The “Error 5: Access Denied” message usually appears when you try to install any new programs or applications. Although the problem is most often encountered by Windows 10 users, it has not bypassed previous versions of the operating system either.
As is clear from the error itself, access to the action (Windows update / application installation) was denied. This is due to insufficient permissions on the system. Therefore, in most cases, the problem is solved by running the problematic program as an administrator. In addition, there are other reasons for the failure. Below we will analyze why this is happening, and how to fix it.
Solution 1. Run the installer as administrator
As mentioned, the first fix is to run the application or program installer as administrator.
- Right-click on the shortcut of the installed program, or on the installer if the system does not allow you to install this application.
- Select the item: Run as administrator.
- When the User Account Control window appears, click Yes.
- Check if this solved the problem.
Solution 2. Give your account administrator rights
If running the application as administrator did not help, try giving your profile administrator rights.
- Right-click on the Windows icon and select Run.
- Copy and paste the netplwiz command and then click OK.
- In the users window that opens, select your account and click Properties.
- In the new window, select the Group Membership tab and select the Administrator check box.
- Click: Apply and Ok.
- Try to install / run the application again.
Solution 3. Run the application in compatibility mode
One of the reasons for the error may be a problem in the compatibility of the program with any system files of Windows 10, so it is worth trying to run the application in compatibility mode with previous versions of the system.
- Right-click on the shortcut of the problematic program, and select Properties.
- In the new window, go to the Compatibility tab.
- In the Compatibility Mode section, check the box to enable the option to select an alternate version of Windows.
- Select one of the available versions, then click Apply and Ok.
- Try different versions if a previous attempt fails.
Solution 4: Run the compatibility troubleshooter
Windows has built-in troubleshooting tools that you can run through the Control Panel or the Windows Settings Panel. After that, the system will automatically diagnose and correct the problems, if possible. Otherwise, recommendations will be offered to solve the problem on your own.
- Right-click again on the shortcut of the problematic application.
- Select the item: Fix Compatibility Issues.
- Wait for the end of the diagnosis.
Solution 5: Temporarily change user profile permissions
Manual:
- Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
- Open the drive where the system is installed (by default, drive C :).
- Right-click on the Users folder and select Properties.
- In the new window, select your profile and click Advanced.
- In the next configuration window, check the box “Replace all permission entries of the child object inherited from this object”.
- Click: Apply and Ok.
- Try to install / run the program again.
Fixes for “error 5: Access denied, Windows could not start service [название] on the local computer ”.
In some cases, the error may be related to a specific service. Consider the options for solving this situation:
Method 1. Check the system for corrupted files
Damaged system files can cause services to not function as expected. Therefore, you can try to fix them by typing the commands at the command line:
- Right-click on the Windows icon and select Command Prompt (Admin).
- Type the following command and hit Enter:
- sfc / scannow
- At the end of the scan, the system will report the errors found and their fixes.
- You need to restart your computer.
- If the problem persists, enter the following set of commands in turn, pressing Enter after each:
- DISM / Online / Cleanup-Image / CheckHealth
DISM / Online / Cleanup-Image / ScanHealth
DISM / Online / Cleanup-Image / RestoreHealth - Reboot your system.
Method 2. Check if the service has access to files
One of the reasons for the appearance of the above message may be that the service does not have access rights to the necessary files.
- Press Win + X and select Control Panel.
- Go to the Administration section and then to Services.
- In the new window, look for the specific service mentioned in the error message.
- Right-click on it and select Properties.
- Click the Login tab.
- Check the box: Allow interaction with the desktop.
- Click Apply and Ok.
- Try running the program again.
Method 3. System rollback
If the application worked before, but for some time the above problem began to appear, you can try to roll back the system to a previous state. However, it should be borne in mind that the program may need to be reinstalled.
- Go to the Control Panel again as suggested in the previous method.
- Select the Recovery section and then Start System Restore.
- Mark the date to which you want to roll back the system.
- If there are not enough restore points, check the corresponding item.
- Then click Next to start the process.
Method 4. Reset Windows
If none of the above resolves the problem, try resetting Windows to its original settings. This will save your personal files, but many programs, drivers, and system updates will need to be reinstalled.
- Right-click on the Windows icon and select Options.
- Go to the Update & Security section.
- Select Recovery, and on the right, click Start.
- Next, check the option to reset and keep your personal files.
- Confirm the reset by pressing the corresponding button.