"Windows cannot access the specified device....

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Level 1

8 points

"Windows cannot access the specified device....

So Itunes has been giving me trouble for about a week. I occurred multiple problems and was able to fix all of them except for this one. I am the admin, and i have tried "Run as administartor". But every time i click on Itunes i get this error...
C:\Program Files (x86)\Itunes\Itunes.exe
Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

I need some help here...

Windows Vista

Posted on Dec 17, 2009 1:15 PM

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Answer 1

b noir

Level 9

72,324 points

Dec 18, 2009 12:51 AM in response to Lebzzz

C:\Program Files (x86)\Itunes\Itunes.exe
Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

That's not a common one.

Can you walk us through some of the other problems you were getting? That may help give us a heads up on what's going on with this one.

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Answer 2

Lebzzz Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 18, 2009 12:54 PM in response to Lebzzz

I would get errors like "Installer does not have privilege to access file ____" I just went into program files and under security tap click full access and that was fine. I can't seem to get this one fixed tho.

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Answer 3

b noir

Level 9

72,324 points

Dec 18, 2009 1:13 PM in response to Lebzzz

Okay ... do you have full control on the "Program files (x86)" and the "iTunes" folder within that?

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Answer 4

Lebzzz Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 18, 2009 1:50 PM in response to Lebzzz

Yes i do. I went into the Itunes folder and went into the properties of the itunes.exe and changed the security to my main account and full access. It worked but now when i try to open Itunes it says "Itunes was not installed properly. Please re-install.
Error 7"

I did and nothing has changed.

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Answer 5

b noir

Level 9

72,324 points

Dec 18, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Lebzzz

"Itunes was not installed properly. Please re-install. Error 7"

Crikey. Okay, an error 7 usually indicates trouble with *Apple Application Support.* Given everything else that has been happening to you, I figure we've quite possibly got ourselves another permissions issue.

(Something truly weird seems to have happened to your user account's permissions.)

The Apple Application Support program files will be located in:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Coomon Files\Apple\Apple Application Support

... so it would probably be best to check your permissions on both that folder and the Apple folder above it.

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Answer 6

Lebzzz Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 18, 2009 2:20 PM in response to Lebzzz

Two things. One i did allow access to both files but still nothing, i tried to allow myself access to the common files but it would not let me, maybe this is normal? Because it did not even give me the option. Two when i try to "Repair" My Iunes it says "Itunes has insufficient privileges to modify this file.
C\program files (x86)\Itunes\Itunes.Resources\Itunes.icxs". Even tho i went in and aloud full access to all the files in that folder.

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Answer 7

Lebzzz Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 18, 2009 7:36 PM in response to Lebzzz

I'm starting to get angry, I have been using ITunee for about 2~3 years and no problems. Just about a week ago it started this, I think i had it going through a up-date, but not 100% sure. I can't even uninstall it without getting a error.
"The installer has insufficient privilege to modify this file" C:\program files (x86)\Itunes\CD Configuration\gcdrdll.cfg....

Message was edited by: Lebzzz

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Answer 8

b noir

Level 9

72,324 points

Dec 18, 2009 9:10 PM in response to Lebzzz

I think something ghastly may have happened to the Access Control Lists (ACLs) on your system, Lebz. There's just too many permissions errors cropping up for this to be a happenstance thing.

Usually, when people suffer from something like this, we try using a batch file for the subinacl tool. Unfortunately, the relavant script we use is designed for 32-bit systems:

[Solving setup errors by using the SubInACL tool to repair file and registry permissions|http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2006/09/04/solving-setup-err ors-by-using-the-subinacl-tool-to-repair-file-and-registry-permissions.aspx]

In addition to the advice given by Mr Stebner in the Comments to that blog entry:

Hi Dharamg - The reset.cmd script currently doesn't work on 64-bit operating systems. I can post a fix later, but in the meantime, all you need to do is change the item that says %ProgramFiles% to say %ProgramFiles(x86)% instead and then it should run correctly. The error you see about "subinacl is not recognized..." means that the full path listed for subinacl.exe in reset.cmd doesn't match the location that it is actually installed on your system.

... I think it's plausible that you might need to add another line granting permissions to the Program Files (x86) folder too. But I'm not sure about that.

So, perhaps it might be best to post a query at the blog there, asking if you need to do that or not.

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Answer 9

Lebzzz Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2009 11:21 AM in response to Lebzzz

That didn't help. I did what the blog listed, and I'm still getting the same errors.

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Answer 10

b noir

Level 9

72,324 points

Dec 19, 2009 11:31 AM in response to Lebzzz

Maybe a user account control thing?

Try (experimentally) switching user account control off and then attempting to launch iTunes. Any sign of a launch then?

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Answer 11

Lebzzz Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2009 11:52 AM in response to Lebzzz

Not sure how to do that?... And when i lunch itunes it does look like it wants to lunch but then i get the error 7, not properly installed. But i can't uninstall or repair it because i get a error when i do that.

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Answer 12

b noir

Level 9

72,324 points

Dec 19, 2009 12:23 PM in response to Lebzzz

Let's try this article:

[Turn User Account Control on or off|http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Turn-User-Account-Control- on-or-off]

With UAC turned off are you able to launch, repair or uninstall iTunes?

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Answer 13

Lebzzz Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2009 1:14 PM in response to Lebzzz

Nothing, lol. Not a difference.

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