Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

Earlier today, when trying to run an executable on a Windows 2003 server, where my account is part of the Administrators group, I received the error “Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file.  You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.”

Weird. Checked the file permissions, file ownership and for some reason this issue seemed vaguely familiar.

Turns out that in order to execute the file you have to do the following:

  1. Open Internet Explorer
  2. Click on Tools
  3. Click on Internet Options
  4. Select Internet and click Custom Level
  5. In the Miscellaneous section, set the ‘Launching applications and unsafe files’ to Prompt (recommended) as shown in the screen shot below:
Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

Posting it here in an attempt to save an hour of my time or yours in the future.

26 Comments to “Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.”

  1. gary 3 September 2009 at 11:21 pm #

    had this problem… your solution fixed it.

    searched high and low for fixes for this, and you solved it in 20 seconds. brilliant.

  2. maryann 5 September 2009 at 9:59 am #

    Set it to that – same message – any other ideas ? Using firefox but it doesn’t work with many websites I need to access for work. Thanks

  3. Leo 5 September 2009 at 3:15 pm #

    What version of IE are you using? Also, what version of Windows are you using?

  4. Latif 13 September 2009 at 2:41 pm #

    I have the exact same problem but i cannot access anything on the whole C drive which is basicaly everything on the computer. Please i need help. It only started hapening when i downloaded avg.

  5. Leo 14 September 2009 at 8:18 am #

    Have you considered removing AVG?

  6. Gude 29 September 2009 at 4:11 pm #

    Ok. Tanks.

  7. Peter 29 October 2009 at 8:42 am #

    Thanks very much for the solution.

    How is it possible, that the internet options have influence on the NTFS rights?

    Regards,

    Peter

  8. Anoyed 2 November 2009 at 5:38 am #

    Thanks Leo!
    Just ran a regular update on my Server2003, installing IE8, and it changed my Internet security settings on its own.
    I had spent some time setting those just the way I wanted them.
    You’d expect at least a notification screen, if not a choice…

  9. Jason 10 November 2009 at 10:24 pm #

    Have the same problem ..running XP SP3 but been able to do some temp fixes. Booted in safe mode..went to the security properties on the C:\ allow child folder to inherit properties. Start up normal..allows executables to be opened once then happens again..confused…Anyone get a fix for this???

  10. Xavier 20 November 2009 at 12:51 am #

    Oh, Great! This problem have been bothering me for a long time. Thanks!

  11. shakes 21 November 2009 at 4:42 pm #

    if you have zonealarm turn it off to see if that helps,did for me,then turn it back on.

  12. lionel 21 January 2010 at 3:29 am #

    Thanks a mill your solution worked.

  13. saeed 22 January 2010 at 5:51 am #

    Hello all: I have the same problem but!
    not in website on Game when i try to click on Start game the computer give a same error like u guyz talking about so please i need help send me in my emil O.Night_Lord.O@live.com

  14. stevemagg 28 January 2010 at 2:19 am #

    brilliant!!! thx

  15. Jim Craig 29 January 2010 at 5:05 am #

    Thanks, would have taken me ages to have worked this out if I hadn’t read your post!

  16. Anonymous 29 January 2010 at 7:55 pm #

    Thanks. Took me a while to find this, but your solution fixed it quickly. It now occurs to me I changed the Internet settings when adjusting Outlook.

  17. nitin 1 February 2010 at 11:27 am #

    Its working now. Thanks

  18. Trent 7 February 2010 at 8:07 pm #

    You rock…not sure why this changed or what happened, but this fixed the problem that we were having on a WINDOWS 2003 Server SP2, and a new update.exe file. Thanks a million!

  19. savirose 5 March 2010 at 11:42 pm #

    Hey I have basically the same problem. It gives me that error message if I try to get on ANYTHING. The only way to get to EI is for me to go to the start menu and search for it. Even parts of my control panel are giving me that error message. Any suggestions?

  20. sowo 17 March 2010 at 1:26 am #

    thank you so much,guy

  21. Savas 23 March 2010 at 11:29 pm #

    Waouh!!! Great works very well.

    Thanks

  22. Jenish 29 April 2010 at 6:29 pm #

    Well done mate! It worked!

    Cheers,
    Jenish
    Ox

  23. Stan Lee 12 May 2010 at 9:19 pm #

    Spot on… Thank u so much.

  24. luckysaud 14 June 2010 at 3:49 am #

    thnxs for the help my problem is solved

  25. denise 9 July 2010 at 5:21 am #

    the launching application should be prompt?

  26. David 18 August 2010 at 10:14 am #

    Must agree with others here, beautiful solution. Thank you.


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