Cannot write to Registry Key, getting UnauthorizedAccessException

Question

I have a windows service that attempt to write to a registry key in LOCAL_MACHINE

The key is created as part of a windows installer package the controls the windows service and a stand alone control window.

The control window can read and write the registry key fine, however I cannot write to the registry key even when I give full permissions to LOCAL SERVICE.

This is the code that throws the exception:

private void updateLocalRegistryVersion(Double newVersion)
{
    RegistryKey rk = Registry.LocalMachine;
    RegistryKey sk = rk.OpenSubKey(@"Software\CompanyName\Monitoring\Values");

    sk.SetValue("scriptversion", newVersion.ToString());
}

Any suggestions?

score 83 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 16 '10 at 17:49

83

RegistryKey.OpenSubKey(string) does not open the key for writing. Try using the OpenSubKey(string, bool) overload to specify that you want the key to be writable.

edited Dec 16 '10 at 17:49

abatishchev

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answered Dec 16 '10 at 17:42

Nicole Calinoiu

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9

+1 Thank you! This is an annoying (yet blatantly obvious) overload. Kind of embarrassed I missed that... – Mark Carpenter Mar 14 '11 at 22:05
always look at the overloads lol.. Thank you for this!! – Nandun Mar 10 '21 at 20:55

Cannot write to Registry Key, getting UnauthorizedAccessException

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