Windows 7, 10 Update Error 0x80070005: Access Denied

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We’ve all experienced the temptation of a shiny new update – new features to play around with, faster processing, patches galore – and suddenly we’re more than ready to download this new update without reading into what it is we’re updating at all. Typically this isn’t the end of the world for you or your computer; if you are using a well known software, generally you shouldn’t have to worry about anything severely harming your device. I’m not trying to use reverse psychology to scare you, either- simply put, these updates are mainly to help you and your computer and to ensure that you both run smoothly.

But alas! Sometimes there are bumps in the road and our dear systems present us with error screens and problems that we have to tackle. These can be annoying and a hindrance to your everyday activities and all you want is to fix them as soon as possible to get back to your regularly scheduled programming. If this is happening to you, don’t panic! In this article, we’ll talk you through the process of how to fix one particular error that may appear on Windows operating systems, particularly on Windows 7 and 10. If you are looking for a solution on fixing a problem with DirectX, be sure to check out our article right here on our website.

Rot Cause : Windows Update Error 0x80070005: Access Denied. Why am I being denied access to my own computer?

Well first, let’s make sure of the obvious: are you using your own computer, or someone else’s? More importantly, are you an administrator on the computer? If you aren’t, that may be why you don’t have access to some controls on the computer. The Access Denied error could occur if parental controls have been turned on. Or, if you are old enough to wear the big boy pants and know a bit about how to protect your computer, another reason for this error may be because of a block caused by your firewall or antivirus software. Alternatively, you could just not be running as administrator, in which case, certain things may be only accessible once you have administrator privileges. No matter what the case, there is nothing to worry about, since this is a pretty common issue that can easily be fixed.

This error code in particular occurs when Windows is trying to install an update but cannot do so because it’s missing particular files or registry permissions. If you are looking to fix Error Code 0x80004005 For Windows, be sure to check out this article on Error Codes Pro.  

The following methods should be followed in order to ensure that you are doing the right thing to get Windows up and running again just like it should. If you aren’t someone who is computer savvy or if you are just new to the Windows operating system, don’t sweat! We gotcha covered. Along with the instructions, we have added pictures wherever we think you might experience a few hiccups along the way. If you are ever in  a position where you are confused about what to do, compare the pictures to your actual desktop to figure out where to go from there.

“Our computers have become windows through which we can gaze upon a world that is virtually without horizons or boundaries”. – Joseph B. Wirthlin

Let’s get right onto the fixing, shall we?

First, we need to check if all the right permissions are being granted or not. As mentioned earlier, one of the reasons this error might occur is because you might not have administrator permissions. If you are facing any problems with any software or are just curious, check out Fix Runtime Error 203 For Windows 7 ,8 & 10 right here on Error Codes Pro.

A simple way to figure out if you’re running as an administrator is to restart your computer and log in with security controls,  but if that is not your style and you would prefer to keep your computer turned on at all times, the steps below can help you to regain control of system:

Step #1: Click on the start menu.

Step #2: Enter ‘control panel’ in the search bar and click on it.

Step #3: Click on User Accounts and Family Safety. It should look something like this:

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Step #4: Select User Accounts.

Step #5: Click change your account type and enter your password if need be.

Step #6: Click on the start menu and log off from your Windows account and then log back on.

If the problem had to do with your access to administrator controls, this should fix the problem completely. If you’re still having issues, though, read on.

I guess it wasn’t a problem with the administrative controls after all. What do I do now?

This is where a little bit of effort on your part comes in, and if you do this right, it should definitely take care of the issue…given this isn’t a virus or malware problem. This method is using the SubInACL Tool.

Step #1: Download SubInACL Tool. Don’t worry about whether or not this tool is legitimate, it was created by Microsoft and is completely safe to install. Hopefully you won’t have any issues while downloading this page, but if you do, you can check out our Fix ERR_CONNECTION_RESET For Android, Mac, Windows (7, 10) article to learn more on how to fix this problem.

Step #2: Open Notepad and copy paste the following:

 

@echo off

 

setlocal

 

echo.

echo Determine whether we are on an 32 or 64 bit machine

echo.

 

if “%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%”==”x86” if “%PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432%”==”” goto x86

 

set ProgramFilesPath=%ProgramFiles(x86)%

 

goto startResetting

 

:x86

 

set ProgramFilesPath=%ProgramFiles%

 

:startResetting

 

echo.

 

if exist “%ProgramFilesPath%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\subinacl.exe” goto filesExist

 

echo ***ERROR*** – Could not find file %ProgramFilesPath%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\subinacl.exe. Double-check that SubInAcl is correctly installed and re-run this script.

goto END

 

:filesExist

 

pushd “%ProgramFilesPath%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools”

 

subinacl.exe /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f

subinacl.exe /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f

subinacl.exe /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f

subinacl.exe /subdirectories %windir% /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f

 

echo FINISHED.

echo.

echo Press any key to exit . . .

pause >NUL

 

popd

 

:END

 

endlocal

 

In Notepad, it should look something like this:

Step #3: Click on the File option on the left corner and choose to Save As Reset.cmd.

Step #4: Find the Reset.cmd file, right click it and choose to Run as Administrator.

Step #5: After the execution has been completed, try to reinstall the update.

If this method worked, it’s time to give yourself a pat on the back because you just used a script (even if you just copied and pasted it) to successfully fix a problem! Or maybe you just like reading up on how to fix errors. In that case, our Ultimate HTTP Error Code List might come in handy

This didn’t work for me, either! Does that mean I have a virus? Is my computer in danger?

If you haven’t already, install an antivirus software on your computer. Antivirus software like Microsoft Security Scanner are absolutely free and can help safeguard your computer from viruses and malware.

If you already have an antivirus, make sure that the database is up to date to stay protected from any future attacks on your computer. It might be a good option at this point to run a scan on your computer and check for potential viruses. This is a good thing to do on a frequent basis to be sure your computer isn’t riddled with malware, and most antivirus software will autorun scans to keep you up to date without you having to lift a finger.

Conclusion

If you’ve made it out of the woods and have been able to successfully download and install the update, congratulations! Enjoy that new interface or lack of bugs when running your program! You can check out my other articles to help sort other issues you might run into in the world of ever-growing and evolving technology. Simply click on my name above or search in the search bar at the top right hand corner for your problem.

Still stuck? Unable to download that update even after inserting code into your own computer and becoming a techie? Fear not! We’ve got some last resort options to help you get updated- and if all else fails, the internet is a glorious, answer-filled place that should be able to point you in the right direction.

Pro Tips Galore:

  1. Insert a help ticket on your software’s website. There should be a place to submit questions and complaints on the company’s site, be it a link to an email address or an embedded submission box. Be sure to let the developers know about your issue- and provide as much information as possible, such as the steps you took to get to the error and what you already did to try and solve the issue. Who knows, you may not be alone!
  2. Google is your friend- and since you’re here, you obviously know this already! Be sure to comb through a few pages of results before you give up on humanity- you may find an answer buried on page four!
  3. Uninstall and reinstall the program- that is, as long as it’s not System32! This should be the last, last resort- and if this doesn’t work, try installing and running an older version of the software until the latest version is usable.

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