Problem with administrator privileges

OK, so here's the problem. This computer here is a Windows XP SP2 (not much updated though but anyway). It has only one user account, the administrator one, you know. BUT! - when I try to run my Adobe Photoshop CS2, it loads and everything and all of a sudden I get this message:

Next thing I tried was try to launch Photoshop CS2's ImageReady and see if it gives the same message. Funny thing is, Image ready worked. I tried sending some file to Photoshop from Image ready but as soon as Photoshop loaded, i got the same message.

Then I tried creating a second administrator account, logged on to it (logging off the first but without changing it to limited) and tried running Photoshop but again, same error message.

I logged that account off and deleted when i logged back to the first and only admin acc I got. Any clue if this can be fixed and/or how?

I'm also thinking but then if it doesn't bother any other program I run, including as I mentioned Photoshop CS2's ImageReady, could it be a virus? Is there some virus that could interfere with administrator priviledges?

If I knew which of Photoshop's .dll-s caused this message i'd delete them and i suppose it would work then. I'm saying two because I actually get the message twice. When i first click OK it pops up again and THEN when i click OK Photoshop closes.

Please, I'd love some advice or help if it's something that can be fixed before going to the "Read and run me first" at the Malware Removal....

P.S. i apologize for the capital I, my keyboard's i key is a bit damaged and writes a capital at random.

 

Have you tried to "run as administrator" via right clicking on the Photoshop shortcut/icon?

Just to see what happens, let's try it....

Right click on the Photoshop Icon/shortcut...left click on "Run as"...click the bullet for "Following user"...type "Administrator" (without the quotes) in the "User" box and if you have a password for the Administrator account then put that in the "Password" filed...if not. leave it blank...then click "Ok"

What happens?

 

Well, I did exactly what you suggested but then i get this error message:

I still can't understand though, the current user account I'm logged onto IS the Administrator one. How come there is some other one showing up.

Also I'm beginning to think it's actually a virus or malware because I ran some scans and found out somehow the registry entry about Win.Logon has been changed - "System" has no value at all. Maybe I could fix this problem by entering some value there that was supposed to be there before for proper logon? Is it possible that to be messing up the account's privileges (which ARE administrator's)?

And still, another mystery is that only Photoshop makes this. I really want to find some other way of fixing this before re-install because if my assumptions about the registry key or a virus turn out to be so, re-install would end up the same way.

 

The Windows "Administrator" account is not intended to be used for everyday computing...so when you refer to the one and only user account being on the computer being the "administrator" user account, that is two different things. The user account might have administrator privileges, however it is not the "Administrator" account.

From what you are saying...it is either the user account or photoshop that has become corrupted. And being that other apps work ok in that same user account...makes me lean toward photoshop being corrupted. If you want to kill two birds with one stone...make a new user account...get rid of the old one...and reinstall photoshop. Sure it sounds labor intensive but, if photoshop is indeed corrupted...who knows what will happen later even if you do get this issue fixed by manually manipulating the adobe files.

 

Well, I'll try re-installing it later.
After I get rid of the trojans.... which in my opinion are doing this. A couple of months ago I had the same message coming from my antivirus software and internet explorer so I suppose my virus/malware guess was right.

Thanks for the advices so far, rogvalcox I'll deal with it from here on.

 

No problem...feel free to keep us updated on the progress just for the sake of helping others.

 

YES! YATTA!
I did it!
..well, I first tried a repair install during which, even during INSTALL WIZARD! that message popped up several times. Then I ran the installation again, choosing to remove (because since it was installed the two options i had were Repair install and Remove) CS2 and all its components but without user settings. Then I rebooted and ran the setup YET again. Then, it installed in the same place it was before, with completely working all the plug-ins, extensises and etc. The only problem i had was with the activation (erm.. yes.. who doesn't use pirated software??) but i figured a regedit would fix that and so I did.

Then i ran some of the "Read and run me first..." procedures and got rid of two backdoor trojans, rebooted and GANBATTE! - both PC and Photoshop are running perfectly well.

I'm sorry for the terrible English and my super-excited post but i can't believe i managed to fix something i was fighting over for over 16 hours! YAY!!!!

I LOVE YOU, MAJOR GEEKS!

P.S. ..how do you fix a keyboard i key? lol

 

gah! well, okay, i had the original CD but 1. i couldn't find it and 2. the serial - yes, original purchased serial and auth - did not work.

plus, i'm poor. er.. ya.