problem with msconfig [system configuration utility]

System -- Pentium D, 2 Gig ram, XP Pro. Fully patched and up-to-date.
Currently protected by firewall and AV from Zone Alarm.

I am the sole user and administrator of this machine. My user ID is
identified by the system as being the Administrator.

When I use msconfig, I get this message after making changes:

"An Access Denied error was returned while attempting to change a service.
You may need to log on using an Administrator account to make the specified
changes."

That notification is annoying, but seems to be meaningless, as whatever
change I might make seem to be successfully applied and stay applied [e.g.,
changes in boot.ini, changes in stuff under the Startup tab].

This behavior started some time, as best I recall, around late October,
early November 2006. I think it is related to some MS patch. Here's why:

I always patch regularly, and keep it virus and malware-free through regular
scans and updates. I use differing software, sometimes trying out stuff and
removing it -- all the software is legit and from major firms. This machine
originally had XP MCE. Around late Oct. to mid Nov., this "access denied"
error started showing up [unfortunately I did not pay enough attention at
the time to figure out what had been recently installed or what patch was
most recent].

At the end of November I completely redid the machine with XP Pro - new hard
drive, reinstall from scratch. I did this over a period of several days.
As I went along, msconfig behaved normally. I assumed I had triumphed over
whatever glitch or software conflict had first caused that behavior.

Since there were so many patches to install in the rebuild [using a
slipstreamed XP with sp2, and 2002 Office], and since MS makes it offers to
do multiple patches at once -- once I assumed I had licked the problem, I
stopped checking to see the behavior of MSCONFIG after each stage of
rebuilding the machine.

Well, the problem returned. So it is not something unique to my earlier
MCE installation. I did some searching on the internet, and found
references to this problem associated with Zone Alarm's security suite.
Although I currently use that software, I don't think that is the source of
the problem [because with the earlier MCE installation I had used Norton's
AV and Firewall -- and the problem first showed up with that install].
Nonetheless, I tried out what was suggested with Zone Alarm, including
shutting down the whole thing -- but to no effect.

I have even seen a web reference to this kind of problem stating that it
might be a McAfee problem [ although I don't have McAfee on this machine --
fyi, that link is: http://www.oregontechsupport.com/support/windows_xp/ ].
Perhaps this is a problem relating to firewalls, in general? But if so,
then why would it not appear in the machine when brand new [with a fully
patched MCE 2005 install], or with a brand new XPSP2 install, and
aftermarket firewalls in place and functioning? I am stumped. Any
comments, suggestion or ideas will be appreciated.

TIA
albert




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