Can't delete folder from ExHH-Permissions problem

Until Vista and its permissions came along, I used to be able t
navigate fairly well within my computer. But now I feel like a beginne
whenever I get stopped by the dreaded (at least to me) "You nee
permission to perform this task."

I have an external drive (holds about 100GB) that I have been using t
back up files and stuff. However, I want to delete many folders from th
EHD and better streamline my backups, and when I try to do so, I get th
dreaded... I mean, like I have Adobe on the EHD, why can't I simpl
delete it. As far as I can tell I am the administrator, so shouldn't
be able to delete stuff from the EHD without all this hassle?

For example, here's what I tried to no avail: I selected Adobe on m
EHD, right clicked it and selected Properties>Security. There I se
that, among other things, I have "Full Control"...So why can't I no
delete this folder. Reading through the inherited stuff (some stuff
want to delete came from XP and I have Vista HP)and permissions is th
ultimate confusion exercise. I do want to try to maintain security o
the computer (although I and my wife are its only users), so I'
reluctant to undo UAC-which I think will get rid of all these permissio
walls??? Can anyone please help me before I have the next drink? Thanks

BTW I naively thought that if I turned UAC off, then permissions woul
go away...but Noooo

--
flycaster

"flycaster" <> wrote in message news:...
>
> Until Vista and its permissions came along, I used to be able to
> navigate fairly well within my computer. But now I feel like a beginner
> whenever I get stopped by the dreaded (at least to me) "You need
> permission to perform this task."
>
> I have an external drive (holds about 100GB) that I have been using to
> back up files and stuff. However, I want to delete many folders from the
> EHD and better streamline my backups, and when I try to do so, I get the
> dreaded... I mean, like I have Adobe on the EHD, why can't I simply
> delete it. As far as I can tell I am the administrator, so shouldn't I
> be able to delete stuff from the EHD without all this hassle?
>
> For example, here's what I tried to no avail: I selected Adobe on my
> EHD, right clicked it and selected Properties>Security. There I see
> that, among other things, I have "Full Control"...So why can't I now
> delete this folder. Reading through the inherited stuff (some stuff I
> want to delete came from XP and I have Vista HP)and permissions is the
> ultimate confusion exercise. I do want to try to maintain security on
> the computer (although I and my wife are its only users), so I'm
> reluctant to undo UAC-which I think will get rid of all these permission
> walls??? Can anyone please help me before I have the next drink? Thanks.
>
> BTW I naively thought that if I turned UAC off, then permissions would
> go away...but Noooo.
>
>
> --
> flycaster

You probably need to take ownership of the files and folders. The quickest way
is to add the option to your right-click menu.
This reg file will add a right-click context menu ' Take Ownership '.
Copy and paste into a blank text document and save the file as ' Ownership.reg '.
Right-click the reg file and select ' Merge'.
Now right-click the offending files and take ownership.
(A dos box will open and it may take a few seconds to process a lot of files.)
Once you have ownership you can delete/rename the files.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you want to reverse the registry changes use this reg file:


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]

Dave, thanks for the suggetion. I would like to try it, but I do have
fear of messing with the registry. In fact, I'm not even sure how t
get into the registry. I thought that I simply type in "regedit" int
the Vista HP 64's "Start Search." However, when I did that, it appear
that I got to the Registry Editor" window, but nothing would open. N
matter which file/folder I clicked in the left pane, the right pan
would always show ab(Default) as the name, REG_SZ as the type and (valu
not set) for Data. Furthermore, assuming that I do get to use th
regedit, just where is the change to be placed and do I simply copy al
that you have written under "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00" an
paste it there? Lastly, when doing this will this open my computer t
easy hacking and virus attacks? Sorry for all the questions, but I jus
want to be sure I am doing the right thing

--
flycaster

Download and run TakeOwnership.zip and it will make the necessary changes to
the registry for you.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...menu-in-vista/


"flycaster" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Dave, thanks for the suggetion. I would like to try it, but I do have a
> fear of messing with the registry. In fact, I'm not even sure how to
> get into the registry. I thought that I simply type in "regedit" into
> the Vista HP 64's "Start Search." However, when I did that, it appears
> that I got to the Registry Editor" window, but nothing would open. No
> matter which file/folder I clicked in the left pane, the right pane
> would always show ab(Default) as the name, REG_SZ as the type and (value
> not set) for Data. Furthermore, assuming that I do get to use the
> regedit, just where is the change to be placed and do I simply copy all
> that you have written under "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00" and
> paste it there? Lastly, when doing this will this open my computer to
> easy hacking and virus attacks? Sorry for all the questions, but I just
> want to be sure I am doing the right thing.
>
>
> --
> flycaster

"flycaster" <> wrote in message news:...
>
> Dave, thanks for the suggetion. I would like to try it, but I do have a
> fear of messing with the registry. In fact, I'm not even sure how to
> get into the registry. I thought that I simply type in "regedit" into
> the Vista HP 64's "Start Search." However, when I did that, it appears
> that I got to the Registry Editor" window, but nothing would open. No
> matter which file/folder I clicked in the left pane, the right pane
> would always show ab(Default) as the name, REG_SZ as the type and (value
> not set) for Data. Furthermore, assuming that I do get to use the
> regedit, just where is the change to be placed and do I simply copy all
> that you have written under "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00" and
> paste it there? Lastly, when doing this will this open my computer to
> easy hacking and virus attacks? Sorry for all the questions, but I just
> want to be sure I am doing the right thing.
>
>
> --
> flycaster

Ok, if you prefer not to use the registry hack then I Googled this file unlocker:
http://lockhunter.com/
(I haven't used it so I don't know how good it is.)

Good luck.

Used Bob's link. Overall, it worked quite well. However, there were
couple of folders/files that brought up an alert that "Window's
operating system was not working..." and Windows would try to come up
with a solution. The file/folder was not deleted in this case. Any
ideas as to why this was happening, or what it meant?


--
flycaster

"flycaster" <> wrote in message news:...
>
> Used Bob's link. Overall, it worked quite well. However, there were
> couple of folders/files that brought up an alert that "Window's
> operating system was not working..." and Windows would try to come up
> with a solution. The file/folder was not deleted in this case. Any
> ideas as to why this was happening, or what it meant?
>
>
> --
> flycaster

No idea. Maybe that unlocker program would delete them.