A required privilege is not held by the client

When i try to open this setup file, it gives me this error "A required privilege is not held by the client" I have full administrator right on my pc. Would upgrading to windows 10 fix this? View attachment 65413
- Windows 8.1
- 64Bit OS
- HP Laptop

I have had this error in the past and had to do a system restore point but when this has recently started happening again, i had no restore points to go back to. This seems to happen to most applications. I have tried running the exe as an administrator, doesn't work. Also tried to run from external HDD. Googled around a lot but nothing useful Nothing seems to work! Any help would be very much appreciated

Strangely, "administrator" is no longer the equivalent of superuser. Files are owned by System and TrustedInstaller quite a bit with associated permissions fairly restrictive to others.

For stupid example, C:\windows\temp is no longer accessible by "administrator".

Anyway, there is a convoluted way to get sufficient permissions by "administrator" to do what you want to do -see the "Advanced" button of the "Security" tab when you right-click on the object you want to access and click on "Properties".

In my case (and that MIGHT mean all 64-bit 8.1 Pro systems or not) the permissions of the parent directory (folder) can also cause problems when trying to enhance "administrator" permissions on an object inside that directory/folder.

I finally gave up on accessing temp via the windowing system.

But, in uSoft's wisdom, opening an Administrator-level CMD dialog allows you to command-line access anything. Example:



Since this is a common problem, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a tutorial here to (try to) get access via the windowing system.

Thanks for the reply, This didn't work (the elevated cmd and the security tab thing) i have already tried the security tab thing but it hasn't worked. I've also tried running a "take ownership" tool (Take Ownership Shortcut - Windows 7 Help Forums) and that hasn't worked and yes I understand that is windows 7 forums. Would upgrading to to windows 10 fix this problem as this is starting to get really annoying and as i believe that no solution to this problems has been found yet.

Are you running from a Microsoft Account or a Local Account? if MS Account try to set up a Local account with admin?

I used my Microsoft account. Will try

For stupid example, C:\windows\temp is no longer accessible by "administrator". I finally gave up on accessing temp via the windowing system.

Click to expand...

Nope, no access for "administrator"-level user:

On clicking on Temp:



and after hitting "Continue":



This is on a 64-bit Windows 8.1 Pro that was "repair install" fixed a week or so ago from a Windows.ISO file downloaded via the Media Center - probably noted here by me at the time.

The Temp folder is, I believe, owned by TrustedInstaller as is the Windows folder.

Here's someone else (there are other examples elsewhere) with the same problem: http://www.eightforums.com/general-...access-windows-temp-folder-windows-8-1-a.html

My security settings-

Oh, sure, one could change ownership and permissions and make everything wide open - that works (though, again, it's NOT as simple as simply doing that to Temp - first Windows has to be changed, THEN Temp); that's why I mentioned the Security tab et al.

But on the default system that I appear to have, administrator does NOT have access to Temp. And I just checked and administrator has NO (!) overt permissions on Windows - completely disallowed (though there may be "special" permissions that override the lack of ANY other permissions):




"Users", however, has minimal traversal rights so I as a User (but NOT because I'm an Administrator), can see Windows contents - weird.

I'm pretty much fed up with this "error" I wonder whether upgrading to windows 10 would fix this? By error i mean "A required privilege is not held by the client"

brokensoftware said:

Oh, sure, one could change ownership and permissions and make everything wide open - that works (though, again, it's NOT as simple as simply doing that to Temp - first Windows has to be changed, THEN Temp); that's why I mentioned the Security tab et al.

But on the default system that I appear to have, administrator does NOT have access to Temp. And I just checked and administrator has NO (!) overt permissions on Windows - completely disallowed (though there may be "special" permissions that override the lack of ANY other permissions):

View attachment 65435


"Users", however, has minimal traversal rights so I as a User (but NOT because I'm an Administrator), can see Windows contents - weird.

Click to expand...

That's why you use Advanced security features to CHANGE permissions.

I changed mine.
Now I have access to it.

If you can't get access to it, you are doing something wrong.

What if i change all the security settings for C:/Users
and pretty much all NON-system files?

Some pictures-



When you click the Edit button you will see a new window pop up-



If that doesn't stick, click Advanced button-





Click Apply & ok on your way out of all windows.

I gave full control & ownership to me.
By me I mean my account name.

ccman12345678 said:

What if i change all the security settings for C:/Users
and pretty much all NON-system files?

Click to expand...

I don't know.

David Bailey,
I tried this but i got an error that it failed to do it to a certain folder C:/Windows/ADFS
and a few other folder. so cancelled it

David Bailey said:

Some pictures-

View attachment 65454

When you click the Edit button you will see a new window pop up-

View attachment 65455

If that doesn't stick, click Advanced button-

View attachment 65456

View attachment 65453

Click Apply & ok on your way out of all windows.

I gave full control & ownership to me.
By me I mean my account name.

Click to expand...

To add your user account name if it is not already there-













This is the best I can explain it.
I'm done.

ccman12345678 said:

David Bailey,
I tried this but i got an error that it failed to do it to a certain folder C:/Windows/ADFS
and a few other folder. so cancelled it

David Bailey said:

Some pictures-

View attachment 65454

When you click the Edit button you will see a new window pop up-

View attachment 65455

If that doesn't stick, click Advanced button-

View attachment 65456

View attachment 65453

Click Apply & ok on your way out of all windows.

I gave full control & ownership to me.
By me I mean my account name.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Note the names of said folders or files & take ownership of them.

Just a note-

I have 2 usb drives with current Macrium Reflect system images on them.

If I want to revert any changes I made I can easily do so.

ccman12345678 said:

David Bailey,
I tried this but i got an error that it failed to do it to a certain folder C:/Windows/ADFS
and a few other folder. so cancelled it

Click to expand...

Yeah, same thing happened to me - the attempt to change C:\Windows started enumerating every object under C:\Windows with error messages; that's why I gave up on the idea and simply decided to use the command line access - that works fine though not as convenient.

I just tried-

explorer C:\Windows\Temp

in an admin cmd prompt & it worked-