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MS-Windows Troubleshooting

This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. ...

Symptom:

Either immediately after logging on or when trying to run an application, a message box is displayed containing the message:

This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator.

Cause:

The system administrator has restricted which applications can be run on the workstation. An attempt has been made to run an application which is not on the 'allowed' list.

Possible Remedies:

  • As a user, consider whether the application is one that you should be able to run. If it is then contact the system administrator and ask for the application to be added to the list of permitted applications.

  • System Administrator: To add an application to the list of applications that may be run, run the system policy editor and add the application to the list of permitted applications

  • The System Policy Editor is found at: ‘Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > System Policy Editor’. This must be run at the file server.

  • Start by loading the existing policy into the editor, this is normally located at ‘C:\WinNT \System32 \Repl \Import \Scripts \NTConfig.pol’.

  • Policies are defined according to the group that the user is in (or by applying policies to the ‘default-user’). The entry to be edited is under ‘System > Restrictions > Run only windows allowed applications’.

  • It can be tricky to identify which application is running and causing ‘offence’. If the user is explicitly running an application then the application should be obvious. If however the original message is being displayed shortly after start-up then see ‘Unwanted Application runs at Logon’ for guidance on how to identify the application.

These notes have been tested with Windows NT4.