Paul Komski
10-22-2002, 10:02 PM
There have been a number of unresolved posts recently relating to the inability to access files/folders, delete them, change attributes, etc. on NTFS (in both W2K & WinXP). Many Peeps will know this stuff anyway, but I have done a bit of homework and some experimenting in W2K and thought it might be of value to post a little summary, particularly since more and more "ordinary" users are now using NTFS with WinXP and since "ownership" and "advanced attributes" were not fully addressed in those posts.
The particular relevance of this is that if attributes have been set (even by oneself for that matter) to deny Read or Delete Permissions, for example, then only the owner of the file can change these advanced NTFS attributes (or can assign these permissions to other users).
If one is a member of administrators, it seems generally assumed that one has full control; but even administrators cannot change attributes that have denied to them by the owner; and that owner may even be the system! However an administrator can always take ownership and then change the attributes as required - even if the System is the owner.
In other words; check to see if you are the owner of the file/folder. If not, then (as a member of administrators) take ownership of the file/folder.
RClick on the File or Folder and Select Properties and go to the Security Tab.
From Advanced - Permissions Entries - (If you are not listed then Add yourself using the Add button).
From Advanced - Owner - (If you are not shown as the current owner at the top then Add yourself by highlighting and clicking Apply and Press OK twice).
Now that you are both the owner and an administrator check the advanced permissions for the file.
R-Click on the File/Folder and Select Properties and go to the Security Tab Again.
From Advanced - Permissions Entries - (Highlight your own entry) and then click View/Edit and uncheck any Deny Boxes and ensure all allow boxes are checked); the allow boxes will be greyed if the permissions are inherited.
If the permissions are inherited from a parent folder you may uncheck "Allow inheritable permissions ..." and select remove. You will then have to add your name once more and then click on View/Edit and ensure all permissions are allowed again).
Before you close Security, check that Full Control, Modify, Read&Execute, Read and Write are Allowed for your Name on the Security Tab.
Switch to the General Tab and change the Read-only or Hidden attributes as desired. If the Hidden Attribute is greyed then that file has been designated as a System File/Folder. Click Apply and OK and hopefully you will now be able to do what you want with the file or folder.
Take appropriate care if messing with system files in this way.
Two related issues are Windows File Protection, which can recreate System Protected Files on rebooting using SFC or by WMI Service (this may just be in XP) which via WIA interface tries to prevent system entries from being altered, and copies a backup which is restored by Winlogon.exe on rebooting. Such files may sometimes be deleted in SafeMode, but are recreated on reboot.
Incidentally, if such files can be copied onto a FAT partition any advanced NTFS attributes will be lost.
Please embellish or add-to the above, correct any inaccuracies and add any specific differences that apply to WinXP.
Sorry for the length of this and I hope this is the right forum.
;)
The particular relevance of this is that if attributes have been set (even by oneself for that matter) to deny Read or Delete Permissions, for example, then only the owner of the file can change these advanced NTFS attributes (or can assign these permissions to other users).
If one is a member of administrators, it seems generally assumed that one has full control; but even administrators cannot change attributes that have denied to them by the owner; and that owner may even be the system! However an administrator can always take ownership and then change the attributes as required - even if the System is the owner.
In other words; check to see if you are the owner of the file/folder. If not, then (as a member of administrators) take ownership of the file/folder.
RClick on the File or Folder and Select Properties and go to the Security Tab.
From Advanced - Permissions Entries - (If you are not listed then Add yourself using the Add button).
From Advanced - Owner - (If you are not shown as the current owner at the top then Add yourself by highlighting and clicking Apply and Press OK twice).
Now that you are both the owner and an administrator check the advanced permissions for the file.
R-Click on the File/Folder and Select Properties and go to the Security Tab Again.
From Advanced - Permissions Entries - (Highlight your own entry) and then click View/Edit and uncheck any Deny Boxes and ensure all allow boxes are checked); the allow boxes will be greyed if the permissions are inherited.
If the permissions are inherited from a parent folder you may uncheck "Allow inheritable permissions ..." and select remove. You will then have to add your name once more and then click on View/Edit and ensure all permissions are allowed again).
Before you close Security, check that Full Control, Modify, Read&Execute, Read and Write are Allowed for your Name on the Security Tab.
Switch to the General Tab and change the Read-only or Hidden attributes as desired. If the Hidden Attribute is greyed then that file has been designated as a System File/Folder. Click Apply and OK and hopefully you will now be able to do what you want with the file or folder.
Take appropriate care if messing with system files in this way.
Two related issues are Windows File Protection, which can recreate System Protected Files on rebooting using SFC or by WMI Service (this may just be in XP) which via WIA interface tries to prevent system entries from being altered, and copies a backup which is restored by Winlogon.exe on rebooting. Such files may sometimes be deleted in SafeMode, but are recreated on reboot.
Incidentally, if such files can be copied onto a FAT partition any advanced NTFS attributes will be lost.
Please embellish or add-to the above, correct any inaccuracies and add any specific differences that apply to WinXP.
Sorry for the length of this and I hope this is the right forum.
;)