Guest Robert Posted July 25, 2007 Posted July 25, 2007 I am unable to change or set permissions or take ownership of any files below Documents and Settings. This is an XP Pro machine and I have tried many logins including Administrator. Any ideas on what to do? Thanks
Guest Malke Posted July 25, 2007 Posted July 25, 2007 Re: Unable to Set Permissions or Take Ownership Robert wrote: > I am unable to change or set permissions or take ownership of any files > below Documents and Settings. > > This is an XP Pro machine and I have tried many logins including > Administrator. What happens when you try? Is this a standalone machine or part of a domain? Recent history of the machine including virus/malware status? Review the instructions for taking ownership just in case you've missed something: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421 Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Robert Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Unable to Set Permissions or Take Ownership "Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:%23m5V5LxzHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > Robert wrote: >> I am unable to change or set permissions or take ownership of any files >> below Documents and Settings. >> >> This is an XP Pro machine and I have tried many logins including >> Administrator. > > What happens when you try? Is this a standalone machine or part of a > domain? Recent history of the machine including virus/malware status? I get access denied. Is a stand alone machine. Machine is running Norton Internet Security. Have run virus checking etc. > > Review the instructions for taking ownership just in case you've missed > something: > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421 Have gone thru link. Access Denied is all I get. This problem is only with the Documents and Settings folder. All other folder work as expected. > > > Malke > -- > Elephant Boy Computers > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > "Don't Panic!" > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Malke Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Unable to Set Permissions or Take Ownership Robert wrote: > "Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message > news:%23m5V5LxzHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... >> Robert wrote: >>> I am unable to change or set permissions or take ownership of any files >>> below Documents and Settings. >>> >>> This is an XP Pro machine and I have tried many logins including >>> Administrator. >> What happens when you try? Is this a standalone machine or part of a >> domain? Recent history of the machine including virus/malware status? > > I get access denied. Is a stand alone machine. Machine is running Norton > Internet Security. Have run virus checking etc. > >> Review the instructions for taking ownership just in case you've missed >> something: >> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421 > > Have gone thru link. Access Denied is all I get. This problem is only with > the Documents and Settings folder. All other folder work as expected. What is your end goal? Normally you would not take ownership of the entire Documents and Settings hierarchy. Normally you would go to - for example - C:\Documents and Settings\Some User Name\My Documents and take ownership of just My Documents. If you tell me what you are actually trying to accomplish I will probably be able to help you better. Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Robert Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Unable to Set Permissions or Take Ownership No one has access to their Documents and settings folder. Administrator cannot save or change anuthing in My Documents etc. "Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:OE1HOB4zHHA.4816@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > Robert wrote: >> "Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message >> news:%23m5V5LxzHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... >>> Robert wrote: >>>> I am unable to change or set permissions or take ownership of any files >>>> below Documents and Settings. >>>> >>>> This is an XP Pro machine and I have tried many logins including >>>> Administrator. >>> What happens when you try? Is this a standalone machine or part of a >>> domain? Recent history of the machine including virus/malware status? >> >> I get access denied. Is a stand alone machine. Machine is running >> Norton Internet Security. Have run virus checking etc. >> >>> Review the instructions for taking ownership just in case you've missed >>> something: >>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421 >> >> Have gone thru link. Access Denied is all I get. This problem is only >> with the Documents and Settings folder. All other folder work as >> expected. > > What is your end goal? Normally you would not take ownership of the entire > Documents and Settings hierarchy. Normally you would go to - for example - > C:\Documents and Settings\Some User Name\My Documents and take ownership > of just My Documents. > > If you tell me what you are actually trying to accomplish I will probably > be able to help you better. > > > Malke > -- > Elephant Boy Computers > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > "Don't Panic!" > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Malke Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Unable to Set Permissions or Take Ownership Robert wrote: > No one has access to their Documents and settings folder. Administrator > cannot save or change anuthing in My Documents etc. How did this happen? What is the virus/malware-status of the machine? Recent history? Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Robert Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Unable to Set Permissions or Take Ownership Not sure how this happened. Is a client machine (Sort of). I have checked machine for Virus using Norton and Spybot and have not found anything. Client admits screwing around but not sure what was done. Is an easily confused easily freaked out type person so impossible to get a decent answer as to what was done. "Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:uKuHvX4zHHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... > Robert wrote: >> No one has access to their Documents and settings folder. Administrator >> cannot save or change anuthing in My Documents etc. > > How did this happen? What is the virus/malware-status of the machine? > Recent history? > > > Malke > -- > Elephant Boy Computers > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > "Don't Panic!" > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Malke Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Unable to Set Permissions or Take Ownership Robert wrote: > Not sure how this happened. Is a client machine (Sort of). I have checked > machine for Virus using Norton and Spybot and have not found anything. > > Client admits screwing around but not sure what was done. Is an easily > confused easily freaked out type person so impossible to get a decent answer > as to what was done. You have my sympathies. Messing around with the permissions isn't the way to go. 1. Back up their data to external media - DVD, external hard drive, server, etc. 2. Do a Repair Install. http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm - Repair Install How-To With luck, that will fix everything. If it doesn't, go to Step 3. 3. Clean install Windows. http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows - What you will need on-hand Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest John John Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Unable to Set Permissions or Take Ownership I'm not sure reinstalling will help anything. The installer is trying to write a new key directly under the HKU root. That is not permitted, only the system account writes subkeys there, the .Default key is always present and the other keys user profile for the logged on users. The installer is probably for a Windows 9x application. John Malke wrote: > Robert wrote: > >> Not sure how this happened. Is a client machine (Sort of). I have >> checked machine for Virus using Norton and Spybot and have not found >> anything. >> >> Client admits screwing around but not sure what was done. Is an easily >> confused easily freaked out type person so impossible to get a decent >> answer as to what was done. > > > You have my sympathies. Messing around with the permissions isn't the > way to go. > > 1. Back up their data to external media - DVD, external hard drive, > server, etc. > > 2. Do a Repair Install. > > http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm - Repair Install > How-To > > With luck, that will fix everything. If it doesn't, go to Step 3. > > 3. Clean install Windows. > > http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows - > What you will need on-hand > > > Malke
Guest John John Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Unable to Set Permissions or Take Ownership Sorry, wrong thread, disregard my post. John John John wrote: > I'm not sure reinstalling will help anything. The installer is trying > to write a new key directly under the HKU root. That is not permitted, > only the system account writes subkeys there, the .Default key is always > present and the other keys user profile for the logged on users. The > installer is probably for a Windows 9x application. > > John > > Malke wrote: > >> Robert wrote: >> >>> Not sure how this happened. Is a client machine (Sort of). I have >>> checked machine for Virus using Norton and Spybot and have not found >>> anything. >>> >>> Client admits screwing around but not sure what was done. Is an >>> easily confused easily freaked out type person so impossible to get a >>> decent answer as to what was done. >> >> >> >> You have my sympathies. Messing around with the permissions isn't the >> way to go. >> >> 1. Back up their data to external media - DVD, external hard drive, >> server, etc. >> >> 2. Do a Repair Install. >> >> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm - Repair Install >> How-To >> >> With luck, that will fix everything. If it doesn't, go to Step 3. >> >> 3. Clean install Windows. >> >> http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To >> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows - >> What you will need on-hand >> >> >> Malke > >
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