Windows 2003 Server: Access Denied on all Administrative Tools (.msc Files)

Problem
You cannot run all the Administrative Tools (such as Computer Management, Services Active Directory, Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager, etc.) from its default shortcut.

Cause
Automatic Update from Windows or patch from the Microsoft might have bugs.

Solution #1
(Advanced Solution)
1. Open Notepad.exe from Start -> All Programs -> Accessories
2. Type the following script:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.msi]
@="Msi.Package"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package]
"EditFlags"=hex:00,00,10,00
"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00, 73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52
,\

00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00 ,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,\

32,00,5c,00,6d,00,73,00,69,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c ,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,34,\
00,00,00
@="Windows Installer Package"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\System32\\msiexec.exe,0"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell]
@="Open,Repair,Uninstall"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell\Open]
@="&Install"
"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74, 00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00
,\

6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65 ,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
00,6d,00,73,00,69,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00 ,2d,00,33,00,36,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell\Open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00 ,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,7
4,\

00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00 ,33,00,32,00,5c,00,6d,00,\

73,00,69,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,63,00,2e,00,65,00,78 ,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,2f,\
00,69,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,20,00,25,00 ,2a,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell\Repair]
@="Re&pair"
"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74, 00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00
,\

6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65 ,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
00,6d,00,73,00,69,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00 ,2d,00,33,00,37,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell\Repair\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00 ,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,7
4,\

00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00 ,33,00,32,00,5c,00,6d,00,\

73,00,69,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,63,00,2e,00,65,00,78 ,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,2f,\
00,66,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,20,00,25,00 ,2a,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell\Uninstall]
@="&Uninstall"
"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74, 00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00
,\

6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65 ,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
00,6d,00,73,00,69,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00 ,2d,00,33,00,38,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Msi.Package\shell\Uninstall\comm and]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00 ,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,7
4,\

00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00 ,33,00,32,00,5c,00,6d,00,\

73,00,69,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,63,00,2e,00,65,00,78 ,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,2f,\
00,78,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,20,00,25,00 ,2a,00,00,00

3. Save as msc1.reg on the Desktop and Save as type: All
4. Open Notepad.exe again then type the following script below:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.msc]
@="MSCFile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile]
@="Microsoft Common Console Document"
"EditFlags"=dword:00100000
"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00, 73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52
,\

00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00 ,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,\

32,00,5c,00,6d,00,6d,00,63,00,62,00,61,00,73,00,65 ,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,2c,00,2d,00,31,00,33,00,30,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\DefaultIcon]
@="%1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\Shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\Shell\Author]
@="&Author"
"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74, 00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00
,\

6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65 ,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\

00,6d,00,6d,00,63,00,62,00,61,00,73,00,65,00,2e,00 ,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
2d,00,31,00,33,00,33,00,35,00,31,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\Shell\Author\Command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00 ,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,2
5,\

00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00 ,32,00,5c,00,6d,00,6d,00,\

63,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,2f,00,61,00,20 ,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,\
00,20,00,25,00,2a,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\Shell\Open]
@="&Open"
"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74, 00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00
,\

6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65 ,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\

00,6d,00,6d,00,63,00,62,00,61,00,73,00,65,00,2e,00 ,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
2d,00,31,00,33,00,33,00,34,00,39,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\Shell\Open\Command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00 ,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,2
5,\

00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00 ,32,00,5c,00,6d,00,6d,00,\

63,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31 ,00,22,00,20,00,25,00,2a,\
00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\Shell\RunAs]
@="R&un as..."
"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74, 00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00
,\

6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65 ,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\

00,6d,00,6d,00,63,00,62,00,61,00,73,00,65,00,2e,00 ,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
2d,00,31,00,33,00,33,00,35,00,30,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\Shell\RunAs\Command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00 ,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,2
5,\

00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00 ,32,00,5c,00,6d,00,6d,00,\

63,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31 ,00,22,00,20,00,25,00,2a,\
00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSCFile\shellex\IconHandler]
@="{7A80E4A8-8005-11D2-BCF8-00C04F72C717}"

5. Save as msc2.reg on the Desktop and Save as type: All
6. Double Click the msc1.reg and then the msc2.reg
7. If there is a prompt message, just click YES then click OK

from David Shen - Microsoft Online Technical Support

Solution #2
1. Click Start from Windows 2003 Server
2. Click Run...
3. Type: mmc.exe Then Press Enter
4. Click File from the Microsoft Management Console
5. Click Add/Remove Snap-in...
6. From Standalone tab, Click Add...
7. Select any Administrative Tools from the list, then Click Add, then Close
8. Click OK.

That's all and you may now change the necessary changes you want.
-