Adminstrator Rights Denied

My OS is WindowsXP Media Center Edition Version 5.1/Service Pack 3. I ran MSCONFIG to de-select unnecessary items from the startup tab, but the system will not permit me to do that.
My login is set to Administrator and I have logged in as such in both normal and safe modes. I have no password issues yet, in every case the OS still gives me "An Access Denied" error and tells me I need to login using an Administrator account to make these changes. That is the only error message I get.
No one but me logs into this box. I have a closed network (one box only) with a Linksys router and I run two anti mal/spyware tools (free versions of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Ad-Aware). Both are up-to-date and tell me the box is clean. I also run the latest version of McAfee anti-virus. So unless something has defeated all of these I don’t think the culprit is malware or a virus.
I ran "sfc /scannow" to see if my OS was up-to-date but it keeps asking me for the "XP Professional w/service pack 3 diskâ€, which I don’t have. So, I cannot determine if something is broke, missing or out-of date. Everything else seems to be working okay, so far as I can tell.
I have already consulted my IT professionals but so far they cannot offer any explanations. Can anyone please tell me what they think problem is and how I can fix it?

 

I guess I am just confused now. I have the XP MEdia Center disk that came with the box when I purchased it from Dell. However, when I run scannow and insert it, it tells me that is the wrong disk.

 

You are exactly right. It is the reinstallation disk and the LAST thing I would want is to lose all of my data. And by the way, THANK YOU very much for your input. So, does this mean that I need to purchase a full version of XP Media Edition just to repair a few corrupted files? I could grumble at Dell for sending me only the reinstall disk, but that would not do any good. I don't know anyone with XPMedia and since my version is actually version 2002, and I am wondering if I will actually be able to find one.

 

The message from SFC about missing "XP Professional w/service pack 3 disk" is a catch all error message, you'll get the same message from a XP Home installation under the same circumstances. It means SFC cannot find the windows setup files, which can be caused simply by altered drive letters, corrupt CD, etc.

See if you can find a \386 folder on the harddrive, it should have 6543 files, 176 folders in it. Hopefully these are the windows setup files.
If so, you can do some reading up, and get the instructions to create a workaround for your problem.
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

 

I have always said I don't like microsoft. Okay, so your best guess is that I have some corrupt files I need to fix/replace and the only way to do that is get the full version with the same service pack. If I can't find that, can I upgrade to 2005 without loosing my data or reinstalling every application on my box? By the way, can I assume this corrupt file situation is the culprit behind my Adminstrator status?

 

Hello all,

I truly hate doing this guy's and gal's. I know that busting in on a current ongoing method or fix, with a curve ball that may divide a posters focus, is bad manners, in this case, I hope forgiveness is possible. A mistake on my part has left me with some research I have done looking into this problem. I thought I'd go ahead and share it now before all the bath water is thrown out, so to speak....

Fieldr, please keep in mind that replacing missing files flagged by sfc.exe should be a priority, but following below, are some links that try to address the msconfig problem in a more round way. I don't know if any are pertinent or apply to you and can not speak first hand if the remedies work but since they can be tried/applied and reversed rather easily they maybe worth a shot.

Could this be a Mcaffee option setting? See:
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt-2000-xp/524119-msconfig-access-denied-error-need-2.html

The bing.com links I have found related to msconfig/admin/mcaffee trouble:
bing links for Mcaffe msconfig issue

I also know of at least one other reason offhand that one will receive this kind of error and that is while trying to disable anything having to do with an HP printer or scanner. I'm not sure if this is model specific but here's an example:
http://www.pchell.com/support/msconfig_access_denied_error.shtml
also
http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?p=358451

I also noticed that you were or are running lava soft Ad-watch. I have not used this in a while but I think there are some settings that will keep you or prevent you from running or modifying other programs which could effect msconfig also. You may just be using settings in these programs that have secured yourself from yourself. See:
http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=9055

Point of all the above is you may have a secondary security software setting that is keeping you or its self safe, from you and yourself.

Use or ignore the above, the choice is yours.

 

goddez1: Thank you and please, no "forgiveness" is required on ANY level. I am grateful for all the information and help I can get. If at least part of the problem turns out to be a secondary setting, great. That, I can fix and it is certainly nothing I or any of my "OS/IT" savi friends thought of. I will look into that the moment I get back to my box.
I agree with you that replacing files is a priority, and frankly a bit of a worry. Finding a full up exact match to my OS is already proven to be a bit difficult, not to mention pricey. It is a shame scannow does not ID which files it is looking for. That would help a lot and probably make markp62's recommendation about my 386 folder a bit easier.
ANY other suggestions, regardless how close or far from those already offered are whole heartily welcome.