USB Drives Require Administrator Access to Install

[bl3ss3d]

I have been fighting a battle with a computer lab that needed to have Administrator rights with all USB (thumb, flash, pen, keychain, insert you term here) drives that were inserted. I tried all information that I could find on the internet with no success. I finally found the culprit in an post here (thanks PiqueABoo from edugeek.net), corrupt crypto services. I just thought I'd pass on the info with all of the steps that I tried. My solution may not work for you, but it will stop you from having to look anywhere else for the other solutions that may work for you.

 

Resolution:

Microsoft KB 822798 Method 3 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798

 

Method 3: Rename the Catroot2 folder

Rename the Catroot2 folder (Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 only), and then try to install the program again.

 

Note Skip this method if the operating system is Windows 2000.

 

To rename the Catroot2 folder, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.

2. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each line:

net stop cryptsvc

ren %systemroot%\System32\Catroot2

oldcatroot2

net start cryptsvc

exit

3. Remove all tmp*.cat files from the following folder:

%systemroot%\system32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}

 

Other Candidates (which all did not work, or I would not implement):

 

1. Give all users admin rights to the machine then create a GPO to take away access to sensitive/ problem areas (Hell no!)

 

2. Give users rights to (a) format/ eject media and/or (b) rights to install/ remove drivers (I highly do not recommend "b" for security reasons):

 

In a GPO change

a. Computer Configuration...Windows Settings...Security Settings...Local Policies/Security Options...Devices: Allowed to format and eject removable media to Administrators and Interactive Users

b. Computer Configuration...Windows Settings...Security Settings...Local Policies/ User Rights Assignment...Load and unload device drivers to give rights to group

 

3. Install third party software:

a. USBDLM - USB Drive Letter Manager http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbdlm_e.html (great software to set USB drives to have the same drive letter every time a drive is plugged in, just doesn't fix this particular problem)

b. A great Autoit script named allow_usb_jump_drives (how appropriate_which needs admin rights to install btw) http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/tools/16306.html (Thanks Jeremy Mlazovsky)

 

4. Change permissions on files associated with USB devices

Give users full rights to

a. USBSTOR.ini / .pny / .sys

b. volume.ini

c. flpydisk.ini

 

5. Log on as admin and install every USB drive that you can get your hands on so that the drivers would be automatically loaded for users (yeah, right!)

 

Please add any other suggestions that you may have so that others may be able to more easily find this info.

 

P.S. Although I love reading about the differences between client side vs. server side installs for drivers as much as the next guy; unless you're going to give a clear concise answer as to how to fix the problem, please don't lecture.

[Barry]

Anything that relies on the Protools audio drivers causes this problem and there is no work around.

 

Installing Pro Tools LE 7x on any Windows XP Service Pack 2 machine will request Administrator password to mount a USB flash drive (pen drive) when logged in under a user account (unless it has already been mounted under the Administrator account). Prior to the installation of Pro Tools no password is required, after uninstalling Pro Tools the password is still required to mount the USB flash drive.

This is a known issue in Pro Tools LE & M-Powered 7.0, 7.3 & 7.4. (Windows XP).

 

Source: Digidesign website

[fooby]

we have had this problem loads,

 

-insert pen drive

- asks for admin

-cancel

- moans about not installed

-ok

 

-open word

-click my computer

- find pen drive listed there anyway.

 

seems to work here

[rob_coles]

USB drive letter manager - USBDLM

[Kyle]

This worked for me as well perfectly

 

Method 3: Rename the Catroot2 folder

Rename the Catroot2 folder (Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 only), and then try to install the program again.

 

Note Skip this method if the operating system is Windows 2000.

 

To rename the Catroot2 folder, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.

2. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each line:

net stop cryptsvc

ren %systemroot%\System32\Catroot2

oldcatroot2

net start cryptsvc

exit

3. Remove all tmp*.cat files from the following folder:

%systemroot%\system32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}

[gihzmo]

We are having the same problem in a classroom, we have tried re-imaging the PCs but we still have the problem. We have done everything on this webpage (Windows Requires Administrator Rights to Install USB Flash Drives Raymond.CC Blog) Except do a repair. I cannot rename the Catroot2 folder because it says I do not have permission. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

 

HELP!!!!!

[Kyle]

The catroot2 way is the only way i could get this to work

[Michael]

Another reason why some drivers for printers and memory sticks aren't automatically installed, is because the drivers themselves are not signed.

 

You can change this default behaviour by GPO.