Fix System Error 5 Access Denied in Windows 10

Windows users often encounter technical or software failures while using their systems. One such glitch is System Error 5, which is reported by many Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 users. This often results in an access denied popup even for users who are logged in with their administrator account on their PC or laptop. If you are someone who is dealing with the same error, then you are in the right place. We have the perfect guide for you to help you fix system error 5, access denied on your system. But before we do that, you should know what system error 5 means and what causes it, so let's start with it first.

How to Fix System Error 5 "Access Denied" in Windows 10

System Error 5 is an access denied pop-up that Windows users may experience when trying to install software. This is usually due to lack of permissions or when a user tries to download software without administrator rights, but in some cases even administrator accounts have encountered system error 5. For example, access denied can be detected when trying to run a command in the command line without the necessary privileges.

What causes system error 5?

The System 5 error is an old problem that has been around since Windows 7. There are several reasons behind it, including:

• Time sync issues on your Windows PC can result in System Error 5: Access Denied. To resolve this issue, enable time synchronization and set the correct timezone on your system.
• It is also possible that your administrator account is disabled or incorrect, which causes system error 5.
• The need for special privileges, such as using the network for some commands, can also be the cause of the error.
• If you are trying to access a remote computer and the required permission is missing, you may encounter error 5 on your system.

Although the problem with error 5 has not been resolved and ported to other versions of Windows, the said error can be fixed in several ways, listed below:

Method 1: Temporarily disable your antivirus software (if applicable)

Sometimes the antivirus software on your system can recognize the installed software as a false positive detection, which can lead to system error 5. Therefore, the best solution in this case is either not having an antivirus on your system, or simply turning it off. You can disable your antivirus temporarily, and for that, you can read our detailed guide on how to temporarily disable your antivirus in Windows 10. It will guide you in several ways that you can perform this method on your PC.

Method 2: Run the installer as an administrator

One of the main causes of system error 5, as discussed above, is insufficient access rights when running the installer. So, to answer your question about how to stop access denied, you need to run the installer as an administrator, which will give you all the rights. This is a fairly simple method and the steps for it are given below:

1. Right-click the Windows icon and select the File Explorer option.

2. Locate and right-click the installation file with the error.

3. Click "Run as Administrator" from the menu.

This simple fix will help you run the file without system error 5.

Method 3: Enable the built-in administrator account

If your built-in administrator account has all the privileges and rights, it can help you fix System Error 5. follow these steps to enable the built-in administrator account on your desktop:

1. Press the Windows key, type "Command Prompt" and click "Run as administrator".

2. Type this command and press the Enter key.

net user administrator /active:yes

3. Now install the problematic file.

After that, you can disable the built-in administrator account by running net useradmin /active:no.

Method 4: Switch the user account to an administrator profile

If enabling the built-in account didn't work for you to stop being denied access, you can try switching your user account to an administrator profile to gain file upload rights.

1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows + R keys at the same time.

2. Type netplwiz and press the Enter key to open user accounts.

3. Select a user profile other than Administrator and click Properties.

4. Open the "Group Membership" tab and select "Administrator".

5. Click OK and Apply.

Now that your account has been converted to an administrator profile, you can easily perform downloads on your system without encountering an access denied prompt.

Method 5: Set Security Permissions

If you are still trying to gain administrator privileges, then changing the security permissions can help you fix error 5. You can do this on your system using File Explorer, follow the steps given below for detailed instructions:

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the specified path from the address bar.

%appdata%..Local

2. Locate the folder named Temp and right-click it.

3. Click Properties.

4. Open the "Security" tab and click "Advanced".

5. On the Permissions tab, find the user account and click on it.

6. Click Remove and select the Replace all child object permission entries with permission entries inherited from this object check box.

7. Now click OK and Apply.

Method 6: Move the installer to a different drive

Another way to fix System Error 5 - Access Denied is to move the problematic file to a different drive on your system. This is a fairly simple method and a simple approach to the problematic file.

1. Find the installer in File Explorer.

2. Long press the installer and start dragging it to another folder, in this case move it to C drive.

3. Click Continue to complete the transfer process.

Method 7: Adjust UAC Settings

If none of the above methods have worked for you so far, you can try changing the UAC settings on your PC. User Account Control settings on change can help you fix System Error 5 as follows:

1. Simultaneously press the Win + X keys and select the Run option.

2. Type UserAccountControlSettings and press the Enter key to launch User Account Control settings.

3. Now drag the slider to "Never Notify" and click "OK".

After that, restart your computer and check if System Error 5 is resolved.

Method 8: Perform a System Restore

If none of the methods so far have helped you regarding System Error 5 Access Denied, you can try to restore Windows using System Restore. This helps keep the system up to date as well as getting rid of any errors that might interfere with the installation process. You can easily restore your Windows with our guide How to use System Restore in Windows 10.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. How to fix error 5, access denied?

Answer You can fix error 5: Access denied on your system by granting administrator rights. Enable the permissions required to resolve the issue. You can also try enabling the administrator account through the command line and remove the troubleshooter.

Q2. How can I bypass system error 5 in CMD?

Answer Opening a command prompt in administrative mode can help you bypass system error 5 in CMD. Launch a command prompt with system privileges and then try the installation process.

Q3. How can I fix forbidden permissions in Windows 10?

Answer You can easily fix permission denied in Windows 10 by enabling permissions for your username or group in the file properties.

Q4. What does Access Denied mean in Windows?

The Access Denied response is the prompt that is displayed in Windows when you do not have administrator privileges. To solve this problem, you need to get access permission.

Q5. How can I get rid of access denied in Google Chrome?

Answer You can get rid of access denied in Google Chrome by disabling the antivirus software on your system, restarting your browser, and running the troubleshooter.

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We hope our guide has helped you to completely fix System Error 5, Access Denied on your Windows. Let us know which fix was the most favorable for you. If you have any further questions or suggestions regarding this topic, please leave them in the comments section below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.