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I can't install or uninstall any programs.

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Post #1
My dad gave me his old computer, which was supposed to be an upgrade from what I had, when my parents retired to FL. Unfortunately, he is now far away and can't help me fix it!

I am running Windows XP and whenever I go to install a program, such as Itunes (but it has happened with many different programs) it says "The system administrator has set policies to prevent this installation." Likewise, if go to add/remove programs I cannot remove any of the programs he has installed that I will never use.

I am logged in as him, who has administrator privileges, and I have also tried creating a new account for myself as an Administrator with the same results when I attempt to install or uninstall. I was able to install Spybot, Adaware, and CCleaner though. I didn't find anything too menacing when I ran them though.

I looked around in Local Security Settings and didn't see anything that should be causing the problem, but I guess I really don't know what I'm looking for.

I ran HJT, and here is my log in case it is relevant:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 7:16:45 PM, on 4/3/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16574)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\DigitalPersona\Bin\DpHost.exe
c:\program files\mcafee.com\agent\mcdetect.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mctskshd.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mgabg.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\DigitalPersona\Bin\DPFUSMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\DigitalPersona\Bin\DPAgnt.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\point32.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliType Pro\type32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\PDesk\PDesk.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\DropBox\DropBox\DropBox.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqgalry.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllhost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE
C:\Program Files\Hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DPAgnt] "C:\Program Files\DigitalPersona\Bin\DPAgnt.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IntelliPoint] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\point32.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [type32] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliType Pro\type32.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Matrox Powerdesk] "C:\WINDOWS\system32\PDesk\PDesk.exe" /Autolaunch
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\McUpdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DropBoxUtility] "C:\Program Files\DropBox\DropBox\DropBox.exe" /s
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - Global Startup: HP Digital Imaging Monitor.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: HP Image Zone Fast Start.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqthb08.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Open PDF in Word - res://C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\OmniPagePro14.0\PdfCnv\IEShellExt.dll /100
O8 - Extra context menu item: Open with Scansoft PDF Converter 3.0 - res://C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\PDF Professional 3.0\IEShellExt.dll /100
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_03\bin\npjpi150_03.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_03\bin\npjpi150_03.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O11 - Options group: [INTERNATIONAL] International*
O12 - Plugin for .bcf: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPBelv32.dll
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39204
O16 - DPF: {2AF5BD25-90C5-4EEC-88C5-B44DC2905D8B} (DownloadManager Control) - http://dlmanager.akamaitools.com.edgesuite…vex-2.0.3.8.cab
O16 - DPF: {2BC66F54-93A8-11D3-BEB6-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec AntiVirus scanner) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedC…bin/AvSniff.cab
O16 - DPF: {48DD0448-9209-4F81-9F6D-D83562940134} (MySpace Uploader Control) - http://lads.myspace.com/upload/MySpaceUploader1005.cab
O16 - DPF: {644E432F-49D3-41A1-8DD5-E099162EEEC5} (Symantec RuFSI Utility Class) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedC…n/bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: {7F8C8173-AD80-4807-AA75-5672F22B4582} (ICSScanner Class) - http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/promotion…canner37540.cab
O16 - DPF: {82774781-8F4E-11D1-AB1C-0000F8773BF0} (DLC Class) - http://transfers.one.microsoft.com/FTM/Tra…ransferCtrl.cab
O16 - DPF: {90051A81-3018-4826-8B38-DD60B6B53F9C} (Snapfish File Upload ActiveX Control) - http://www.costcophotocenter.com/CostcoUpload.cab
O16 - DPF: {9522B3FB-7A2B-4646-8AF6-36E7F593073C} - http://a19.g.akamai.net/7/19/7125/4056/ftp…02/cpbrkpie.cab
O18 - Protocol: ms-help - {314111C7-A502-11D2-BBCA-00C04F8EC294} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Help\hxds.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: DPWLN - C:\WINDOWS\system32\DPWLEvHd.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WRNotifier - WRLogonNTF.dll (file missing)
O23 - Service: Windows XP FUS Manager (DPFUSMgr) - DigitalPersona, Inc. - C:\Program Files\DigitalPersona\Bin\DPFUSMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Biometric Authentication Service (DpHost) - DigitalPersona, Inc. - C:\Program Files\DigitalPersona\Bin\DpHost.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: InterBase Guardian (InterBaseGuardian) - Borland Software Corporation - C:\Program Files\Borland\InterBase\bin\ibguard.exe
O23 - Service: InterBase Server (InterBaseServer) - Borland Software Corporation - C:\Program Files\Borland\InterBase\bin\ibserver.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee WSC Integration (McDetect.exe) - McAfee, Inc - c:\program files\mcafee.com\agent\mcdetect.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Task Scheduler (McTskshd.exe) - McAfee, Inc - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mctskshd.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee SecurityCenter Update Manager (mcupdmgr.exe) - McAfee, Inc - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Agent\mcupdmgr.exe
O23 - Service: MGABGEXE - Matrox Graphics Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\mgabg.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe

Any help would be much appreciated, as I can only use this computer for a few of the things I would like!
Post #2
Greetings TresCutePiggies: Lets try this… Log in with an admin account and go to run and type gpedit.msc Expand Local Computer policy–>Computer configuration–>Adminsistrative Template–>Windows Component–>Windows Installer. Look to see what state and setting each of the entries are. Are some disabled? are some not configured? are some enabled? Right click and choose properties of the one you want to change. On my xp pro computer I have no policies in place at the moment and all of mine say not configured. Regards Kaz
Post #3
Kaz, Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! That seems to have fixed the problem. I'm embarrassed to admit I've been ignoring fixing this for 6 plus months and now I can finally uninstall all the programs I don't need and get my oh-so-important Itunes on here! That required semester of Computer Science at Georgia Tech clearly taught me nothing. :notworthy: :woot:
Post #4
Greetings TresCute Piggies: Thankyou for letting us know how it turned out. You will never know how many others you have helped by doing so, but know that you have. Dont be a stranger and come by often. Regards Kaz.

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