I get the message "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file." whenever I try to run the file "MySQLInstanceConfig.exe" in MySQL Server 5.1

I am running Windows XP Pro, SP3

I have also tried installing Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express and that fails to run as well.

I have Administrator rights. I have tried running it in safe mode. Reinstalling the program. Scanning the file, folder for viruses. Taking ownership of the file and folder. I checked the file properties for all of the EXEs in the directory tree and made sure that Administrators and System had full control, but I still get the same message.

However, I just discovered the my WMI is not functioning properly (I can't run System Information). I checked to make sure that the service starts and deleted the files in the \system32\wbem\repository then rebooted, but I still get the WMI error message when running System Information.

I suspect this problem may be related to the MySQL server not starting properly. Any ideas?

Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

Earlier today, when trying to run an executable on a Windows 2003 server, where my account is part of the Administrators group, I received the error “Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file.  You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.”

Weird. Checked the file permissions, file ownership and for some reason this issue seemed vaguely familiar.

Turns out that in order to execute the file you have to do the following:

1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Click on Tools
3. Click on Internet Options
4. Select Internet and click Custom Level
5. In the Miscellaneous section, set the ‘Launching applications and unsafe files’ to Prompt (recommended) as shown in the screen shot below: