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Offer Remote Assistance - Permission Denied error

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irbk

MIS
Oct 20, 2004
578
US
When trying to use "Offer Remote Assistance" I seem to get a very non-informative error of "Permission denied". I've gone to KB 310629 and done all the steps there with no sucess. I've got it to work with a few systems but can't seem to figure out what is causing the "Permission denied" when a system that does work is set up with the same configuration as a system that doesn't work.

Any suggestions?
 
Nope, systems are running service pack 1, not service pack 2. Thanks for the reply anyway.
 
In any case, be certain that TCP port 3389 is open on both sides and in both directions of the Remote Assistance request.

Are you sending a request for Assistance, or are you attempting to answer a request?
 
No firewall is between System A and System B.

Using "Offer Remote Assistance" (sort of a hidden feature most people don't know exist) see KB 308013 for more info.
Don't even get the chance to accept the request. I click connect and almost instantly get the "Permission denied".

Here is the other weird thing, it seems like the systems that I can't get to work all are Dell systems that are running the XP Pre-installed from Dell. If the system has been rebuilt or XP wasn't pre-installed, I can get it to work.

Thanks for your help!
 
That is a very valuable clue.
I have seen Dell images missing critical ACE priviliges, for whatever reason, and reported this last November to Microsoft.

If using XP Pro:
Start, Run, secpol.msc

You need to enable these rights explicitly on the problem computer:

(For XP Pro you do not need NTRIGHTS.EXE)

For XP Home, you will have to use NTRIGHTS.EXE. Direct download:
The syntax is a little convulated and case sensitive, so let me help:

NTRIGHTS +r SeNetworkLogonRight -u "Users"
NTRIGHTS +r SeInteractiveLogonRight -u "Users"
NTRIGHTS +r SeBatchLogonRight -u "Users"
NTRIGHTS +r SeServiceLogonRight -u "Users"
NTRIGHTS -r SeDenyNetworkLogonRight -u "Users"
NTRIGHTS -r SeDenyInteractiveLogonRight -u "Users"
NTRIGHTS -r SeDenyBatchLogonRight -u "Users"
NTRIGHTS -r SeDenyServiceLogonRight -u "Users"
 
All the systems I'm talking about are XP Pro. I'm a little confused by your suggestion. If they are all XP pro do I need to run this?
 
For XP Pro you can use secpol.msc and do it manually.
Or, copy into a notepad session the above lines using ntrights.exe as a .cmd or .bat file.

Either way.

I am keying on what you mentioned above: "Here is the other weird thing, it seems like the systems that I can't get to work all are Dell systems that are running the XP Pre-installed from Dell. If the system has been rebuilt or XP wasn't pre-installed, I can get it to work."

And yes the Dell (and also HP) images being used from mid-year last year to late last year had issues where the permissions were missing in the image. As a Microsoft MVP I reported the issue to the Networking product group at Microsoft and the images were changed.

It will do no harm to create with notepad a .cmd file, and download the NTRIGHTS.EXE file. The newest version of this file is in the Windows 2003 Resource Kit, freeware, and you should download and install a copy:
You can then push out to the client workstations the NTRIGHTS.EXE file so that they can use the .CMD file you create.
 
How would I use the secpol.msc to set the permissions manually. (I just want to get it to work on 1 system before I go pussing it out to all my clients.)

Thanks.
 
New Theory (though it hasen't been tested)

Ok, here is a new theory. Assuming that I'm correct in saying that the problem is on XP Pro systems that come pre-installed with XP. Installing service pack 2 seems to fix the issue.

(Have a system that's running SP2 now and works but I didn't test to see if it didn't work before)

I'm going to test it now. I have a system that's running service pack 1 that I know doesn't work. Going to install service pack 2 and see if that makes a difference. I'll get back to this post once the install is complete.
 
It may well solve the issue. SP2 is going to rewrite all ACE priviliges to fit its new security model.
 
306496 - How to configure or disable Solicited Remote Assistance in Windows XP

826088 - If the Solicited Remote Assistance policy is disabled, you cannot offer assistance to a Novice computer

306045 - Remote Assistance Session Cannot Connect

You cannot offer remote assistance to a user whose computer is running Windows XP Service Pack 2

301527 - How to configure a computer to receive Remote Assistance offers in Windows XP and Windows 2003

300546 - Overview of Remote Assistance in Windows XP
 
Service Pack 2 didn't do the trick.

Linney, I've set it up on several systems and it works on several systems but it doesn't work on many systems too. I've already looked through all those KB's well before I posted here. Thanks for posting though!

 
linney,

I thought about this one:
But Forum member irbk has an issue that does not quite fit the MS KB article coverage. That is why, including his comments about it being localized to certain OEM pre-installs, that I spent the time above about NTRIGHTS.

And the OEM pre-install issue is a real one. I worked with the MS Networking product groups as MVP on this late October of last year. The Dell and HP (the ones I knew had issues) images were redone, and redone again to handle service pack 2. The XP Home imaging done during that period is a serious mess, as you have no MMC console.

By the way, I was again awarded the MS-MVP award for the year 2005.

I do not know if this will sort the issue Forum member irkb is facing, but it has to be addressed. It most certainly will do no harm.

As always linney, my best regards,
Bill Castner, MS-MVP (Windows-Networking)
 
bcastner, It wasn't the security thing either. Tried it and still have no luck.

I've even gone as far as calling Dell. They also have no idea.
 
. Download and install subinacl from:


2. Create a file named reset.cmd in C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools folder.

3. Edit the reset.cmd file with the following content.
[tt]
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=administrators=f

subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=systems=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=system=f
[/tt]
4. Enter into CMD prompt.

5. Enter the following commands one at a time and click Enter.

cd\
cd "C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools"
reset.cmd

6. After a few minutes by processing subinacl, please test the problem again.


If still no joy:

First, create a slipstream version of XP Service Pack 2:
thread779-900263

Second, do a repair/upgrade with the slipstream:

I believe I am on the right track about permissions problems. Unfortunately, there are only a handful that can be corrected with command line utilities.

Regards,
Bill Castner
 
Ran the reset.cmd. Not sure but it doesn't look like it changed anything. All the commands completed like
"Done: 0, Modified 0, Failed 0, Syntax errors 0
 
Well, still no joy. I'm not going to do the slipstream as I just don't have the time. My initial theory may not be true as I have come across 1 Dell system that is working and I don't recall it having to have been rebuilt. It very well could be screwed up permission problems but I just can't verify it. Nothing I've tried has worked.
 
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