Please help - Vista has completely blocked file access from all accounts!

Please help - Vista has blocked access to all of my files, and it's no
because I did anything from a non-administrator account. This happene
to me several months ago, and could not be resolved no matter whic
account I tried to make changes from (Vista never has saved any change
to my permissions settings even in the original Administrator account)
All posted comments presumed it was as basic as switching user accounts
but when none of that worked I ended up deleting the subordinat
account. I've been fine for almost a year, and now the same problem, bu
with a lot more to lose in files and programs! Please help if you can.

Currently, I have one account other than the original "Administrator"
which is also of type "Administrator" (never understood why this i
possible, but it is, and I just couldn't limit my own permissions).
have Vista Home Premium 6

--
Itchyfinger

Itchyfinger wrote:

>
> Please help - Vista has blocked access to all of my files, and it's not
> because I did anything from a non-administrator account. This happened
> to me several months ago, and could not be resolved no matter which
> account I tried to make changes from (Vista never has saved any changes
> to my permissions settings even in the original Administrator account).
> All posted comments presumed it was as basic as switching user accounts,
> but when none of that worked I ended up deleting the subordinate
> account. I've been fine for almost a year, and now the same problem, but
> with a lot more to lose in files and programs! Please help if you can.
>
> Currently, I have one account other than the original "Administrator",
> which is also of type "Administrator" (never understood why this is
> possible, but it is, and I just couldn't limit my own permissions). I
> have Vista Home Premium 6.

You forgot to tell us exactly what "blocked access to all of my files"
means. What actually happens? Remember that we can't see your computer.

What do you mean "Vista never has saved any changes to my permissions
settings"? What changes were you trying to make?

Since you have an extra administrator account (and now you see why that is
wise), you can get your data and back it up if you haven't been backing up
regularly.

Post back with a more detailed description of what user accounts and their
types (Standard, Administrator) and what is really happening so we can help
you.

The First Question Of Troubleshooting: If the problem is new, what changed
between the time things worked and the time they didn't?

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

Malke;964770 Wrote:
> Itchyfinger wrote
> > > >
> >
> > > Please help - Vista has blocked access to all of my files, and it'
> > no
> > > because I did anything from a non-administrator account. Thi
> > happene
> > > to me several months ago, and could not be resolved no matter whic
> > > account I tried to make changes from (Vista never has saved an
> > change
> > > to my permissions settings even in the original Administrato
> > account)
> > > All posted comments presumed it was as basic as switching use
> > accounts
> > > but when none of that worked I ended up deleting the subordinat
> > > account. I've been fine for almost a year, and now the same problem
> > bu
> > > with a lot more to lose in files and programs! Please help if yo
> > can
> >
> > > Currently, I have one account other than the origina
> > "Administrator"
> > > which is also of type "Administrator" (never understood why this i
> > > possible, but it is, and I just couldn't limit my own permissions).
> > > have Vista Home Premium 6. > >
>
> You forgot to tell us exactly what "blocked access to all of m
> files
> means. What actually happens? Remember that we can't see you
> computer
>
> What do you mean "Vista never has saved any changes to my permission
> settings"? What changes were you trying to make
>
> Since you have an extra administrator account (and now you see wh
> that i
> wise), you can get your data and back it up if you haven't bee
> backing u
> regularly
>
> Post back with a more detailed description of what user accounts an
> thei
> types (Standard, Administrator) and what is really happening so w
> can hel
> you
>
> The First Question Of Troubleshooting: If the problem is new, wha
> change
> between the time things worked and the time they didn't
>
> Malk
> -
> MS-MV
> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic
> 'index' (http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Sorry, I was trying to be brief for those who've seen this problem. A
the same time that I try to avoid verbosity, I'm concerned with bein
overlooked as the idiot who didn't use the Administrator account, an
did no research before posting

Windows Explorer quite simply won't let me touch my files, whic
include all data (documents, pictures, music) which I myself put on m
computer. Each folder which contains any of the above has been replace
by a shortcut icon, and I get an error whenever I click on one of them

What Vista never saves are (mostly) "permissions" - this is what Vist
calls the file security settings. What I mean by this is everything fro
Read-Only attribute which is default on the Properties tab of all m
files to all the other security settings on the third tab. I have, ove
time, experimented with these settings. and Vista remained politel
impassive as I save the unchecked Read-Only setting, and the changes
make on Security tab, but after I've closed the file and opened it agai
all my changes are reset! Vista treats me no different no matter whic
account I'm logged in under, and then (now) they are now bot
Administrator! Not that I did anything with these settings prior t
being blocked from my files.

