Access Denied problem still not fixed - Win 7 - Adding new USB drivers (Solved)

[Paratron]

About 7 days ago, Windows 7 quit loading drivers for any newly connected UDB device.  USB devices that have been connected before that date continue to work properly and are recognized by Windows 7.  Flash drives and external drive enclosures that have not been connected before fail to be recognized by Windows 7 in Computer or Disk Management and are identified in Device Manager wit a warning icon.  Driver Updates find a driver but give the Access Denied error message.  I am logged in as Administrator.  This is a local machine, not connected to any network.  I downloaded Tweaking.com, disconnected from the internet and shut off the antivirus software.  I restarted the computer and went completely through the Tweaking.com steps, including all the ckdsk options, etc.  I had Tweaking.com review and reset everything, checking the box "select all" so all permissions should have been restored by Tweaking.  Each time when I finished, the Access Denied error message remained unresolved.  Additionally, Windows & fails to restore, to any set point, this also was the case both before and after running Tweaking.  Now, after the tweaking, it's taking far longer for the computer to boot, and the machine seems much slower overall.  I'm attaching a copy of the error message.  Computer:  HP DV7-3080us Entertainment Notebook, HP installed Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, Intel Core i7 processor, 6gig RAM, 500gig hard drive.  Thanks for any help and suggestions.  Sincerely, Doug

[Shane]

That error normally has to do with registry permissions.

Which my Windows Repair should have fixed, IF it was able to set the permissions. The registry permissions are ran under the system account, so normally it does unless the permissions are corrupted.

So check this for me

    Run regedit from the Start menu.
    Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ENUM\USB using the tree to expand folders.
    Right Click the USB folder and select Permissions...
    In the dialog box, verify Everyone is a listed group and that Read is checked.
    Click the Advanced tab and make sure Include inheritable permissions from this object's parent is selected as shown.

    Navigate to the Owner tab and make sure Replace owner on subcontainers and objects is selected as shown.

    Select Apply to apply these changes. A warning message may appear at this point. Select OK to continue.
    Select Apply in the Permissions for USB dialog box if necessary, then select OK to exit.
    Retry the installation.

Let me know if you see anything odd in the permissions for that key. Also as another test, create a new user account and login with it and try the usb, just as a test. That will tell me if it is a permissions problem in the hkey_current_user or not

Oh, and make sure the UAC is turned off as well. Seen problems with the UAC before.

Shane

[Paratron]

Shane,

Although I am a Mechanical Engineer, I am not abundantly familiar with things you computer techies talk about.  So I humbly ask...

How do you log in to the "System Account"? (Windows 7 Professional)  I am logged in as "administrator"  Please give me step by step instructions please.

What is the "UAC" and how do you turn it off?

My USB folder has hundreds of files.  Is there a global permission upgrade I can make that resets permissions in all of them or must I open and change each file manually in regedit?

Thanks for your help and patience and I will report back when I execute your next set of suggestions.

Also, remember my Windows 7 Professional will also no longer restore to any previous restore point.  It goes through the process and then upon reboot gives the "Restore Failed" message and then goes through the long process of reverting forward back to it's original condition.  The Access Denied errors I am getting and the failure to restore are probably related to the same issue and it would seem there is a deep problem somewhere in my Windows 7 Professional program.

Sincerely, Doug

[jraju]

Hi, You could try to download the drivers from the manufactureres web site for your usb device. This may sometime solve the issue.

[jraju]

Hi,
                   I also suppose that your computer might be infected with malware
                    Please scan your computer with malware bytes and see whether your restore point problem goes.If something is preventing from install, it is pure malware attack.

[Paratron]

Hello Shane and Jraju,

I remain logged on as "Administrator" and went onto the USB folder using regedit.  "Everyone" is selected as a group and has full permission and read.  Clicking to the advanced tab the Inherit Permissions box is checked.  HOWEVER - - - when I navigate to the Owner tab, check the box "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" and click on Apply I get the following error message: "Registry Editor could not set owner on the key currently selected or some of it's subkeys."

So, what do I do now?  Shane mentioned I need to be logged on to  the "System Account".  I am logged on as Administrator.  How do I log on to the "System Account"?  Shane also mentioned I need to turn off the UAC, what is that and how do I do that?  Both the manufacturers of the external drive enclosure I have and the Lexar flash drive I bought say they have no drivers available.  They say that Windows should identify their products and load the proper drivers automatically.  I believe this is correct because they work properly in two older computers I have that are running XP.  I would think that Windows 7 Professional would also recognize these devices.  Malware could be an issue but I run Norton anti-virus and it is a subscription service so it is always up to date.  It tells me my computer is clean.

Thank you again in advance for your help.  What next?

Sincerely,
Doug

[jraju]

Hi, I advise you to scan with malware bytes and run scan. Antivirus is different from malware cure.

[Shane]

I didnt want you to login with the system account (You cant) I wanted you to make a new user account as a test

Also as another test, create a new user account and login with it and try the usb, just as a test.

So in the control panel go to users and make a new account and make it an administrator account. Then log off and log into that account and try the USB and see if it installs.

This test will help tell me if the problem is in the profile of the other account or not.

