folder "Access Denied" in Vista

Hello hello

I searched through some threads for info but haven't found much.

Issue:
I'm the only user of my laptop so i have admin priv

when I go to access certain file folders such as My music, photos, videos or
even documents!
I dont understand.
I can get into the command prompt but I dont know what to do from there. Is
there a way to change or check on admin settings?
I also troubleshooted through trying to change ownership settings of
specific folders and it wont allow access even when I put myself as the
administrator.
The laptop is new and this has been happening since I installed everything
and started using it.

help!
any info would be grateful!

-Steak

Hi,

"My" anything in Vista is a junction point that redirects software requests
to the real folder under the user profile. For instance, "My Documents" is
simply C:\Users\<user>\Documents (without the "my" part). There's nothing to
access, and they are considered system files as they are only there for
compatibility with older software that expects those directories to be
there. Same applies for "Documents and Settings" which merely redirects to
C:\Users.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Steak Sammich" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hello hello
>
> I searched through some threads for info but haven't found much.
>
> Issue:
> I'm the only user of my laptop so i have admin priv
>
> when I go to access certain file folders such as My music, photos, videos
> or even documents!
> I dont understand.
> I can get into the command prompt but I dont know what to do from there.
> Is there a way to change or check on admin settings?
> I also troubleshooted through trying to change ownership settings of
> specific folders and it wont allow access even when I put myself as the
> administrator.
> The laptop is new and this has been happening since I installed everything
> and started using it.
>
> help!
> any info would be grateful!
>
> -Steak
>

"Rick Rogers" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi,
>
> "My" anything in Vista is a junction point that redirects software
> requests to the real folder under the user profile. For instance, "My
> Documents" is simply C:\Users\<user>\Documents (without the "my" part).
> There's nothing to access, and they are considered system files as they
> are only there for compatibility with older software that expects those
> directories to be there. Same applies for "Documents and Settings" which
> merely redirects to C:\Users.

Ah, that explains it.
Adding 2 and 2 together, I'll bet the manufacturer of the laptop upgraded an
XP operating system to Vista without starting fresh. I now realize this
results in the convoluted file structure appearance. The reason I say this
is because the appearance of the structure of a machine which had only Vista
installed from the get go has not a 'my' file to be found and is as clean as
a whistle in explorer. Certainly not so with the laptop. Thanks for your
reply

> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

> "Steak Sammich" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Hello hello
>>
>> I searched through some threads for info but haven't found much.
>>
>> Issue:
>> I'm the only user of my laptop so i have admin priv
>>
>> when I go to access certain file folders such as My music, photos, videos
>> or even documents!
>> I dont understand.
>> I can get into the command prompt but I dont know what to do from there.
>> Is there a way to change or check on admin settings?
>> I also troubleshooted through trying to change ownership settings of
>> specific folders and it wont allow access even when I put myself as the
>> administrator.
>> The laptop is new and this has been happening since I installed
>> everything and started using it.
>>
>> help!
>> any info would be grateful!
>>
>> -Steak
>>
>

wrote:

> "Rick Rogers" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Hi,
>>
>> "My" anything in Vista is a junction point that redirects software
>> requests to the real folder under the user profile. For instance, "My
>> Documents" is simply C:\Users\<user>\Documents (without the "my" part).
>> There's nothing to access, and they are considered system files as they
>> are only there for compatibility with older software that expects those
>> directories to be there. Same applies for "Documents and Settings" which
>> merely redirects to C:\Users.
>
> Ah, that explains it.
> Adding 2 and 2 together, I'll bet the manufacturer of the laptop upgraded
> an XP operating system to Vista without starting fresh. I now realize this
> results in the convoluted file structure appearance. The reason I say
> this is because the appearance of the structure of a machine which had
> only Vista installed from the get go has not a 'my' file to be found and
> is as clean as a whistle in explorer. Certainly not so with the laptop.
> Thanks for your reply

Your assumption is incorrect. The reason you see the junction files on one
machine and not the other is that on the machine where you see the files the
option to show hidden files is checked and it isn't on the other one. The
junction ("My....) virtual directories are part of every Vista installation.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Hi,

