CCleaner will not run. Icon not displayed. Permissions issue.

[AlexPhoenix]

I am a computer technician and I recommend CCleaner to my customers.

Recently several of them have reported that they cannot open CCleaner and that the usual icon is rep[laced by the "generic" Windows placeholder.

They are all running 32 bit Windows 7 Professional.

When they try to launch CCleaner they see the following message:

"Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item"

If one copies the .exe file from its usual location in C:\Program Files\CCleaner to any other location, it will launch quite happily.

Reinstalling the program over itself provides a brief fix in that it can be launched (once) by clicking "Run CCleaner" at the end of the installation process. However, attempting to launch again from the shortcut or even from the exe file itself produces the same problem. A complete uninstall and fresh reinstall DOES cure the problem.

Investigating the permissions, I discovered that the permissions for the user account were missing. Re-instating the permissions for the user account solves the problem, but it is a cumbersome workaround.

I am wondering if, after the recent scare, a security program has "blacklisted" CCleaner by removing the permissions.

Wierd thing - the issue does not occur on all machines, though they all have pretty much the same security package. They all use Avast (it would be ironic if this was the cause as Avast now owns Piriform!).

I am attaching a screencap showing on the left the security tab for an affected machine, and on the right the security tab for an unaffected machine.

Anyone know what may have been the cause of this?

[system]

Seems to be an inconsistent issue however can you try to use the Workaround fix provided here: https://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=48933

If this doesn't work, can you please create a support ticket.

[jboutte]

On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 05:38, AlexPhoenix said:

<div class="ipsQuote_contents">
	<p>
		I am a computer technician and I recommend CCleaner to my customers.
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		Recently several of them have reported that they cannot open CCleaner and that the usual icon is rep[laced by the "generic" Windows placeholder.
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		They are all running 32 bit Windows 7 Professional.
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		When they try to launch CCleaner they see the following message:
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		"Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item"
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		If one copies the .exe file from its usual location in C:\Program Files\CCleaner to any other location, it will launch quite happily.
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		Reinstalling the program over itself provides a brief fix in that it can be launched (once) by clicking "Run CCleaner" at the end of the installation process. However, attempting to launch again from the shortcut or even from the exe file itself produces the same problem. A complete uninstall and fresh reinstall DOES cure the problem.
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		Investigating the permissions, I discovered that the permissions for the user account were missing. Re-instating the permissions for the user account solves the problem, but it is a cumbersome workaround.
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		I am wondering if, after the recent scare, a security program has "blacklisted" CCleaner by removing the permissions.
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		Wierd thing - the issue does not occur on all machines, though they all have pretty much the same security package. They all use Avast (it would be ironic if this was the cause as Avast now owns Piriform!).
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		I am attaching a screencap showing on the left the security tab for an affected machine, and on the right the security tab for an unaffected machine.
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		Anyone know what may have been the cause of this?
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		 
	</p>

	<p>
		<a class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image" data-fileid="10326" href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_10_2017/post-80305-0-56673900-1508585162.jpg" rel=""><img alt="post-80305-0-56673900-1508585162_thumb.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" data-fileid="10326" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_10_2017/post-80305-0-56673900-1508585162_thumb.jpg"></a>
	</p>
</div>

I am having the same problem when installing the lastest free version of CCleaner v5.41.6446 with Windows 10 64-bit. It will download and install, then replaces the icons with a generic file icon in the program folder and on the desktop.

I can run the program from the initial installation screen that asks to run it after the installation and it runs perfect. If try to run it again from the program folder or desktop Icon, later, I get this message:

[AlexPhoenix]

I still come across this problem sometimes after installing Windoze 10 "updates" which trash pre-existing installs of CCleaner. Installing a fresh copy over the existing copy doesn't cure the issue. You might try completely uninstalling and then reinstalling CCleaner. This usually works for me. Or change the permissions as described here: https://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=48933

[nukecad]

As this seems to be an ownership/permission problem then you might try the following.

I occasionally had similar problems with non-ownership of .exe files in Win 10 not letting me run them, I eventually found this:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3841-add-take-ownership-context-menu-windows-10-a.html

Download the file at step 2 then go to step 5 and follow the instructions.

This puts a "Take Ownership/Restore Rights" option on your right click context menu, which then makes it easy to right click the problem file and take complete ownership of it.

(I usually take ownership of the whole folder that the problem file is in).