The problem. Domain Admins, including the Administrator account, cannot install anything any more on Server 2008, Vista, Windows 7. Any install fails; have tried apps like CutePDF, Symantec Endpoint Protection, Adobe Acrobat, etc. Yet the install works for Windows XP. I have gone so far as to remove any Computer GPO from play but the issue still persists. It even still occurs for newly installed systems. It happens to servers and workstations, which both receive different GPO's. Help!

Sounds like the accounts have been damaged. What are you using for a domain controller? Do you have it replicated?Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

Sounds like the accounts have been damaged. What are you using for a domain controller? Do you have it replicated?Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

All Server 2008, 3 DC's. Everything is replicated and otherwise working well. The problem occurs for anyone in the Domain Admins group, not just Administrator. My theory is that it has something to do with UAC, but don't know how to troubleshoot that.

I have the UAC disabled my my Windows 7 box. Try that and see if it helps.Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

I have the UAC disabled my my Windows 7 box. Try that and see if it helps.Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

It is disabled on the Win7 box. That does not help.

Try installing the Virtual PC package for Windows 7 and use the XP VM and see if that works. My servers are working fine but my Linux box is the only domain controller. I use LDAP successfully. I am assuming your networking in Windows 7 is configured for the proper setup with the corporate settings and credentials. Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

Try installing the Virtual PC package for Windows 7 and use the XP VM and see if that works. My servers are working fine but my Linux box is the only domain controller. I use LDAP successfully. I am assuming your networking in Windows 7 is configured for the proper setup with the corporate settings and credentials. Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

What? No, I am not installing Virtual PC. Perhaps you missed the part where Vista, 7 and Server 2008 all have the same issue, but XP doesn't. I don't know where you troubleshooting tips are leading me but I am not following it because I don't see the point.

The reason is to see if it works that way, if it does then there are some deeper problems with security and authentication to fix. The VM is a sandbox where you can test ideas without messing up the main machine.Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

The reason is to see if it works that way, if it does then there are some deeper problems with security and authentication to fix. The VM is a sandbox where you can test ideas without messing up the main machine.Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

I wouldn't use VPC as I have vmware. Regardless, I don't need to try that as i know the answer. If I create a new machine not on the domain, there are no Domain Admins so its not an applicable scenario. If I add it to the domain, then the problem occurs. As I said, the problem only occurs for Domain Admins. Local server admins do not have this problem.

I'm convinced you have a GPO problem somewhere on your DC. Did you run rsop.msc on a couple of the domain workstations to see if it shows that a Group Policy setting for Windows Installer is disabled?? Unless this is happening via a direct registry mod such as a Group Policy startup script using a .reg file it would seem that this would be happening via a GPO. What you might try is to create a new Group Policy, link it to the domain container, enable enforcement/do not override for that GPO, put it at the top of the list, and go to computer configuration/administrative templates/Windows components/Windows installer and set disable Windows Installer to disabled or enabled for "never". Then run gpupdate /force on the domain controller and do the same on the domain workstation or reboot it. I would double check the workstations for malware since XP machines are not yet affected, but also recheck your servers. You'd have better success at a conclusion if you'd post this problem in the server section as I'm convinced its a GPO somewhere that's causing the problem. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/category/windowsserver/ MCSE, MCSA, MCDST [If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.]

Yeah, I've created a new question at the forum you mentioned. Thanks for the help.

OK get on one of your Domain Controller machines and make a second Domain Admin user and see if that works. If that fails then you will need to check your policy files to see if there is anything out of order. I am aware that Vista and Windows 7 do things differently than XP.Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

OK get on one of your Domain Controller machines and make a second Domain Admin user and see if that works. If that fails then you will need to check your policy files to see if there is anything out of order. I am aware that Vista and Windows 7 do things differently than XP.Vote if answered or helpful, I am running for Office (joke)! IT/Developer, Windows/Linux/Mainframe RaidMax Smilodon, 680W, Asus M2NBP-VM CSM AMD X2 4200+, 2GB DDR2-800, x600, more details on my site, need a video card for the Windows machine, the 8600 GT fried

How do you install the programs to client computers? Does the issue occurs if you manually install the programs? Also please let us know where does the program installation files locate.Arthur Xie - MSFT

The solution was, if I remember correctly, that I had to fully delete the local profile for each account that had an issue. Upon recreation of the profile, it would allow the proper privileges.