What was I doing before it happened? I moved a lot of files from th
almost full C drive to D, established a soft link to the new folder
from the C drive, using the MKLINK command (I used this command just th
day before without disaster), and the last thing I did was through th
Control Panel -> Folder Options window. I had been looking for a way t
truly get that obnoxious "Favorite Links" routine, which covers th
Navigation Pane out of my way, so I unchecked "Display simple folde
view in Navigation Pane" (Folder Options->View), and switched from th
"Show preview and filters" under Tasks (Properties->General) to Us
Windows classic folders, to see what would happen - the description
indicate such experiments would be harmless, at worse. I had bee
switching icons for new folders, which gave me an interest in certai
.dll files which are hidden, so I opted to "Show hidden files an
folders". I happen to have been using computers since long before file
could be hidden by an OS shell, I understand the gravity of careless
treatment of certain file folders, and then Bill Gates should be doing
more to protect me from his own stupidity than mine - I opted not to
"Hide protected operating system files" as well. All this from within my
secondary "Administrator"-type account, and these settings actually were
saved.

Has anyone actually had experience with TWO Administrator accounts? I
did get similar problems before this, with only one, but it does make me
wonder about the possibility for conflict.

Thanks.


--
Itchyfinger

Itchyfinger wrote:

>Sorry, I was trying to be brief for those who've seen this problem. At
> the same time that I try to avoid verbosity, I'm concerned with being
> overlooked as the idiot who didn't use the Administrator account, and
> did no research before posting.

I understand, but there is a big difference between being brief and
providing enough information.

> Windows Explorer quite simply won't let me touch my files, which
> include all data (documents, pictures, music) which I myself put on my
> computer. Each folder which contains any of the above has been replaced
> by a shortcut icon, and I get an error whenever I click on one of them.

What is the error? Please quote it exactly, without paraphrasing.

> What Vista never saves are (mostly) "permissions" - this is what Vista
> calls the file security settings. What I mean by this is everything from
> Read-Only attribute which is default on the Properties tab of all my
> files to all the other security settings on the third tab. I have, over
> time, experimented with these settings. and Vista remained politely
> impassive as I save the unchecked Read-Only setting, and the changes I
> make on Security tab, but after I've closed the file and opened it again
> all my changes are reset! Vista treats me no different no matter which
> account I'm logged in under, and then (now) they are now both
> Administrator! Not that I did anything with these settings prior to
> being blocked from my files.

If you are trying to make changes to the Read Only status of *folders*, this
is expected behavior. Vista, like XP before it, does not use the Read Only
attribute for file folders. If you are talking about changing the
attributes on single files, that's another story. What attributes are you
trying to change and why? Are these files all over the hard drive or in one
particular directory? Which one?

> What was I doing before it happened? I moved a lot of files from the
> almost full C drive to D, established a soft link to the new folders
> from the C drive, using the MKLINK command (I used this command just the
> day before without disaster), and the last thing I did was through the
> Control Panel -> Folder Options window. I had been looking for a way to
> truly get that obnoxious "Favorite Links" routine, which covers the
> Navigation Pane out of my way, so I unchecked "Display simple folder
> view in Navigation Pane" (Folder Options->View), and switched from the
> "Show preview and filters" under Tasks (Properties->General) to Use
> Windows classic folders, to see what would happen - the descriptions
> indicate such experiments would be harmless, at worse. I had been
> switching icons for new folders, which gave me an interest in certain
> .dll files which are hidden, so I opted to "Show hidden files and
> folders". I happen to have been using computers since long before files
> could be hidden by an OS shell, I understand the gravity of careless
> treatment of certain file folders, and then Bill Gates should be doing
> more to protect me from his own stupidity than mine - I opted not to
> "Hide protected operating system files" as well. All this from within my
> secondary "Administrator"-type account, and these settings actually were
> saved.

