install is "unable to write to destination directory"

[Molecule]

When I try to install Microsoft SMS Extended Security Update Inventory Tool, available at

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894193/

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

using the instructions given in the .doc file for installing on a local machine: [start][run]"C:\Temp\SMSEXT_SCAN-ENU.EXE /pkgsource"

on a recently clueless noobie installed w2ksp4 machine, with only one logon, that of administrator, it returns a message box:

Unable to write to the destination directory "\\SYSTEM2008\C$\Program Files\SmsExtSecUpdInvTool".  Please change the permissions of this directory or select a different directory.  If the destination directory can't be accessible via the default administrative shares (e.g. C$), please manually enter the full UNC path (e.g. \\MYCOMPUTER\MYSHARE\).

What does it mean, to change permissions on a directory, that it is trying to install to? If I feed it an existing directory, created while logged on as administrator, it asks if I want to install to an existing directory and then gives me the same m-box.

How do I create a full UNC path? I tried every combination and permutation I could think of. The computer is named "SYSTEM2008" \\SYSTEM2008\C$ ; \\SYSTEM2008\C:\Temp ; \\SYSTEM2008\C$\Temp ; etc. All blocked for want of admin permissions?

Is there a special reason for the $-sign in C$?

When I go into Computer Management Console (never been there before) and right click on C$, a message box pops up with

"This has been shared for administrative purposes. (who am I them?) The share permissions and file security cannot be set."

What is that saying? Sorry if I am socially retarded, but I am.

When I look at Process Tree, at the top it says "Access Denied" (As I see it, it means access to owner denied. Access to Norton permitted.)

I tried to upload a png screenshot (the board's upload utility hangs with Mozilla on w98se, and crashes my ie6sp1, which I never use). I installed Norton SystemWorks 2003 for some of its utils, and it installed itself in this supra-administrative area, that is access denied to the ... to the ostensible administrator-owner of the machine! There must be a logical reason for this ...

The Process Tree starts out

[-]Access Denied[0]
   [-]Unknown[8]
	  [-]smss.exe[196]
		 ---csrss.exe[224]
		 [-]winlogon.exe[220]
			[-]services.exe[276]
			   ---svchost.exe[464]
			   ---spoolsv.exe[492]
			   ---svchost.exe[524]
			   ---GhostStartService.exe[544]
			   ---NPROTECT.EXE[580]
			   ---nvsvc32.exe[620]
			   ---arghh

sorry for the dumb-donkey noobie questions ...

Edited November 25, 2008 by Molecule

[os2fan2]

The C$ is a share, at to the root of the C: drive. The trailing $ is part of the name, also hides it from being viewed in the browser thing. It's more for network admins (who can log onto your box's c: drive as \\computername\c$. You normally do not access your own drives by network shares. You would be a 'local administrator', not a 'domain administrator'.

Windows 2K and later versions of the OS have different permissions to the root directory. You may need to grant the everyone group read-write access to the root directory. I'd be tempted to grant all users read/write permission to the root drive, since the setup may start a process that runs under a different user name.

[paraffin]

This is sometimes caused by the Enhanced Internet Security in 2003, disable this for Administrators and you should be good to go.

To Disable to go to Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel and then Add/Remove Components

On 2000 servers you should share the folder correctly rather than use an Admin Share i.e. C$ etc.. You will not be able to add the everyone group nor should you to an admin share

Edited December 16, 2008 by paraffin