Can't access most of my Computer

I recently downloaded and installed a program called ''Security Tweak 1.0.0 Update 3", and this seemingly promising App as now screwed up my XP Pro computer! I can open things like: My Documents,My Pictures, and such...but if I try to open My Music or even the Security Tweak icon on the Desktop I get the following window message entitled:
RESTRICTIONS
''This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer.Pls contact your system administrator"

Now, I am the Administrator of this puter,but I don't know where to find this thing,in order to try to fix this!If I click Run>Regedit I get this window message also:

REGISTRY EDITOR
''Registry Editing has been disabled by your Administrator''

Of course I never knowingly did this!!
If the program writer ''Arnaldo Rivers Perez' ''Naldo for short''had provided proper'' How to use instructions'' I would'nt be in this mess.Can anyone provide instructions on how I can fix this without having to reinstall the OS? Thank you.

Van
BTW:I’m writing this query on another computer

 

To access the System Restore Wizard, click Start, and then click Help and Support. Click Performance and Maintenance, click Using System Restore to undo changes, and then click Run the System Restore Wizard.

 

Hi,
Tried this before and got that RESTRICTIONS message.Thanks anyway.
Van

 

Hi,
Your suggestion looks promising,i'll try it and let you know how it went.Thanks.
Van

 

I'm back.I rebooted and pressed F8,saw Windows safe mode,but I was blocked from assessing it ! Did I do this the right way do you think?
Van

 

Guys..I think what he is trying to say is that
"He can not access absolutely anything on his computer and everything is restricted"
As in system restore would obviously be knocked out sence this was probably earthier a malware attack or miss use of the program.
But seeing as this "program" is on the referred level of the board i wouldn't think its malware but more of human -action error.
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\RestrictRun is probably what you need to delete however i could be wrong. so its not recommended.
I personally would just restore..Gather all files in witch you require (put on a disk etc)
at start up press alt +f10
It should bring up the Recovery and you can go back to last settings or back to factory default.
Your kinda in a bad situation here dude.. Hope anything works for you

 

Thanks for your input,see my comments below.
Your right I'm just about completely Restriced.
...but more of human -action error---True enough,I could not re-enable once I clicked the darn Button,and of course no instructions were provided.
...HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\RestrictRun is probably what you need to delete however i could be wrong. so its not recommended.
I'd love to try this,but I can't get into ''Regedit"
...I personally would just restore.
If by Restore you mean reinstall the OS,I could do this,but I just recently downloaded Windows XP SP3,and that took 452 hours on my slow Dialup connection.So i'm trying to avoid this if possible.
...at start up press alt +f10
It should bring up the Recovery and you can go back to last settings or back to factory default.
I'll give this a try and report back.Thanks.

 

That program edited permissions in your registry--that's why the restrictions. Don't know either if that reg key mentioned earlier is why but there may be another way to fix it without going into regedit.

First, since you're on XP Pro, you might be able to remove the restrictions using Group Policy editor--essentially you don't need that program to do what it's done. You might want to read up on group Policy here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_Policy
Then START/Run/gpedit.msc/Enter--look around in there and see what you can do. I'm on XP Home that doesn't have GPE so can't be more specific.

If you can download and install programs, SuperAntiSpyware has a Repair function that is supposed to remove restrictions as well. Install it then go to Preferences/Repair. Select the following:

Remove Explorer Policy Restrictions
Remove Internet Explorer Policy Restrictions

then hit the Perform Repair button.

I have some more ideas if that doesn't work.

 

Hi,
I've printed your instructions.I'll have a look,try and come back with the results.Thank you very much.

 

I'm back,
I tried Start/Run/gpedit.msc/enter,and i was blocked there too.
I installed ''Super Antispyware'' went to Preferences/Repair and selected ''Remove Explorer Policy Restrictions" and then ''Remove Internet Explorer Policy Restrictions'',and in both cases there was no action/response! However I tried ''Repair System Restore'' that's also included and it responded.I went back well before the problem started, using ''System Restore'',and although it worked,it did not fix the problem! Any more fixes would be greatly appreciated.Thank you.

 

OK, well, I'm glad to see you've made some progress and that you are able to at least install programs. While researching this I see you have another topic going in another forum--I understand why you would do this but it is discouraged as when troubleshooting it can get confusing when the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. But you are at the point right now that you should backup your important data as any fixes involve editing the registry (in one way or another) which in this case is tricky, so if that goes wrong it will be just as bad or worse than the restrictions.

While you are making backups, also backup your registry. Download, install and run ERUNT. Copy that backup to whatever drive you are using to backup to.

