Hardware Can't save to primary HDD root

[the_randomizer]

I have two HDDs, both 1 TB, C drive is where the primary OS, and the D drive is for backing up my files, however, as of today, I've encountered a very bizarre error in regards to downloading to the root of the C drive. Do keep in mind that prior to today, I've been able to download to the root just fine, however, today, when I do so, I encounter a "Error: 0x8007052: A required privilege is not held by client" when I attempt to save a file to to said location.

However, aside from that, I can:

Make new directories within the root as well as deleting them
Copy/paste/move files within the folders on the C drive
Run programs, install games, do what I've normally been able to do

However, I cannot for the life of me figure out why I can't save to the root like I've been been able to in the past. No permissions were changed to the HDD either, and when I checked the HDD security permissions, everyone, admin/users (seeing as I'm the admin, no one else uses this PC), says that I have full access to doing whatever I want to the drive. I tried to do some Google searching, and all I could really find is nothing new than what I've already tried, and that is, changing permissions, so that obviously doesn't work. I fear the worst in that my only option is formatting the HDD or re-installing the OS, neither of which I want to do unless I have to. Heck, I don't even have the OS disc at the moment, but I can recover the OS key and get a new ISO image to burn if need be.

So yeah, right now, I'm having a mild panic attack as the fact that, despite having full permissions, I can't even save to the C drive root, but I can save everywhere else, and I've only had this HDD for two years, my parents have the same HDD in their machine and they've had it for what, five years now? What should I do? Go into Safe Mode, force-enable the attributes via CMD and overwrite privileges? I'm so lost right now, and I don't know if I should be overly paranoid or not.

 

[migles]

hey random, calm down, people will help you

probably it was just a stupid windows update...
by downloading do you mean download files from firefox or other browser to root?

 

[the_randomizer]

hey random, calm down, people will help you

probably it was just a stupid windows update...
by downloading do you mean download files from firefox or other browser to root?

I don't have Windows update installed, I do it all manually, but haven't installed one in a long time, so it's not that, but this did begin just the other day. When I download from either Firefox or Chrome, yes, I can't save to root, and gives me the error code, no BSOD either and the HDD functions perfectly fine otherwise. I can save in other locations, make directories, etc as listed above. I can do everything but save to the root.

Edit: I recently quarantined some malware/spyware but have not yet rebooted

Spoiler

I hope that removing all these offending PUP files was judicious. Apparently, these are TROVI and MySearchDial Hijackers.

 

[migles]

i don't know much about it. but i am gonna ask the basics, did ya try to checkdisk?
can you show the error happenign in a screenshot?
did ya use ccleaner and other good tools?

 

[the_randomizer]

i don't know much about it. but i am gonna ask the basics, did ya try to checkdisk?
can you show the error happenign in a screenshot?
did ya use ccleaner and other good tools?

Malwarebytes, Hitman Pro, but not CCleaner lately (deleting registry entries I don't know what they do is risky IMHO), no, I haven't ran chkdsk, but I'm pretty sure it's not recommend running outside of Safe Mode, I don't know. I don't know how it can suddenly go from being able to save to root one day, and not the very next. Other than that, HDD works fine for everything else.

 

[migles]

Malwarebytes, Hitman Pro, but not CCleaner lately (deleting registry entries I don't know what they do is risky IMHO), no, I haven't ran chkdsk, but I'm pretty sure it's not recommend running outside of Safe Mode, I don't know. I don't know how it can suddenly go from being able to save to root one day, and not the very next. Other than that, HDD works fine for everything else.

you can't run check disk while using the pc, it will ask to perform it next time you boot the computer. give it a change.. maybe there is some corruption or something..
i don't think your hdd is broken\bad. it must be software related (either something on the OS or programs)
because if your hard drive was having problems, you would got them no matter where you are trying to save...

 

[the_randomizer]

you can't run check disk while using the pc, it will ask to perform it next time you boot the computer. give it a change.. maybe there is some corruption or something..
i don't think your hdd is broken\bad. it must be software related (either something on the OS or programs)
because if your hard drive was having problems, you would got them no matter where you are trying to save...

Okay, good, that gives me hope, the HDD functions perfectly otherwise like I said before, copying/moving folders, making directories, installing programs and/or games, etc all work perfectly. It's merely the fact I can't save to the root is what baffles me. Thank goodness I've two backup HDDs.

Edit: I ran Hitman Pro as well and got this

Those HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface entries worry me, esp. the part where it gives me the chance to delete them. Yeah. I'm wondering if they are related to this incident.