Folder access in Vista Home Premium

Question

Hello all, I have an Inspiron 1520 running Vista home premium. My question is, is there any way to turn off folder permissions? I run a standalone computer; it's not on a network, I don't need to set access groups for my folders! I've tried to access a number of folders (under Documents and settings) and, even though it says I'm the owner, 'access is denied'. And there is no way to access these folders even as an administrator! I never had this problem in XP; it just seems Microsoft wants to make it has impossible as possible to get anything done in Vista! So, I would like to know if there is a way to 'un-implement' folder permissions...I just want access to my own files!

GioAguilar · Answer

Ususally the folders protected are inside of: Program files Windows   Every folder in there cannot be modified without a 'permision'. Some of them can be accessed but not modified. On Safe Mode you can get better luck.   Also, something I did -but with some program files folders- was cut the folder, past it on the Desktop, modify the content and then I was able to past it back to the Program Files folder.   I haven't had problems with the personal folders, the ones on my Documents are always available.

GioAguilar · Answer

now I remember, I had a problem with an external HDD, I  was not able to delete a folder on the F drive. I was able to delete all the rest. I could look for a way to resolve it, but Safe Mode was the faster solution for me to remove the folder...   So I would say, probably you can go to SafeMode, move the folder where the file is located, and paste it into the desktop, check if you can work on the file.

pcgeek11 · Answer

' I've tried to access a number of folders (under Documents and settings) and, even though it says I'm the owner, 'access is denied'. '   There is nothing in the locations you are trying to open I'll venture. Lots of people coming to Vista from XP have this issue.  The Documents and Settings folder no longer actually contain the users and the USers folders but is just a pointer to the changed NEW location which is C:\users\[username]\[various folders] and in this folder you will see various shortcuts such as My Documents, Local Settings Etc... these are pointers back to the other end and all are there for backward compatability for older Windows XP programs.   Where your files really are: C:\Users\[username]\Documents [instead of My Documents]   I hope this make some sense to you...   pcgeek11

GioAguilar · Answer

pcgeeks's correct, Documents and Settings is for XP, 1520 systems are pre installed with Vista, aren't they?? Looks like the problem I had with my IDE HDD I used on an enclosure that was on a XP computer and then I used on my Vista system, some folders gave me the error.

lancelot323 · Answer

Thanks everyone for the help... But get this! When I go to [username][Start menu], it says "Access denied." How can this possibly be? I'm logged in as myself! What more "access" do I need? UPDATE: It seems removing the group EVERYONE (why that's there, I don't know) solves the problem...because for some reason, SYSTEM, [username], and Administrators have full access. But then again, EVERYONE is DENIED access...brilliant, Microsoft! Let's give full control to the user and administrators but then DENY EVERYONE access...

Message Edited by lancelot323 on 10-08-2007 04:10 AM

lancelot323 · Answer

Solved my problem.

Just went to [C:] properties, security, and took ownership of the whole drive.

That seems to have solved everything...

And it's like I said before...I went to [username][whatever folder], like you said...I didnt' realize [Documents and settings] was just there for backwards compatibility with XP; but I wasn't even granted access to my own user folder. Someone had set "allow" and "deny" at the same time...and "deny" trumps "allow", every time...

pcgeek11 · Answer

This is by design. as I stated earlier in my post:   Quote:   There is nothing in the locations you are trying to open I'll venture. Lots of people coming to Vista from XP have this issue.  The Documents and Settings folder no longer actually contain the users and the USers folders but is just a pointer to the changed NEW location which is C:\users\[username]\[various folders] and in this folder you will see various shortcuts such as My Documents, Local Settings Etc... these are pointers back to the other end and all are there for backward compatability for older Windows XP programs.   Where your files really are: C:\Users\[username]\Documents [instead of My Documents]   Unquote.   Note the RED UNDERLINED part. The Start Menu you see is one of these Shortcut Links. That is there for compatability reasons. If you want to edit the start menu just click on it and choose properties, customize...   Tinker too much and it will certainly break.   pcgeek11

Windows General

Folder access in Vista Home Premium

Was this post helpful?