgraded from NT to XP-PRO. At that time I elected (foolishly?) to switch to NTFS as a filing system. Since then, I am basically locked out of many features of my pc, such as entering 'System' (under Control Panel) in order to, for example, change settings to my monitor, or change a screensaver... I can't get in to do many of the basic utility-type procedures, although the restrictions do not end there. The pop-up window warns me that, "Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You many not have appropriate permissions to access the items."
Pertinent info: I'm logged on with Administrator Status, running XPPRO on a P3 with 256Ram. I am able to access 'Administration' and get into the sub-folders to access groups and users, and I can even make changes there, but all to no avail. I've even checked out the pre-sets in 'Local Security,' to make sure that I'm not being locked out via one of the 'enabled/disabled' features in there as well, but again I am stumped.
Have I screwed myself by switching to NTFS? Is my only recourse to 're-format' and re-install WINXP-PRO?
My sincerest thanks to whomever can figure this head-banger out!
Thank you!

Discussion is locked

8 Posts
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Re:Windows cannot access the speciefied device, path or file. You may...
by Michael Geist Apr 29, 2004 7:16PM PDT

Could this be a carry over from a Domain set up on the NT installation? I would backup any needed files and do a clean install of XP-Pro, as long as you have the proper disks.

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Re:Re:Windows cannot access the speciefied device, path or file. You may...
by Napper Apr 29, 2004 7:26PM PDT

Michael:
Thank you for writing. I don't think this is indeed a carryover from a NT domain setup but I will give it another try and see if I can't resolve the problem via this route, again. As per my query, I feel (and have consulted with other pc-pro's) that this somehow has something to do with switching over from 32-bit filing to NTFS. What say you?
Thanks!

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Re:Re:Re:Windows cannot access the speciefied device, path or file. You may...
by glb613 Apr 29, 2004 7:52PM PDT

You might look into increasing your computer's memory.

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Re:Re:Re:Re:Windows cannot access the speciefied device, path or file. You may...
by Napper Apr 29, 2004 9:23PM PDT

GLB613:
I don't think that 256M Ram is inadequate since I know of many people, and even small businesses, that run their XP-Pro on 128! However, since you likely know more about this than me (or else I wouldn't be asking for help), I will definitely check into this!
Thank you!

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Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Windows cannot access the speciefied device, path or file. You may...
by cookgran Apr 29, 2004 10:53PM PDT

My company has recently upgraded from windows 98 to Windows XP. We had the issue of upgrading each pc or clean installation. The upgrades were a FLOP!!! None of them worked right so we did clean installations on all our network pcs. We also had to decide on NTFS or keeping FAT32 - NTFS is the way to go. I say you should do a fresh install. Be sure, first, that you have all the necessary drivers and program CDs. As for the RAM...256MB should be OK. Good luck!

Cookgran

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Re:Windows cannot access the speciefied device, path or file. You may...
by RCraig Apr 30, 2004 12:49AM PDT

I have had this problem for months and can't figure out how it started. I have purchased another copy of XP (since I can't find my discs for the first installation of XP) but they won't load. Besides getting the same message (Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You many not have appropriate permissions to access the items.) I'm also getting messages like the rundll.exe path can't be found. Using Run doesn't work either.

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Re:Re:Windows cannot access the speciefied device, path or file. You may...
by stormdevil May 17, 2004 7:37AM PDT

Thanks for telling me about rundll.exe - I've been puzzling over a similar problem and discovered that my firewall had rundll.exe denied from starting. I've changed the firewaal settings and it's all working again. Maybe you have the same problem - check your firewall and make sure rundll.exe has start permissions.

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Re:Windows cannot access the speciefied device, path or file. You may...
by andy_pipu May 17, 2004 8:48AM PDT

I am using Window XP pro. I am also having this problem. But I use FAT 32 file type also got the same problem. I cannot do disk defragment. It comes out this msg box.

---------------------------
Microsoft Management Console
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MMC cannot open the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\dfrg.msc.

This may be because the file does not exist, is not an MMC console, or was created by a later version of MMC. This may also be because you do not have sufficient access rights to the file.
---------------------------
What should I do?

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