Error in AeARNDesigner: WriteToEventLog ... or ... Basic -2146233078 – Requested Registry Access is not Allowed

 Problem

This error is returned when the Active Forms/Reports system in AGRIS encounters a problem and the user accessing that form/report does not have enough rights in Windows to properly record the actual underlying error message to the Windows Event Log.  To be clear, errors dealing with trying to write errors to the event log are not the cause of the issue, but simply pop up when there has been an issue and it can't be recorded in the Windows Event Log.  There is still an underlying issue that needs to be addressed when this error is observed, and it is typically also shown on screen after clicking OK out of the WriteToEventLog error.  WriteToEventLog errors are typically due to users not having local administrative rights to the machine that they are running AGRIS on, as is generally the case in Remote Desktop/Citrix Server environments.  

 Solution

We recommend that the users be given full access to the following registry key on the machine they are running AGRIS from in order to avoid the WriteToEventLog issue:

My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system.  Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
Complete the following steps to adjust permissions to the Eventlog portion of the computer’s registry:

1. Run Registry Editor (regedit.exe)

2. Browse to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog

3. On the left side of the page right-click on EventLog then click Permissions…

4. Click to highlight the desired group to assign permissions to (i.e. Authenticated Users) then put a check in the Allow box for Full Control

5. Click Apply then OK

6. Close Registry Editor

NOTE:  If the above configuration is not allowed due to corporate policies, try adding the NETWORK SERVICE account and giving it Read permission to Eventlog.
Additionally, one could try logging in as an administrative account to see if the underlying issue can be identified.  Again, this error is simply masking the actual error that should be returned.