Access is denied in python

Question

I am wanting to add a registry key with python via this code:

import _winreg
from time import sleep
key = _winreg.OpenKey(_winreg.HKEY_CURRENT_USER,'Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run',_winreg.KEY_SET_VALUE)
_winreg.SetValueEx(key,'Windows-Update',0,_winreg.REG_BINARY,'C:\Windows\System32\SystemSetting\Block.exe') 
key.Close()

But it shows up this error WindowsError: [Error 5] Access is denied.

Any solution?

EDIT - I have already run it as admin

EDIT2 - Is it related to KEY_ALL_ACCESS

Shouldn't the path string be `'C:\\Windows\\System32\\SystemSetting\\Block.exe'`? — martineau, Apr 09 '16 at 13:25
@martineau You don't need that while adding to registry as if you put double `\\ ` then the actual path would also change with double `\\` — , Apr 09 '16 at 13:32
If you're running the 32-bit Python interpreter on 64-bit Windows OS, the issue may something to do with to way the [WoW64](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WoW64#Registry_and_file_system) subsystem handles interactions with the Windows Registry. — martineau, Apr 09 '16 at 13:34
@martineau Yes I know that but that is not a issue, that is an excellent solution to 32bit and 64bit related issues — , Apr 09 '16 at 13:35
I think you may be wrong about not needing the double backslashes — because the handling of backslashes in string literals is hardcoded into the Python interpreter. — martineau, Apr 09 '16 at 13:46
@martineau No. I went to regedit after running the script and the path was correct — , Apr 09 '16 at 13:55
How could that be if the script isn't working? What line is giving you the `WindowsError`? — martineau, Apr 09 '16 at 13:57
@martineau After I ran it CORRECTLY as administartor which I wasn't doing then, it gave me the correct path — , Apr 09 '16 at 14:02
Related: [How to avoid “WindowsError: \[Error 5\] Access is denied”](https://stackoverflow.com/q/37830326/3357935) — Stevoisiak, Jun 13 '18 at 16:03

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 09 '16 at 13:00

1

Run the python program inside command prompt. There is a command prompt (Admin) program available in windows. Or simply right click on Command prompt and select Run as administrator. Ref

answered Apr 09 '16 at 13:00

Mitty

330
2
15

what python program? the script? – Apr 09 '16 at 13:07
yup, store the program as a py file and run it in command prompt. – Mitty Apr 09 '16 at 13:10
As a sidenote I will be compiling this script and distributing it. So I think the `Run as Admin` option after right clicking will be sufficient. Right? – Apr 09 '16 at 13:12
It depends upon the machine, so you have to test it in different machines to verify. – Mitty Apr 09 '16 at 13:20

Hrvoje T · Answer 2 · 2017-06-29T06:00:44.223

It is not about runnig as admin. I tried runnig as admin and still got Acces is denied message.

You must use reserved integer which is 0 by default.

_winreg.OpenKey(key, sub_key[, res[, sam]]) ... res is a reserved integer, and must be zero. The default is zero.

So, it should be like this:

key = wreg.OpenKey(wreg.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "Software\\TestCompany\\TestProject",0, wreg.KEY_SET_VALUE)

You don't realy have to use KEY_ALL_ACCESS like suggested here. Just add that 0 before _winreg.KEY_SET_VALUE.

Access is denied in python

2 Answers2