windhawk error: create_directories access denied

[CesarChris710]

Hello, I am new using this program, I just installed windhawk and after running it I received this error:

I can see the icon on the taskbar, right click and see the options but I click open windhawk and the same message appears. I click on toolkit and I can see the options but that's it.

I have Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 21H2 (19044.3570)

[m417z]

Looks similar to this issue: https://github.com/ramensoftware/windhawk/issues/108

Can you please try running the UI elevated with the following command:

"C:\Program Files\Windhawk\windhawk.exe" -run-ui

If that works, go to settings and enable the "Require UAC elevation for running Windhawk" option under Advanced settings.

Let me know whether this fixes the problem.

[CesarChris710]

I ran the code in CMD with administrator, and the window with the same error pops up.

[m417z]

So for some reason it cannot create the C:\ProgramData\Windhawk\UIData\user-data\User folder. Can you go to the deepest folder that exists, open Properties, then the Security tab, click on Administrators (if exists), and make a screenshot? Something like:

[duceduc]

I am also having the same issue.

[m417z]

@duceduc could it be that you installed the portable version to Program Files? That's not supported, and you probably needed to run the installer as administrator for that. If you don't need the portable version, remove the C:\Program Files (x86)\Windhawk folder and install the standard Windhawk version.

[LoneWolf993]

I am facing this exact issue

Edit - Fixed it by deleting the userprofile.json file in C:\ProgramData\Windhawk and provided all permissions to the windhawk folder from the security tab.

[m417z]

@LoneWolf993 what exactly did you change in the folder's permissions? And I believe that deleting userprofile.json isn't related.

Also, which error message did you see? There were two mentioned in this thread:

[LoneWolf993]

@m417z i faced the first error, and I deleted the userprofile.json because when I was trying to change the permissions for the Windhawk folder, the userprofiles.json was preventing me from doing that. For the permissions, I just gave full control to all Group or Usernames in the security window.