When I run stsadm I get an "Access Denied". The user is a local admin, is in the WSS_ADMIN_WPG , WSS_RESTRICTED_WPG and WSS_WPG groups. And is also the Primary Site Collection Administrator in Central Administration. I'm running Windows Server 2008 (64), WSS 3.0. c:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12>bin\stsadm.exe Access denied. All arguments to stsadm.exe fail. I tried stsadm.exe -o installfeature ... , stsadm.exe -o setproperty and so on, all with the same error. I'm not sure where I can find any logs, but there's no error in Event Viewer.

I just solved the issue following some instructions I found somewhere else. I had to disable User Account Control under User Accounts in Win Server 2008... It just took me a few hours to figure out.

Thank you - a few hours of troubleshooting is over ... Alexander

Thank you, spared me a couple of hours

I have this problem on Server 2003, with MOSS 2007.My Windows user is the alternate Site Collection Admin and Farm Admin in MOSS, is a member of the WSS_ User Groups on the server, and still i can't execute STSADM.What other permissions do I need?

Double-check to make sure it's a farm administrator and local admin on the box.

Mike:As this thread was over long ago, and was also marked as an Answer, you would have found it better to start a new thread with your allied but different question (and a different subject as your problem isn't with Win 2008 for starters)The fact that the thread is marked as answered will for instance put many people who could otherwise help you from reading it and the (for you) wrong subject will stop some people without Win Server 2008 experience from looking at it.[This is a hint for next time - theoretically I could split a thread but I haven't a clue how it works ....]

I havedisabled User Account Control under User Accounts yet still I am getting access denied? I am using Kerberos; does this make a difference?

Thanks! I owe you a Beer : D This worked ---> "Gustavo FredericoFriday, May 16, 2008 7:40:21 PM0 votes Vote As Helpful I just solved the issue following some instructions I found somewhere else. I had to disable User Account Control under User Accounts in Win Server 2008... It just took me a few hours to figure out."

There is another way to get around this without actually disabling User Account Control. Please run stsadm.exe as an administrator and you should be able to execute stsadm. You can also go into the properties of stsadm.exe and set it to run as an administrator. Thanks, Prashanth

There is another way to get around this without actually disabling User Account Control. Please run stsadm.exe as an administrator and you should be able to execute stsadm. You can also go into the properties of stsadm.exe and set it to run as an administrator. Thanks, Prashanth I concur with this. It's a bad idea disable UAC on a server, it's there for a reason after all. All you need to do is right click cmd.exe and choose Run as Administrator. Or as said about flag it to do so in the properties. This will elevate cmd to full administrator status and enable you to successfully execute installfeature on it.

Thats funny, and here I am a part of the tribe that sincerely thinks that UAC should not even be a part of a server's application stack. The only people that should have access to a "server" at a desktop level is an admin. The fact that this escaped developers when @ implementation and QA is nothing short of an epic fail. As far as applications running something as a admin... This is again nothig short of an epic fail of the admin. The last thing M$ should ever do is "turn off" an admin who will in turn load Redhat or Ubunto to provide services to his network. UAC is one of the primary anoyances and total failures of Vista.... get a clue. Nothing shourt of REQUIRED applications should ever be installed on a server. No flash, no browser use unless you "brosing" a application or site hosted on that box( this hsould only be done if this box had a raw backup.. or is a VM ), The fact that "rogue" aplication and executables are geting launched on aserver is insane. The concept of not restricted .NET remoting as an admin again EPIC FAIL!. M$ should not by virtue of the product try and play admin. No developer should protect an admin from themselves. This is the job or corp policy, and the acumen of the admin.. This is maybe a job for the GPO to say "no you cant do this" but by default to have it enabled, is just as ridiculous as having automatic updates enabled to download an restart a server on a headless service box..

Hi Lith,Let me just set you straigh, the only reaason why developers wouldever like to deploy anything on a normally pathetic network scenario is simply because the admins are useless in doing so!!!Remeber : developers - develop, they don't really care about the production environmet or whatever the so called business value of it is, they just try and develop, it's you who try andcontrol everyones world.SharePoint Techie

This probably happens because the normal UAC pop-up cannot be showed (for some reason). A less drastic solution would be to start the command prompt as administrator (right-click the Command Prompt shortcut -> Run as administrator). That way you only elevate that particular cmd-instance. Regards Mads

Thats brilliant. I'm so so releaved I've got it working. Great.

I had this problem too. Goes away when you right click on the command prompt and choose "Run as Administrator".Seth Sanusi

I was having the same issue in Win 2008 R2 . As a quick fix I run Command Prompt as 'administrator' and it solved the problem.