Problem trying to add or remove items from startup

[Robbie]

Specifically trying to add or remove items from the registry key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

 

My account is an Administrator account but I am unable to add or remove entries from this registry key. If I login to Safe Mode then there is no problem, I can amend the entries in this key, but it's a problem if I'm installing a program that I want to run at startup. I have to login to safe Mode just to add the startup entry to that registry key. Looking around the internet it seems the problem may be one of "permissions" and me not having sufficient permissions to amend this key. I notice that the owner of the Run and Run Once keys show as "SYSTEM" rather than my user account name (unlike many of the other registry keys around Run and Run Once, with many of those my account name seems to be the owner). However, SYSTEM has the same rights as my user account and the Administrators group so I don't know what the problem is.

 

Does anyone know it there's something I need to tweak in order to be able to add or delete entries in those two registry keys? Not being able to do so unless I boot into safe Mode is more an annoyance than a problem but it's something I've never encountered before. Even using Autoruns I am unable to delete entries in the Run key.

 

My laptop is running Windows 7 if that makes a difference but the setup / ownership / permissions of those keys looks just the same as it does on my Vista PC and I can add to or remove entries from the Run key on my Vista PC without any problems.

[Eli]

Specifically trying to add or remove items from the registry key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

 

My account is an Administrator account but I am unable to add or remove entries from this registry key. If I login to Safe Mode then there is no problem, I can amend the entries in this key, but it's a problem if I'm installing a program that I want to run at startup. I have to login to safe Mode just to add the startup entry to that registry key. Looking around the internet it seems the problem may be one of "permissions" and me not having sufficient permissions to amend this key. I notice that the owner of the Run and Run Once keys show as "SYSTEM" rather than my user account name (unlike many of the other registry keys around Run and Run Once, with many of those my account name seems to be the owner). However, SYSTEM has the same rights as my user account and the Administrators group so I don't know what the problem is.

 

Does anyone know it there's something I need to tweak in order to be able to add or delete entries in those two registry keys? Not being able to do so unless I boot into safe Mode is more an annoyance than a problem but it's something I've never encountered before. Even using Autoruns I am unable to delete entries in the Run key.

 

My laptop is running Windows 7 if that makes a difference but the setup / ownership / permissions of those keys looks just the same as it does on my Vista PC and I can add to or remove entries from the Run key on my Vista PC without any problems.

I`ll say you have some firewall other than Windows that prevents changes to the registry. If yes, try to disable the firewall and try to make the changes you want. If it is not the firewall,it may be some other sort of security software that partly works/behaves like a firewall Iwould suggest you disable it as well,but not before you disconnect from the internet...

Good luck

[Andavari]

I don't know if these instructions work in Windows 7 or not, however they're worth a try and can at least put you on the right track.

[Robbie]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately I stll have been aunable to solve this problem.

 

The only security programs running on my laptop are Windows Firewall, Avira AntiVirus and Windows Defender. Disabling the Firewall and Defender and uninstalling Avira still brought me no joy.

 

Andavari - I'd already seen those instructions at your link. I followed the instructions to the letter but that didn't work either.

 

I can't understand how I can add / delete items from that registry key while in safe mode but not while in normal mode. It just doesn't make any sense. And I can add or delete entries to the corresonding key in HKLM (HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run) while running Windows in normal mode - and both keys have the exact same owner and permissions.

 

The reason why I noticed this problem in the first place was because I installed NetMeter v1.13. It ran at startup perfectly well. I then noticed it wasn't logging any traffic as there were no wireless interfaces listed. This was a known bug with Windows 7 and there had been a fix, version 1.14 beta was released solving the bug. Anyway I uninstalled NetMeter v1.13 and ran CCleaner's Registry Cleaner. I noticed that one of the keys listed was HKCU...Run\NetMeter. I cleaned it, ran CCleaner again and the same registry key was listed again, meaning it hadn't been deleted. I went to the actual registry key and tried to delete it via that method. I kept getting an error message and basically could not delete the entry. So I booted into safe mode and was able to delete the entry. I then booted back into normal mode, ran the NetMeter v1.14 beta installer and got this error:

 

 

Code 5 relates to a permissions problem, from what I've read. But there is no problem as I can do all this in safe mode. So I just booted into Safe Mode to install NetMeter.

 

Additionally I can create subkeys (folders) in Run and can add or delete entries in that folder in normal mode. It just appears to be a problem adding or deleting an entry in the actual Run key in normal mode. Before this problem started I had disabled some startup items via Autoruns. Autoruns keep them in a key called Autoruns Disabled in the Run key (ie in the key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\Autoruns Disabled) and I can add or delete items in this folder in normal mode. Since this problem started I can no longer disable entries in the Run key via Autoruns while in normal mode, though again i can in safe mode. In normal mode and using Autoruns I uncheck the box next to the entry and when I go back to autoruns that box is still uncked but a duplicate entry appears, with the box checked.

