Windows as we see it is based off on hundreds if not thousands of small processes running in the background that keep it operational. If any of these processes break down or have an issue, it can throw off Windows and show some error codes.
In this article, we’re talking about Error code 5 in Windows, its causes and what you can do to fix the error.
What causes this error?
The error usually appears when software tries to access a location to either save, copy, open or load a file but doesn’t have the required permission to access that part of the drive. There are a number of reasons why this might happen.
- Windows user account doesn’t have administrative privileges.
- You’re accessing a network location protected by the Windows User Account Control security policy.
- The required installer or updater doesn’t have permission to run.
Also read: How to fix Windows 10 update error 0x800f0922?
How to fix this?
Here are eight fixes you can try out.
Temporarily disable antivirus
Overly aggressive third-party antivirus or antimalware programs can sometimes cause problems copying files over a protected network or on a drive. In such cases, try temporarily disabling your antivirus to see if that makes a change.
Check out our detailed guide on how to disable antivirus in Windows here.
Launch the program as an administrator
Starting a program or game as an administrator tells your PC to prioritise that particular process over everything else and dedicate as many resources as possible to ensure smooth operation.
You can check out our detailed guide on how to run programs as administrator here.
Switch to an admin profile
Another potential fix is to update your user account to have administrative privileges. Here’s how.
Step 1: Press Windows key + R to open the Run prompt. Type netplwiz and hit enter.
Step 2: Select your profile and click Properties.
Step 3: Head over to the Group Membership tab and select the Administrative radio box.
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Enable admin account using the Command Prompt
Alternatively, you can also use the Command Prompt to enable the Windows in-built administrator profile. Here’s how.
Step 1: Press Windows key + X to open the Quick Access menu and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
Step 2: Type the following command and press enter.
net user administrator /active: yes
Now close the Command Prompt and try installing the software now. The installation should go through without any errors.
Run the Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter
Windows has a bunch of compatible troubleshooters from Microsoft that you can use to diagnose installing and uninstalling issues. However, this particular installer doesn’t come bundled with Windows, so you’re going to have to download it from Microsoft’s support page.
Once downloaded, extract and run the troubleshooter and let it run until it hopefully finds and fixes the error.
Move the installer to the Windows drive
Most PCs have some sort of partitioning system on the main drive which divides it into at least one Windows and one other partition. If you’re trying to run the installer from a non-Windows partition and getting this error, try moving the installer to the Windows partition (usually the C: drive) to see if that fixes your problem.
Change UAC settings
Another thing that you can try is to change the UAC settings to allow all programs to run without notification. While we don’t recommend doing so, or only doing it temporarily, this can potentially fix the issue.
Step 1: Press Windows key + R to open the Run prompt. Type UserAccountControlSettings and press enter.
Step 2: Drag the slider to the Never notify option and click OK.
Now try installing the program again.
Run system restore
Lastly, if nothing else works, try restoring your system to a previous point where it was functioning properly.
Step 1: Press the Windows key and search for Reset this PC. Then, launch the Recovery setting from the search results.
Step 2: Click on Open System Restore.
Step 3: Select the recommended restore point and click the Next button to proceed.
Restart your PC and once Windows is in place, try running the setup again.
Also read:Â Windows error 0xc1900106: 7 Fixes
