I was messing with a 32bit VISTA machine today, even with S/B in it, I always install Avast, not Real-Time, but so I can 'scan' any file I download...that wont run sandboxed. Something went nuts in the Avast install. Only BSOD I ever saw on that 4 year old H/P. Deciding best to start over, I went to un-install Avast. Noooo... not listed as installed. But there are files in Programs and a Registry file. I go to delete THOSE... and get this: "Destination Folder Access Denied" / "You need permission to perform this action" {deletion}.

I've had to Run As Administrator to install something, but WHAT kind of permission is it talking about ??

Not a big deal to me; spare computer and I actually don't hardly D/L anything.......... but I'd like to know/understand what is going on here.

B

Figure out what's wrong before trying to take your a/v software off of there and messing with the registry. Those are symptoms of malware oftentimes. If it won't let you reinstall, or install another a/v, that's another clue. Can you reach the Symantec site? That's often blocked.

Anyway, I'd just go to a restore point prior to installing, or as far back as possible since this isn't your regular pc and you aren't finding an easy way to get that out of there.

As for the prompt, did you reboot and try it again yet? That's the first thing if you pursue that, if you didn't do it already. I don't remember anything about having to log in as the "Administrator" account to do that, a regular user Admin account would be able to AFAIK. You could turn off UAC to try, but that's not the best idea either if you potentially have a virus or other malware on there causing you these issues (sounds like it to me).
For other means of uninstalling, maybe they have a tool for that on the Avast website, or there are some others out there to do it for you (do a search in the MS tech forums for "MS SE won't install" and you'll find info and links to clean up tools like that). Or try to reinstall it right on top of what's there and see if you can uninstall. On your other pc, download malware bytes to a flashdrive, then go run it on the problem pc.
Still, I'd just go to an earlier restore point.

[Egg on Face]. I have not had great success with 'restore point' usage. Usually, whilst the thing is 'restoring' I just hike down the hall and get my Recovery DVD set, as ALMOST everytime I have had to just..... Resurrect the damned thing. So... when I popped in a 'used but good' 160 GB drive this morning and DID run the Recovery set, it was very soon thereafter that I Turned Off 'System Protection'.

Can't be any kind of infection; it hasn't been On-Line except to get updates. I tried turning off UAC, thinking maybe THAT was the sought after permission; negat's.

There have been a rare occassion where the only way I could re-install something was to sleuth through and delete everything in sight with the App name...but I never ran into THIS before.

Like you say, it IS a hobby spare...user of excess spare parts... but still.... Y'know.....

I suppose it wont hurt to run SSS on it, but again, hard to see how anything GOT there. And I do believe I have never seen that BSOD on THAT computer before.

Oh, yes... rebooted a few times.....

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By the way, I see that on this shiny new WIN7 beast, the 'daily' restore point program doesn't make one... daily. From the 'press' is appears a WEEKLY deal, if you don't install or alter some program. Turned off on this machine too. My attitude MAY be from having a lot of time to waste reformatting !!!!!!

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Come to think of it, it may well be prudent for ME to leave the Restore Point program cooking along until the machine IS running smoothly..........."I bonk me on the head 'cuz it feels so good when I quit"

On the W7 pc, if you have another drive (seem to recall you do?) use the create a system image (maintenance/backup & restore). A good image after you get the pc how you like is the best way to restore your pc. Takes a fraction of the time, and it will have everything you have at the time of creating the image.
What sucks is when you NEED an old restore point, but they're all bumped out by system errors creating new crappy restore points, more errors, more restore points... THAT is maddening. LOL

For the Vista machine...format and drop Linux Mint on there for a fun change of pace. It's satisfying having a pc that shuts down in about 3 seconds vs....force close ____...other users _____. LOL Nice boot up, very well set up from the get-go, you can start browsing right away with built in Firefox.
If you end up doing the reinstall, might give it a shot, it's interesting stuff.

'Linux'...Well... I *have* heard of it... but.....

OK... Maybe next Monday I'll retackle the thing. I *was* hoping there was merely another, fairly simple, series of clicks I had not learned about yet!

On the '7... yes, I have a small pile of 'rebirthed' HDs from computers not my own... thanx to Spin-Rite.

Fun 'n' Games

Miller Time

Ubuntu is fun to play with. Maybe just a corrupted hard drive too?

I guess I'll drop in one of my 500's.... Consider making a 'glunk' out of this .....'tiny' 160...........[remember BIG 10GB drives?]

But............ probably give it One More Go.

Happy Week-end, Guys

Maybe not 'corrupted' but...... When I dropped in a 500 last night, as I removed the 160, I noticed that the connectors into the 160 didn't actually 'snap' in place... more of a snug friction fit. The 500 females took the cables with a definite SNAP as the keepers seated. Maybe the 160 problem was faulty connection. Tired of messing with it; chores to take care of, but this Winter...... I'll try it again, connect the cables before physically seating the drive in place...