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Geek Culture / "Operation cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer" ?

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Kravenwolf
16
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Joined: 14th Apr 2009
Location: Silent Hill
Posted: 4th Feb 2010 18:03
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Earlier today when I turned on my computer, everything seemed fine when I was on my web browser checking emails and etc. Then, I tried to open a folder on my desktop and I got this error message:

Quote: "This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator."


I can open .exes on my desktop (Microsoft Word, Blender, etc), but I cannot access any file folders or saved documents without bringing up this message.

I Googled the problem, and this had been discussed several times for internet browsers, but I was only able to find one link that had a fix for the problem with file folders. That link is here. I ran MMC, and went to file > add or remove snapin. I looked for the "Policy" group the following step told me to add, but I couldn't find it. And, I can't seem to find any other fixing methods on Google. Has anyone encountered this problem before?

NOTE: I've had this computer for over 3 years, and I've never had this issue before (I've never seen it on any computer for that matter). Before asking Google for a solution, I tried a system recovery, but apparently there aren't any restore points saved on my computer

Kravenwolf

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wizard of id
19
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Joined: 16th Jan 2006
Location: Sunny South Africa
Posted: 4th Feb 2010 18:24
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Sux to be u?

Does explorer reset every time?.

"In my weird politically incorrect hypothetically incoherent contradicting obscured world definitively maybe"

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zeroSlave
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Location: Springfield
Posted: 4th Feb 2010 18:31 Edited at: 4th Feb 2010 18:31
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I found this site.

Have you recently changed browsers? Uninstalled Chrome? It seemed that quite a few people in different forums were getting this error in a number a different ways. Some from opening hyperlinks in Outlook, some were having related issues finding the control panel, opening drive letters, etc.

I don't know if any of the 4 solutions will work for you on that website, but good luck either way!

There's something in this room that makes you can't speak well.
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Kravenwolf
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Location: Silent Hill
Posted: 4th Feb 2010 18:58 Edited at: 4th Feb 2010 19:01
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Quote: "Does explorer reset every time?."


Nope. Explorer works fine. I can go to any website I want without a problem. I just can't open any files on my hard drive.

@Coughmist, thanks. I didn't catch that link. I never switched browsers or installed Google Chrome (the problem happened overnight). So, I'll try the three methods from that site and see if any of them do the trick.

Kravenwolf

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Melancholic
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Posted: 4th Feb 2010 19:08
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Quote: "Nope. Explorer works fine. I can go to any website I want without a problem. I just can't open any files on my hard drive."


i think he means windows explorer not Internet Explorer

Also have you got vista or xp?
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Omega gamer 89
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Joined: 10th Sep 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posted: 4th Feb 2010 22:26 Edited at: 4th Feb 2010 22:28
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Just an idea;
1) Hit CTRL + ALT +DELETE to bring up task manager
2) Click the Processes tab
3) Find "explorer.exe" and click "End Process"
4) This WILL cause your folders and desktop and such to close. Any programs you have open should remain open.
5) Click "File > New Task (Run...)" and type "explorer.exe" in the box that pops up.
6) Click OK, and your desktop will return. (Any folders that were open before will not reopen automatically)

See if that fixes anything. It's worth a try.

So what if I talk to myself? Its the only way i can have an intelligent conversation around here.
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Kravenwolf
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Posted: 4th Feb 2010 22:43 Edited at: 4th Feb 2010 22:49
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@Omega, the task manager isn't even there anymore . I press control alt delete, And, it shows the options "lock this computer", switch user", "log off", and "change password".

And unfortunately, I tried every method on the link that CoughMist posted, and none of them seemed to help;

Quote: "Go to Control Panel -> Add Remove Programs, click on Set Program Access and Defaults."


EDIT: Found it, changed the current browser setting and it didn't work.

Quote: "If you use older versions of IE then upgrade it to the latest one."


Nope, I'm using the latest version of IE.

Quote: "The problem can be caused due to the corrupt or damaged key HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\command.

So just download this file, unzip it and double click to extract the registry."


Done. It said the keys and values were successfully added to the registry.

Quote: "Open registry editor and search (Ctrl + F) for the value nocontrolpanel. Change its value from 1 to 0."


Done. I found the folder named nocontrolpanel, and opened the only file in it (Default REG_SZ(, and changed it's blank value to 1. No help.

Kravenwolf

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 4th Feb 2010 22:49 Edited at: 4th Feb 2010 22:51
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Do you have access to an Admin account on this computer? If not, maybe the admin on your computer changed some settings. If CTRL + ALT + DELETE wont let your bring up task manager, it looks like your account privileges may have been change.