I'm guessing that with all your tinkering you did something wrong. That's
all I can make out from what you've written. Why you would bother creating
shortcuts from the command line is unknown to me. Why not simply
right-click and drag to wherever you want the shortcut and choose "Create
Shortcut"?

> Has anyone actually had experience with TWO Administrator accounts? I
> did get similar problems before this, with only one, but it does make me
> wonder about the possibility for conflict.

Of course lots of people have more than one Administrator account. It's a
good idea in fact.

Unless you provide the text of any error messages you get, I can't possibly
guess what's gone wrong. I can tell you that the behavior you say you are
experiencing is not normal for Vista. Possibly a System Restore to before
you were making changes is a good idea for you.

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

"Malke" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Itchyfinger wrote:
>
>>Sorry, I was trying to be brief for those who've seen this problem. At
>> the same time that I try to avoid verbosity, I'm concerned with being
>> overlooked as the idiot who didn't use the Administrator account, and
>> did no research before posting.
>
> I understand, but there is a big difference between being brief and
> providing enough information.
>
>> Windows Explorer quite simply won't let me touch my files, which
>> include all data (documents, pictures, music) which I myself put on my
>> computer. Each folder which contains any of the above has been replaced
>> by a shortcut icon, and I get an error whenever I click on one of them.
>
> What is the error? Please quote it exactly, without paraphrasing.

OP denied access to the Everyone group? Seen it before....

--
Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

Jack the Ripper;965102 Wrote:
> Itchyfinger wrote:> > >
> > > Please help - Vista has blocked access to all of my files, and it'
> > no
> > > because I did anything from a non-administrator account. Thi
> > happene
> > > to me several months ago, and could not be resolved no matter whic
> > > account I tried to make changes from (Vista never has saved an
> > change
> > > to my permissions settings even in the original Administrato
> > account)
> > > All posted comments presumed it was as basic as switching use
> > accounts
> > > but when none of that worked I ended up deleting the subordinat
> > > account. I've been fine for almost a year, and now the same problem
> > bu
> > > with a lot more to lose in files and programs! Please help if yo
> > can
> >
> > > Currently, I have one account other than the origina
> > "Administrator"
> > > which is also of type "Administrator" (never understood why this i
> > > possible, but it is, and I just couldn't limit my own permissions).
> > > have Vista Home Premium 6
> >
> > > > >
>
> You ever try this admin account which is not the same as the admi
> account Vista gives one out of the box
>
> <http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...windows-vista/

*Yes, this was the first thing I did when trouble started, and this i
the first account which I attempt to make changes in when there's
problem. If there is any technical difference (other than which wa
created first) between the original Administrator and the ones yo
create yourself, Microsoft has not been forthcoming with that.

--
Itchyfinger

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:43:00 -0500, Jack the Ripper wrote:

> Itchyfinger wrote:
>> Please help - Vista has blocked access to all of my files, and it's not
>> because I did anything from a non-administrator account. This happened
>> to me several months ago, and could not be resolved no matter which
>> account I tried to make changes from (Vista never has saved any changes
>> to my permissions settings even in the original Administrator account).
>> All posted comments presumed it was as basic as switching user accounts,
>> but when none of that worked I ended up deleting the subordinate
>> account. I've been fine for almost a year, and now the same problem, but
>> with a lot more to lose in files and programs! Please help if you can.
>>
>> Currently, I have one account other than the original "Administrator",
>> which is also of type "Administrator" (never understood why this is
>> possible, but it is, and I just couldn't limit my own permissions). I
>> have Vista Home Premium 6.
>>
>>
>
> You ever try this admin account which is not the same as the admin
> account Vista gives one out of the box?
>
> <http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/enable-the-hidden-administrator-account-on-windows-vista/>

I was going to suggest the same thing, so count this as my vote in favor of
it.

