GUIDES

Power Policy not allowing user to change power settings, Power policy manager unable to set active policy "access denied"

When they try to adjust the power options, they get the following error. Power policy manager unable to set active policy "access denied"

Solution 1

If you give the user full control of the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ControlsFolder\PowerCfg\GlobalPowerPolicy

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ControlsFolder\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies

It works without giving the user full admin rights on the machine. Solution 2

You can change the power policy registry key permissions from the domain controller. You don't need to touch the user machine.

start->administrative tools->domain security policy
click the registry folder action->add key

MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ControlsFolder\PowerCfg\GlobalPowerPolicy
MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ControlsFolder\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies

On permissions, click your user group, click full control, save
Configure permissions, propagate to subkeys

start->run->regedit
drill down to the keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
click on GlobalPowerPolicy key
edit->permissions
click your user group
should show full control, exit

Log in as normal user. You can now change the power policy!

You will need to reboot the client laptop in order for the domain security policy to apply permission changes.

 

Solution 3

1. Navigate to Start\Run and type REGEDIT.
2. Highlight the HKEY\USERS registry key
3. From the FILE menu select LOAD HIVE
4. Browse to C:\Documents and Settings\Default User and select NTUSER.DAT and click OK.
5. Next you are prompted for a name. Type NTUSER and press enter.
6. You will now see a NTUSER registry key under HKEY\USERS.
7. Highlight the NTUSER\Control Pannel\PowerCfg key.
8. In the right pane you will see Current Power Policy with a value of 0-4, change this to a value of 1 for laptop, 3 for always on, 0 for home office.
9. Highlight the NTUSER key.
10. From the FILE menu select UNLOAD HIVE. Confirm that you want to close all sub-keys.
11. From the FILE menu select EXIT.
12. Log off current user and test registry edit by logging in as a user and check the power options in the control panel. It should be set to always on.
13. End Task