Fix: MRT Blocked by System Administrator

Malicious Removal Tool (MRT) is a freely distributed malware removal tool developed by Microsoft and used on Windows operating systems. It doesn’t utilize real-time protection and it concentrates on scanning your computer for malware. Users have reported to receive the following error message when trying to launch MRT:

This app has been blocked by your System Administrator. Contact your System Administrator for more info.

It’s unbelievable to see that software developed by Microsoft fails to run properly on their own operating system. There have been useful methods which can be used to resolve this problem which was quite well-accepted among users and we have gathered them in an article for you to check out!

What Causes MRT to be Blocked by System Administrator?

There are several distinct causes to this problem and we hope the list below will help you in order to realize what you may have been doing wrong and what to do in order to fix it:

Solution 1: Remove MRT from the List of Programs Restricted by Software Policy

The error message indicating that the app has been blocked by your System Administrator indicated that there exists a policy which is designating MRT as a program which should be prevented from running even though it’s a legit program designed by Microsoft.

The problem can be resolved by removing MRT from the problematic list. This can be done is several different ways but the most universal way to do so is by using the Registry Editor as Group Policy Editor is not available on Windows 10 Home.

1. Since you are going to delete a registry key, we recommend you check out this article we have published for you to safely backup your registry to prevent other problems. Still, nothing wrong will occur if you follow the steps carefully and correctly.
2. Open the Registry Editor window by typing “regedit” in either the search bar, the Start menu, or the Run dialog box which can be accessed with the Windows Key + R key combination.

3. Navigate to the following key in your registry by navigating at the left pane:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Safer

4. Click on this key and try to locate a key named MRT or Malicious Removal Tool. Right-click on it, and choose the Delete option from the context menu. Confirm any dialog boxed which may show up.
5. Finally, navigate to the path in registry located below and look again for a key named something along the lines of MRT. Right-click on the found key and choose Delete. Exit Registry Editor, restart your computer, and check to see whether the problem still persists.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Window

Solution 2: Delete Certain Registry Entries

This method has appeared as the best solution for users who failed to benefit from the method displayed in Solution 1. Sometimes users’ computers don’t have MRT in the list of tools restricted by Software Restriction Policies but it still fails to launch. This method was successful to plenty of people and we recommend you check it out!

1. Let’s start with the method by deleting the following registry entries using Command Prompt in order to avoid having to locate them all manually.
2. Search for “Command Prompt” either right in the Start menu or by tapping the search button right next to it. Right-click on the first result which appears at the top and select the “Run as administrator” option.

3. Users who are using an older version of Windows can use the Windows Logo Key + R key combination in order to bring up the Run dialog box. Type in “cmd” in the box and use the Ctrl + Shift + Enter key combination in order to run Command Prompt as an administrator.
4. Copy and paste the command shown below and make sure you click the Enter key on your keyboard.

reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun" /f
reg delete "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun" /f
reg delete "HKU\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun" /f
reg delete "HKU\S-1-5-19\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun" /f
reg delete "HKU\S-1-5-20\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun" /f

5. After this step, you will have to restart your computer in order to apply the changes. Check to see whether the MRT blocked by System Administrator error message still appears!

Solution 3: Add Permissions for the Administrator Account

Taking ownership of the file is sometimes vital if you want to add permissions to various user accounts to edit or copy the file. This time, we will be adding the Administrator account as the owner. Changing the owner is generally an easy process and it will grant you full access to security properties of the file if you follow the instructions we have prepared below with great care.

1. Open your Libraries entry on your PC or open any folder on your computer and click on This PC option from the left side menu.
2. Navigate to the location where the mrt.exe file is located.

3. You will need to take ownership of the executable. Right-click the mrt.exe file, click Properties, and then click the Security Click the Advanced button. The “Advanced Security Settings” window will appear. Here you need to change the Owner of the key.
4. Click the Change link next to the “Owner:” label The Select User or Group window will appear.

5. Select the user account via the Advanced button or just type your user account in the area which says ‘Enter the object name to select’ and click OK. Add the Administrator account.
6. Optionally, to change the owner of all subfolders and files inside the folder, select the check box “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects” in the “Advanced Security Settings” window. Click OK to change the ownership.

7. Now that you have complete control over the folder, open it, select everything you find inside and access the files properly. Restart your computer and the problem should be resolved.

Solution 4: Run MRT as an Administrator

Finally, you may simply try to force it to run with administrator permissions as it worked out for some people. However, this is more of a workaround and you should definitely check out the methods above before trying out this one. This will force the MRT executable to run with administrator permissions and will hopefully be able to avoid the MRT blocked by System Administrator problem.

1. Locate the mrt.exe file and change its properties by right-clicking its entry either on the Desktop, the Start menu or the Search results window and choose Properties. Navigate to the Compatibility tab in the Properties window and check the box next to the Run this program as an administrator option before applying the changes.

2. Make sure you confirm any dialogs which may appear for you to confirm with admin privileges and MSI Gaming App should launch with admin privileges from now on. Open it by double-clicking its icon and try to see if the error still appears.