First, now that you've run a System Restore, did the icon to the program go away? It should have effectively been uninstalled. I have to disagree with those advising to uninstall the program as that will not in itself fix the problem. Even tho it is evidently poorly written, it would be easier to use that program to reverse what it did, if possible. Just removing the program won't reverse the changes it's made to your registry.

After your bad experience, it doesn't sound like something you would want to do, but one way to fix this is to reinstall the program while monitoring it with ZSoft uninstaller and then do whatever it was that caused the problem while monitored so that ZSoft record what that was and can undo it. Don't try this yet--I want to see what happens with mph's suggestion in your other thread before giving specific instructions. Plus I can't find a download for the program you mentioned. Have you got a link?

Two, when you tried those repairs in SAS, did you reboot? Try this: now that you've done a System Restore, follow the same instructions and try it again, remembering to reboot after making the changes

Three, there is another program that might help. Download and install Dial-a-fix . Click the Tools button toward the bottom. It has an icon that looks like a hammer.

Scroll down to Repair Permissions, select it and then click the Go button. Reboot and see if that helps.

If that doesn't work we will look into your general registry permissions, which are a bit different from Group Policy. I will monitor your other thread--you should tell them about this thread as well so they will know everything that you have tried to do to fix your problem. My user name over there is Oldkid--mph may know more than I do about which keys to change permissions on and how.

Good luck. I know what you are going thru is a real PIA.

 

Hi Oldkid !,
I've printed your new instructions and will see if that can help.Placing threads in other Forums on the same subject i agree is not ideal,but I was desparate.
After using System Restore the Icon for that dratted ''Security Tweak 1.0.0 update 3'' program still appeared on my Desktop.If you go to Softpedia.com you will find a link there,but even better,if you search for my thread''Can't access my most of my Computer" you will see a response from Naldo the originator of this Program.Of course there's no way I can follow that, (confusing proposed fix to me) as I am in no way abilitated to so.Thank you so much for all your efforts on my behalf.I'll be back soon I hope!

 

You're welcome for any help given, Van. Your apparent limited access to a computer to communicate with is also a big problem. The post by the program's author gives just enough information that I wish I could cancel having you carry out my previous instructions. Doing those instructions, and those of the other thread, probably won't hurt--and usually what to do next depends on your feedback of what has happened when doing the instructions. But since I now have a better idea of what area of the registry to deal with (and no I don't understand all of what the author was trying to say either), I would like for you to do the following regardless, unless you do manage to fix it before you read this.

Download and install Registrar Lite from here:
http://majorgeeks.com/Registrar_Lite_d469.html

**This is trial software--you have 21 days to use it then it has to be paid for--I still have version 2 that is not time limited but it is hard to find now. But let us hope that this alternate registry editor is not also restricted.**

1. Copy and paste the following text in bold to the address bar of RegLite:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

I hope you have a USB Flash or some other drive to transfer files to the affected computer. Spelling and syntax is critical and so is why I recommend copy and paste. Copy and paste from here to a Notepad file and transfer to the computer and C&P from Notepad to RegLite. If you have to type it in, be careful of your typing--double and triple check it.

2. Once that text is copied into the address bar, hit Enter.
3. Now click on the icon that looks like a floppie disk--tooltips should say "Export Key".
4. Name the file Policies.reg and save it to your desktop.
5. Right click the file and chose Edit. It will open in Notepad.
6. Copy the enitre contents of what opens in Notepad and paste it into your next reply to this thread.

Then we will go from there. Don't delete anything with RegLite yet--I want to make sure it's safe first by looking at the registry keys' syntax.

 

Hi,
I'm going to respond tp some of your above in this thread.
Your apparent limited access to a computer to communicate with is also a big problem Since my original Posting I have installed my Win XP Pro OS on another HD on my defective computer,and therefore I have been using this HD for all recent threads.Of course this means,that each time I want to implement a suggested fix,I have to reboot to the other HD!

I would like for you to do the following regardless, unless you do manage to fix it before you read this.I was just about ready to try the MPH fix,but i'll try yours first.
I think I already have Registrar on the other hD,I'll move it here to use it.Thanks again,i'll be back soon.

 

Hi Evanhoe,

You may also want to try tweak manager http://www.pctools.com/tweak-manager/

once installed, start the evaluation.

drill down to security/disable registry editing tools.
remove the checkmarks, click apply changes.

move to security/restrict applications users can run.
remove the checkmark from restrict applications
add a checkmark to allow registry tools and tweak manager
click apply changes.

reboot.

Techsent

 

Thanks Techsent,
I'll add your suggestion to my possible fixes alsne of those fixes,hopefully will do the trick soon I hope.

 

Hi parapapadox,
As you might have noticed in my message to techsent,it appears that my problem is solved! I did'nt have time to try your new solution to this problem,but I assure you that I appreciated very much all your help to fix this.Thanks again for everything.