--
Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:57:23 -0600, Itchyfinger wrote:

> Jack the Ripper;965102 Wrote:
>> Itchyfinger wrote:> > >
>>> > Please help - Vista has blocked access to all of my files, and it's
>>> not
>>> > because I did anything from a non-administrator account. This
>>> happened
>>> > to me several months ago, and could not be resolved no matter which
>>> > account I tried to make changes from (Vista never has saved any
>>> changes
>>> > to my permissions settings even in the original Administrator
>>> account).
>>> > All posted comments presumed it was as basic as switching user
>>> accounts,
>>> > but when none of that worked I ended up deleting the subordinate
>>> > account. I've been fine for almost a year, and now the same problem,
>>> but
>>> > with a lot more to lose in files and programs! Please help if you
>>> can.
>>> >
>>> > Currently, I have one account other than the original
>>> "Administrator",
>>> > which is also of type "Administrator" (never understood why this is
>>> > possible, but it is, and I just couldn't limit my own permissions). I
>>> > have Vista Home Premium 6.
>>> >
>>> > > >
>>
>> You ever try this admin account which is not the same as the admin
>> account Vista gives one out of the box?
>>
>> <http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/enable-the-hidden-administrator-account-on-windows-vista/>
>
> *Yes, this was the first thing I did when trouble started, and this is
> the first account which I attempt to make changes in when there's a
> problem. If there is any technical difference (other than which was
> created first) between the original Administrator and the ones you
> create yourself, Microsoft has not been forthcoming with that.*

There *are* two kinds of accounts here.

The Account *named* Administrator mentioned in the link that Jack the
Ripper gave you has all kinds of power. The other user accounts of class
"Administrator" are more limited, even though they have more privileges
than the "Standard" user. Rock breaks scissors, scissors cut paper...Or
should I say Root breaks scissors, scissors cut paper...

Microsoft did us no favors by choosing such similar names for these
concepts.

I stumbled across the difference by reading books, newsgroups, and web
sites, but it was neither instantaneous nor (initially) obvious.

