CE8.5 - failed to download plugin from server

[splitthird]

Have CE8.5 on a w2k server. Worked fine for years and then another application was installed that somehow messed it up (got error of unable to initialize when try start APS and unable to read or write to registry when try and view db tab of APS in CCM).
We decided to uninstall CE and resinstall.

This seemed to work...but we then found when we tried to log on with any authentication type that we got an unable to create olugin home director OR unable to download plugin from server messages.

We are stuck - has anyone encountered and solved a similar problem?

 

[splitthird]

The exact error message when I try and log on through the enable button in the CMC is:

"fail to create plug-in's home directory

all the services appear to be started okay

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Are the services running under an account that has full rights to the directories they need?

 

[splitthird]

yep - same error whether running as local system or domain administrator (and domain admin is as usual a local admin on the server).