Actually, those are defaults for a clean install of Vista, not just an
upgrade. If you can't see them, then your folder options are not set to see
hidden and system files. If you alter the settings on that system, then I'm
certain they will appear.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Steve Young" <bowtieATbrightdslDOTnet> wrote in message
news:...
> "Rick Rogers" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Hi,
>>
>> "My" anything in Vista is a junction point that redirects software
>> requests to the real folder under the user profile. For instance, "My
>> Documents" is simply C:\Users\<user>\Documents (without the "my" part).
>> There's nothing to access, and they are considered system files as they
>> are only there for compatibility with older software that expects those
>> directories to be there. Same applies for "Documents and Settings" which
>> merely redirects to C:\Users.
>
> Ah, that explains it.
> Adding 2 and 2 together, I'll bet the manufacturer of the laptop upgraded
> an XP operating system to Vista without starting fresh. I now realize this
> results in the convoluted file structure appearance. The reason I say
> this is because the appearance of the structure of a machine which had
> only Vista installed from the get go has not a 'my' file to be found and
> is as clean as a whistle in explorer. Certainly not so with the laptop.
> Thanks for your reply
>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>> Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>
>> "Steak Sammich" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> Hello hello
>>>
>>> I searched through some threads for info but haven't found much.
>>>
>>> Issue:
>>> I'm the only user of my laptop so i have admin priv
>>>
>>> when I go to access certain file folders such as My music, photos,
>>> videos or even documents!
>>> I dont understand.
>>> I can get into the command prompt but I dont know what to do from there.
>>> Is there a way to change or check on admin settings?
>>> I also troubleshooted through trying to change ownership settings of
>>> specific folders and it wont allow access even when I put myself as the
>>> administrator.
>>> The laptop is new and this has been happening since I installed
>>> everything and started using it.
>>>
>>> help!
>>> any info would be grateful!
>>>
>>> -Steak
>>>
>>
>
>

On Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:35:43 -0400, "Rick Rogers" <>
wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Actually, those are defaults for a clean install of Vista, not just an
>upgrade. If you can't see them, then your folder options are not set to see
>hidden and system files. If you alter the settings on that system, then I'm
>certain they will appear.

.... and the common misconception that you can't do anything with the
junction points is also incorrect. If you set the protections, you
should be able to transverse any junction point - that's the very
design of a junction point (foolish MS name for it though).

"Malke" <> wrote in message

> Your assumption is incorrect.
> The reason you see the junction files on one
> machine and not the other is that on the machine where you see the files
> the option to show hidden files is checked and it isn't on the other one.
> The junction ("My....) virtual directories are part of every Vista
> installation.

That's interesting, cause I'm geek enough that one of the first things I do
with a new install is UN-hide hidden folders and extensions. Willing to
fess up and take the hit, I checked in folder options 'view' and sure
enough, the circle is marked that says 'show hidden files and folders'.
Also the next box that says hide files for known file types is unchecked.
My explorer structure is clean as a whistle.

Perhaps it only hides those folders when an upgrade install
is made?

Steve Young

> Malke
> --
> MS-MVP
> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ
>

"Rick Rogers" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi,
>
> Actually, those are defaults for a clean install of Vista, not just an
> upgrade. If you can't see them, then your folder options are not set to
> see hidden and system files. If you alter the settings on that system,
> then I'm certain they will appear.

Not in my case here, they don't show.
I have no 'my' folders visible with 'show hidden files and folders' marked

Steve Young

> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Steve Young" <bowtieATbrightdslDOTnet> wrote

> "Rick Rogers" <> wrote

>> Hi,
>>
>> Actually, those are defaults for a clean install of Vista, not just an
>> upgrade. If you can't see them, then your folder options are not set to
>> see hidden and system files. If you alter the settings on that system,
>> then I'm certain they will appear.

> Not in my case here, they don't show.
> I have no 'my' folders visible with 'show hidden files and folders' marked

I checked the laptop and setting the view to hide hidden files and folders
does indeed hide them. I rechecked the desktop unit, which had the clean
install, and it makes no difference if I unhide them or not, in either case
they doNOT display. I contend there is a difference with clean installing.

Steve Young

Here's what Steve Young wrote on 8/20/09:
> "Steve Young" <bowtieATbrightdslDOTnet> wrote

>> "Rick Rogers" <> wrote

>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Actually, those are defaults for a clean install of Vista, not just an
>>> upgrade. If you can't see them, then your folder options are not set to
>>> see hidden and system files. If you alter the settings on that system,
>>> then I'm certain they will appear.

>> Not in my case here, they don't show.
>> I have no 'my' folders visible with 'show hidden files and folders' marked

> I checked the laptop and setting the view to hide hidden files and folders
> does indeed hide them. I rechecked the desktop unit, which had the clean
> install, and it makes no difference if I unhide them or not, in either case
> they doNOT display. I contend there is a difference with clean installing.

> Steve Young

Only for you :-)

Consider the other option, "Hide protected operating system files
(recommended)". That one hides the "My ..." files for me.

This is a clean install.

--
Gene Bloch 650.366.4267 lettersatblochg.com