Every account on the system has its very own hkey_current_user registry hive. So by logging into the other account and seeing if it works will tell me if the problem is in that section of the other account or if it is something that is machine wide

Shane

[jraju]

Hi,Paratron
                         Had you downloaded malware bytes. Pl download malware bytes free version from this link and then when you open it it would ask you to update, update. Then scan threat scan your computer. It will find all malwares and at the end of scan, a dialog box containing the threats would come, choose individual items and then in the drop down menu choose either delete or quarantine. Now , try the usb for recongition. If ok, then ok.
                          Try to enable service hardware detection services if it is disabled. Go to search box, type services.msc and then click. a big dialog box containing all the services would be visible. go to the last s letter and search for shell hardware detection and click it. See if it is set to auto. Please also enable if it is disabled by any means. Then try. This service is important to find the external hardware detection.
                            One could access the System Admn account, but that is not the issue now, i suppose. the link is given below:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/
download the free one and update. Normally malware would stop. Norton antivirus is not that much encouraging. it has so many loops taking much time. Avast free finds and has so much sheilds.

[Paratron]

Success!  Thanks to Shane & Jraju,

But, things did not go smoothly.  First, I added a new user account and gave it Administrator authorities as Shane requested.  Nothing changed, new USB devices were still not recognized by Windows 7 Professional and it still would not restore to any earlier restore points.  I continued to get the Access Denied error message when attempting a driver update using Device Manager.  So, I deleted the new user account.

Next, I set a restore point and then ran Norton's registry cleanup.  I use Norton anti-virus protection.  Still no change.
Next I had Norton run a full system scan. Norton found nothing.   Again, no change.

I then went to MalwareBytes.com's website and downloaded the free version of MalwareBytes.  Next I disconnected from the internet (and WiFi & Bluetooth) and turned off all antivirus software and firewall software.  (I am not on a network). I opened the folder and installed and ran the MalwareBytes software as Jraju suggested.  MalwareBytes discovered several Trojan's and 20+ PUD files. I instructed MalwareBytes to "quarantine" the suspected viruses. I am attaching a text file of the MalwareBytes scan results for reference.  MalwareBytes was not up to date (so it could not update itself) as I was disconnected from the internet but I performed the scan anyway.

Again, I attempted to connect two new USB devices (a flash drive and an external drive enclosure) and Windows 7 Professional would not recognize them and gave Access Denied errors when forced to look for and load drivers using Device Manager.

I then powered down the computer completely by unplugging it, removing the battery, pressing the power on button many times and letting the computer sit completely without power or batteries for 20 minutes.  Then I started the computer and ran the ck files & ckdisk from the Tweaking.com control panel (Step 2 I think).  Both came up clean.  Again there was no improvement in the USB connection problem.

Next I set another restore point and then attempted to do a MalwareBytes scan from the Tweaking.com control panel but got an error message, saying MalwareBytes would not run.  So, I turned my Norton anti-virus and firewall software on again, reconnected to the internet and exited Tweaking.com.  I activated MalwareBytes and asked it to update itself.  After it had updated I again disconnected from the internet, disabled my WiFi and Bluetooth and shut down my anti-virus and firewall software.  Then, I had MalwareBytes scan my system again.  It again found what appear to be the same Trojans and PUD's as before.  I am attaching a second text file with the second scan results for reference.

Then I re-activated Tweaking.com and again went through the first three steps, including the ckdsk and ckfile options.  Everything reported OK.  Then I had Tweaking.com check and repair my system (Step 4 I think).  After the repair and before I reactivated any antivirus or firewall software, or connected to the internet, I attempted to connect a new USB flash drive.  Initially, Windows 7 Professional gave me the "error" tones when I plugged in the flash drive.  It also did not show up in "Computer".  I next went to "Management" and it did not show in Disk Management.  I want to Device Manager and it did show there, but with a warning Icon.  I could tell Windows was trying to do something though as Management kept refreshing itself.  After about a minute of this I finally got the long awaited message "New Device Found" and in another minute or so drivers installed automatically and the USB device worked normally, appeared normally in "Computer" and showed properly in Disk Management.  Finally success!!  I don't know why it now takes Windows so long to recognize a new USB device or load the drivers, but thank heavens it's working again.  This used to be a quick process any time I plugged in a new device.  But, at least it is working again!!  My external drive enclosure is also recognized, even though it takes much longer than before.

The last thing I needed to do was get Windows Update to work again.  I set another restore point and told Windows Update to check for and install updates.  It did, successfully, for the first time since the USB problem manifested.

The MalwareBytes scan appears to have found a few things that allowed Tweaking.com to then come in and reset the permissions in Windows so it would again recognize USB devices, load drivers, update and restore to prior configurations.

Today I bought a new hard drive of the same size and cloned my now fully functional computer's hard drive.  I put the clone back in the protective wrapper, back in the box and in a cool safe place.  I will never allow myself to get into this position again.  Nor will I depend on Windows Restore to work!

Thank you Shane &  Jraju, and thank you MalwareBytes.com and Tweaking.com.  My problem is solved.

One last question:  The most it appears you can do when MalwareBytes finds a virus is "quarantine" it.  I want to DESTROY it.  How do you do that?  I want these virus files gone out of my computer, not simply quarantined!

Sincerely, Doug

[jraju]

Hi,  At lasta you have got rid of the problem.
The malware bytes scan shows all the PUP, potentially unwanted Programs, which is the real reason for all the problems.
I sincerely advise to run the malware once in 7 days, update and run.If you download any thing, just scan the individual file with malware bytes, by enabling the same in the settings, right context menu. It will scan the selected files and folders alone.
                  Regarding antivirus, i would suggest free avast antivirus, which have many sheilds, including web protection.It has boot scanning option, a boon for free users.
                   It seems that you have downloaded bundled programs from suspicious sites, which injects browser hijacks and trojans silently in to your computer. i could see so many tool bars, which contains malicious trojans and malware, rootkits, which are capable of compromising your computer to hackers.
                    Download softwares from majorgeek.com, the best download site free of bundled programs.

[Shane]

Ah, so you had something that kept hitting the permissions, once cleaned up my WR could do its job.

Very nice

Shane