--
Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom

Malke;964934 Wrote:[color=blue]
> Itchyfinger wrote:
> > > >
> > >Sorry, I was trying to be brief for those who've seen this problem. At
> > > the same time that I try to avoid verbosity, I'm concerned with being
> > > overlooked as the idiot who didn't use the Administrator account, and
> > > did no research before posting.
> >
> > I understand, but there is a big difference between being brief and
> > providing enough information.
> >
> > > Windows Explorer quite simply won't let me touch my files, which
> > > include all data (documents, pictures, music) which I myself put on
> > my
> > > computer. Each folder which contains any of the above has been
> > replaced
> > > by a shortcut icon, and I get an error whenever I click on one of
> > them. > >
>
> > > > What is the error? Please quote it exactly, without paraphrasing.> >
> *I'm at a different computer now, therefore I can't, but last night I
> noticed that the keyword was "unable" as opposed to "denied" -
> hmmm...*
>
> > > > If you are trying to make changes to the Read Only status of *folders*,
> > this
> > is expected behavior. Vista, like XP before it, does not use the Read
> > Only
> > attribute for file folders. > >
> *If that is true, then I must be really stupid for expecting that
> attribute option, which is so boldly AND interactively displayed on
> the folder Properties menu to have any useful purpose at all (such as
> removing the read-only attribute from all files in the folder and
> tree). Vista set me up to think I was doing that until I opened
> Properties again!*
>
> > > > If you are talking about changing the
> > attributes on single files, that's another story. What attributes are
> > you
> > trying to change and why? Are these files all over the hard drive or in
> > one
> > particular directory? Which one?
> > > > > What was I doing before it happened? I moved a lot of files from the[/COLOR Wrote:
> > >
> > > > almost full C drive to D, established a soft link to the new folders
> > > > from the C drive, using the MKLINK command (I used this command just
> > > the
> > > > day before without disaster), and the last thing I did was through
> > > the
> > > > Control Panel -> Folder Options window. I had been looking for a way
> > > to
> > > > truly get that obnoxious "Favorite Links" routine, which covers the
> > > > Navigation Pane out of my way, so I unchecked "Display simple folder
> > > > view in Navigation Pane" (Folder Options->View), and switched from
> > > the
> > > > "Show preview and filters" under Tasks (Properties->General) to Use
> > > > Windows classic folders, to see what would happen - the descriptions
> > > > indicate such experiments would be harmless, at worse. I had been
> > > > switching icons for new folders, which gave me an interest in certain
> > > > .dll files which are hidden, so I opted to "Show hidden files and
> > > > folders". I happen to have been using computers since long before
> > > files
> > > > could be hidden by an OS shell, I understand the gravity of careless
> > > > treatment of certain file folders, and then Bill Gates should be
> > > doing
> > > > more to protect me from his own stupidity than mine - I opted not to
> > > > "Hide protected operating system files" as well. All this from within
> > > my
> > > > secondary "Administrator"-type account, and these settings actually
> > > were
> > > > saved.
> > > I'm guessing that with all your tinkering you did something wrong. > > > >
> > *Of course I did something wrong - I didn't replace Vista with XP
> > first!*
> >
> > *I tweaked the Folder Options to "Display hidden files and folders"
> > so that I could learn the tree location of folders like imageres.dll
> > (which I learned of here 'Make New Folders in Your Vista User
> > Directory Use Matching Greenish Icons :: the How-To Geek'
> > (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...reenish-icons/)).
> > You can change folder or file icons through the Properities menu,
> > but the default icon file is shell32.dll - other DLLs which contain
> > icons, like the one containing the Vista green-folder icon, were
> > kept secret.*
> >
> > > > > > > That's all I can make out from what you've written. Why you would bother
> > > creating
> > > shortcuts from the command line is unknown to me. Why not simply
> > > right-click and drag to wherever you want the shortcut and choose
> > > "Create
> > > Shortcut"?
> > > > > > >
> > *Why would I want to have a soft link in the Vista Explorer folder
> > tree, and save navigation time instead of click on a shortcut to get
> > there? Is that the question? I'd want that anytime that I'm already
> > working within my user tree! You have something like this by default
> > - your whole user tree appears in the File Manager (whatever
> > pretentious name du jour Microsoft has for it now) as a separate
> > (but not really separate) tree from your C drive (when not viewed
> > through the Navigation Pane), and the purpose for this effect is
> > obvious. MKLINK /D give you the power to link any folder, from
> > anywhere on a drive tree - got this from 'Vista's symbolic links
> > feature saves navigating time'
> > (http://articles.techrepublic.com.com...1-6177180.html)
> > Microsoft, in it's infinite wisdom (or should I say elitism) decided
> > not to give us that power through the Vista interface. MKLINK works,
> > but not perfectly (more on this further down).*
> >
> > > > > > > > Has anyone actually had experience with TWO Administrator accounts? I> > > > > > > > >
> > > > did get similar problems before this, with only one, but it does make
> > > me
> > > > wonder about the possibility for conflict.
> > >
> > > Of course lots of people have more than one Administrator account. It's
> > > a
> > > good idea in fact.
> > >
> > > Unless you provide the text of any error messages you get, I can't
> > > possibly
> > > guess what's gone wrong. I can tell you that the behavior you say you
> > > are
> > > experiencing is not normal for Vista. Possibly a System Restore to
> > > before
> > > you were making changes is a good idea for you.
> > >
> > > Malke
> > > --
> > > MS-MVP
> > > Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
> > > 'index' (http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ)> > > >
> >
> > *In the time I spent writing this, I figured out what had caused my
> > folder access problem (but in no way can I make any sense of it). I
> > think I said previously that both Administrator accounts were
> > equally impacted, which isn't true. Neither of them could fix the
> > problem through the Properties-Security **system, but only the
> > account which I use lost access to the files. After doing a system
> > restore, I went back through the Folder Options, and found that
> > switching the default between Show and Don't Show Hidden Files
> > Folders consistently switches the problem on and off. So, opting to
> > display your hidden files disables you from viewing any of your
> > files? Way to go, Vista! But your right that it was caused by my
> > "tinkering" - and then in Vista world looking at your own files
> > would be considered that!*
> >
> > *I suppose I wouldn't have freaked out and posted in such
> > disastrous terms if something hadn't just happened, and it was
> > related to the use of the mklink command. After I moved (not copied,
> > that was verified) my folder, which contained years of work, to my D
> > drive, and linked it from the same point on the C drive user tree,
> > the hard folder suddenly appeared again on my C user tree while the
> > Vista file manager was open, right next to the link for it on Drive
> > D. Moreover, the hard folder (if that's what you can call it) was
> > still displayed on Drive D! Confused? So was I , and apparently so
> > was Vista! I deleted what appeared to be an unnecessary duplicate on
> > drive C, and both "folders" were gone! *
> >
> > *After all this, I don't think there's a better weapon of mass
> > disruption (which is top on the goals of terrorists) to bring
> > America down than an OS like Vista - bin Laden must have infiltrated
> > Microsoft!*


--
Itchyfinger