So what if I talk to myself? Its the only way i can have an intelligent conversation around here.
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Kravenwolf
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Posted: 4th Feb 2010 22:49
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Yep. This is my computer, and my admin account is the only one registered.

Kravenwolf

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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 4th Feb 2010 22:59
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Quote: "Done. I found the folder named nocontrolpanel, and opened the only file in it (Default REG_SZ(, and changed it's blank value to 1. No help."


He said change it to 0 so you changed it to 1...?

Athlon64 2.7gHz->OC 3.9gHz, 31C, MSi 9500GT->OC 1gHz core/2gHz memory, 48C, 4Gb DDR2 667, 500Gb Seagate + 80Gb Maxtor + 40Gb Maxtor = 620Gb, XP Home
Air cooled, total cost £160
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The Slayer
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Playing: (Hide and) Seek and Destroy on my guitar!
Posted: 4th Feb 2010 23:01
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Kravenwolf, you can also open the task manager by clicking with the rightmouse on an empty space on your taskbar.

Cheers

Slayer rules!!! Yeaaah, man!
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Kravenwolf
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Posted: 4th Feb 2010 23:11
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Quote: "He said change it to 0 so you changed it to 1...?"


Yeah, I caught that as soon as I posted it here. I re-opened it and changed it from 1 to 0 and it still didn't make a difference.

Kravenwolf

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The Slayer
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Posted: 4th Feb 2010 23:14 Edited at: 4th Feb 2010 23:18
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Kravenwolf, have you installed Chrome or Firefox lately? It could also have been caused after applying Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5. Check out this link. Maybe this can help. You could also try by doing a thorough registry scan.

http://www.slipstick.com/problems/link_restrict.htm

Cheers

Slayer rules!!! Yeaaah, man!
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Indicium
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Posted: 4th Feb 2010 23:49
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I'm sure restarting the windows explorer shell wouldn't make any difference, as the same effect would have been achieved by performing a system restart, which I assume you would have already tried.

I think we can rule out the possibility of it being a browser installation, as he says it occurred overnight.

I assume you are either using Vista or Windows 7 as they are the only operating systems to show a menu when pressing ctrl + alt + del, alternatively for task manager, you can press ctrl + shift + esc.

@The Slayer - That link is about Internet Explorer, the problem here is windows explorer, or more specifically, opening files. Unless I'm very much mistaken, in which case I apologise.

Windows Vista 32-Bit Home Premium Intel Pentium Dual-Core @ 1.46Ghz 2038mb RAM
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xplosys
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Posted: 4th Feb 2010 23:57
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Since IE8, Windows Explorer gets it's permissions from Internet Explorer. If you have Vista, go to add remove programs and uninstall IE8. That will revert you browser back to IE7 and hopefully restore your Windows permissions to default.

Brian.

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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 5th Feb 2010 00:18
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He can't get to control panel and therefore he can't add/remove programs.

Athlon64 2.7gHz->OC 3.9gHz, 31C, MSi 9500GT->OC 1gHz core/2gHz memory, 48C, 4Gb DDR2 667, 500Gb Seagate + 80Gb Maxtor + 40Gb Maxtor = 620Gb, XP Home
Air cooled, total cost £160
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Kravenwolf
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Posted: 5th Feb 2010 00:22 Edited at: 5th Feb 2010 00:33
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Quote: "That link is about Internet Explorer, the problem here is windows explorer, or more specifically, opening files. Unless I'm very much mistaken, in which case I apologise."


No, that's correct. I can run Internet Explorer fine, I just can't open files on my hard drive.

@xplosys, I tried to uninstall IE, but I can't find it in the programs list. Though there is one application on the uninstall list that I've never seen before: Browser Address Error Redirector. I googled the software, and everyone is saying it's Malware. I've always used AVG on this computer, but I'm going to see if I can find something else to scan my computer.


EDIT: Hockeykid's helping me with this, and it turns out "Browser Address Error Redirector" is a virus that changes the default values in the registry from 0 to 1. My task manager registry was set to 1 which is why I couldn't bring it up. I changed it's value to 0 and now I can use the task manager. Looks like the next step is to to find all of the values that were changed, and then get the virus off of my computer.

Kravenwolf

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Nickydude
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Posted: 5th Feb 2010 15:36
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Try running a virus check just in case.



THE ANSWER TO ALL FPSC QUESTIONS!
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