Windows 10: Can't open device manager? "This app has been blocked for your protection."

Discus and support Can't open device manager? "This app has been blocked for your protection." in Windows 10 Customization to solve the problem; I have never had this problem before, I don't exactly know when or how it happened, but now I cannot access my device manager. Whenever I try to do so,... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Customization' started by YaraG., Nov 7, 2019.

  1. YaraG. Win User

    Can't open device manager? "This app has been blocked for your protection."


    I have never had this problem before, I don't exactly know when or how it happened, but now I cannot access my device manager. Whenever I try to do so, an error message displays saying:



    "This app has been blocked for your protection." under that it says "mmc.exe" and below that it says Publisher: Unknown, File origin: Hard drive on this computer, Program location: "C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe" "C:\WINDOWS\system32\devmgmt.msc"


    I have tried:

    1.- Disabling SmartScreen - DIDN'T WORK

    2.- Activating an Admin account (net user administrator /active:yes) - DIDN'T WORK, it won't let me open it there either

    3.- Installing the Group Policy Editor - DIDN'T WORK, when I tried running gpedit.msc, THE SAME ERROR APPEARED


    What is going on? Why did this started happening suddenly? Help!!

    :)
     
    YaraG., Nov 7, 2019
    #1
  2. HDave Win User

    Windows 10 - Can't open Device Manager "This app has been blocked for your protection"

    Problem

    Running a new Windows 10 Enterprise machine with all updates (1803) and whenever I try to open the device manager (or other programs like it), I get a UAC pop-up dialog saying "This app has been blocked for your protection" with only a close button.


    Can't open device manager? "This app has been blocked for your protection." nHjpb.png


    When I click on the link "Show information about the publisher's certificate" nothing happens.

    This issue occurs when logged in as an administrator type user or when logged in using the built-in Administrator account. I am looking for the root cause of this issue and an appropriate fix (I already have a workaround -- below). There are several similar questions on Super User, but they are either a) very old, or b) only suggest the work-around.

    Current Workaround

    Currently I run a cmd console as administrator and enter the program name as a command and it just works. Besides being inconvenient, it leaves me wonder if something larger is broken here.

    NOTE: I have another Windows 10 Enterprise machine I created 10 months ago with the same DVD, also updated (1803) and it does not exhibit this behavior.

    Other approaches

    • Disabling Windows "Smart Screen" as shown here does not work.
    • Creating another user profile does not work.
    • Disable defender (virus) scan has no effect.
    • Changing the ownership of mmc.exe to myself instead of TrustedInstaller is a hack which shouldn't be necessary as the Administrator group already has read & execute access.
     
    HDave, Nov 7, 2019
    #2
  3. Device Manager inaccessible. MMC.exe has been blocked "for your protection"

    Already done a search, tried to do all the fixes that are suggested to recover from this. Nothing helps.

    Why am I being blocked by my operating system from my own device manager? I cannot reinstall my NVidia video drivers. I cannot install Windows Store apps, I am guessing for the same reason as the error code seems to suggest I am not activated. My machine
    is activated. My account is listed as an Administrator. Why must you make this so hard? Give me access to my system back!
     
    GargosTheMighty, Nov 7, 2019
    #3
  4. Can't open device manager? "This app has been blocked for your protection."

    Publisher not Trusted, App blocked for 'protection'


    Hi all.

    I upgraded from 7 to 10 over the weekend. Few minor issues with graphics drivers, but everything was working smoothly.

    When I went to open my VPN (Torguard), I received a UAC error message, stating that the app had been blocked for my protection, citing an untrustworthy publisher.

    It was working fine with Windows 7, and is a reasonably well-used app.

    I googled around, and activated the administrator account and re-installed on that account. Unfortunately, the same error occurred. Most other searches have suggested the same.
    I have disabled Windows SmartScreen, and there isn't a 'Run Anyway' option.

    Please advise!
    Thanks


    Can't open device manager? "This app has been blocked for your protection." [​IMG]
     
    GirvoGiovanni, Nov 7, 2019
    #4
Thema:

Can't open device manager? "This app has been blocked for your protection."

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