 

Again, it's not a serious problem, more a nuisance, because to add or delete items in the Run key / folder I'll have to keep booting into Safe Mode. I'll also have to install programs that I want to run at startup in Safe Mode too. Though I'm not one for having too many programs run at startup so it won't happen that often - for example my Windows XP PC is almost 4 years old and has a mere 5 entries in the Run key. I just don't like not having full control over my computers!

 

If anyone can suggest anything further then I would be grateful. The only thing I don't think I'll do is to do a reinstall just to see if that solves the problem. It's bound to crop back up at some point in the future.

[Andavari]

I don't know why you can't do it in normal Windows mode. Since I don't use Windows 7 I don't have anything to add other than perhaps like already stated it's some program running or Windows itself locking you out.

[Icedrake]

Have a look at this article, it might help you out: http://oreilly.com/windows/archive/how-to-...p-programs.html Here's some more info: http://biggeekdaddy.com/startupprograms.html

[Robbie]

I've finally been able to pinpoint the cause of this problem and have fixed it!

 

It was a security program after all - I forgot that I had installed a secuity program provided by my Internet Bank. The program is called Rapport, it is manufactured by Trusteer and is designed to securely protect information on sensitive sites by locking down the browser once connected to a sensitive site such as a bank by protecting the browser from malicious software and preventing traffic from being diverted to fraudulent websites. The specific conflict is in one of the Security Policy settings in Rapport, specifically "Protect Rapport from Unauthorized Removal". With it set to "Always" that registry key locks. Changing it to "Never" unlocks the registry key and items can be added or removed as normal. As this never happened in Vista I don't know if it's a bug, a conflict or meant to happen in Windows 7. I've reported it to Trusteer though.

 

I wish I'd remembered about installing this program, it would have saved me many hours of trying to solve the problem by a process of trial and error! Thankfully I never did a computer factory reset as the problem would have occured once more, once I'd reinstalled this program.

 

Thanks to all who replied, it's most appreciated.

[hazelnut]

Glad you found out the cause Robbie

 

Another thing for us to consider if a situation like this happens to anyone else.

[Robbie]

an update on this:

 

I sent a report to Trusteer outlining the specific problem I was experiencing and received a reply - the problem is known and is a Rapport / Windows 7 conflict. Trusteer are about to release an update that will fix the problem. I assume other people must have been reporting the problem too!

[ident]

Natwest offered me Trusteer , couldnt get on with it.

[Robbie]

Natwest offered me Trusteer , couldnt get on with it.

I've been running it on my Vista PC for a few months since NatWest first offered it to me. I've always been security conscious so I probably don't really need it but I thought I would give it a try. It's fairly unobtrusive (apart from this problem!) and I use it to protect all websites where I may have financial transactions (not just my bank, credit card company etc but even sites like amazon.co.uk). I do read the security reports that are available and there are one or two entries there sometimes but all security programs have entries when you log their activity. I'll keep using it for the time being but I'm not sure if I'll always stick with it.

 

What did you not like about it? Too many warnings (eg passwords, if you have more than one site monitored with the same password) or just not what you wanted?

 

To be honest, I only ever downloaded it in the first place as I was getting a bit sick of having the "download rapport" page appear every time I logged into my NatWest bank account!

[ident]

To be honest, I only ever downloaded it in the first place as I was getting a bit sick of having the "download rapport" page appear every time I logged into my NatWest bank account!

 

 

 

hahaha, same, i got so annoyed i wrote and complained. Which i got a kind worded letter that lets me(and you) navigate directly to the login

 

https://www.nwolb.com

 

I've been running it on my Vista PC for a few months since NatWest first offered it to me. I've always been security conscious so I probably don't really need it but I thought I would give it a try. It's fairly unobtrusive (apart from this problem!) and I use it to protect all websites where I may have financial transactions (not just my bank, credit card company etc but even sites like amazon.co.uk). I do read the security reports that are available and there are one or two entries there sometimes but all security programs have entries when you log their activity. I'll keep using it for the time being but I'm not sure if I'll always stick with it.

 

What did you not like about it? Too many warnings (eg passwords, if you have more than one site monitored with the same password) or just not what you wanted?

 

Tbh i just find it more clutter. I'm very security wise to. Just another stress to add to firefox also. I also got annoyed with the reports. Yes i probably could of configured it better, but i dont want a security report pop up daily.

 

why cant it do it's job in silence and if something needs urgent attention then display. why annoy me by letting me know everything is fine?

 

overall i got tired of it after a week.