Program file folders read only in vista WTF

[dawnoffatex]

I can't do anything to stop them from being so, and I can't install anything new..

I'm logged in as an administrator, doesn't help.

I manually change them from read only to non, and next time I open the folders they are magically write protected again.

I tried created another user account with administration priveledges and changed it with that account then logged back into my other account, nothing.

This kind of sucks not being able to install anything, help please

 

[dawnoffatex]

bump

 

[pcgeek11]

Mine are marked as " Read Only " also and I install programs etc just fine.

pcgeek11

 

[Dogsbody]

I have the same problem. Any help??

 

[Shawn]

Did you do an upgrade install or a clean install?

 

[Nothinman]

I think the status of the read-only box is determined by the ACLs, not the read-only bit like is true on FAT filesystems. But as pcgeek11 says you should be able to install things because UAC and crap should elevate your priviledges appropriately in installation.

 

[dawnoffatex]

I can't unzip files into a program folder is my primary concern, for example when updating a user interface in a game or something along those lines, its restricted.

Also, I was attempting to install IRFANVIEW, same thing - access denied.

 

[dawnoffatex]

up hopefully for an answer

 

[Jeff7181]

Did you upgrade to Vista or do a clean install?

 

[dawnoffatex]

clean install when i built new system

 

[vetteguy]

It's by design, called file and registry virtualization.

Link

 

[dawnoffatex]

Originally posted by: vetteguy
It's by design, called file and registry virtualization.

Link

The catch is though, that i'm the single administrator on the computer. I also created another admin account just to see if that did anything, and it did nothing.

According to your link, and some other stuff i've read, the read-only designation is supposed to be for non adminstrator users, which does not apply.

Is there a way to disable it completely?

 

[Smilin]

The gospel...

The read-only attribute does NOT apply to folders. If you are unable to write to a folder you need to go check NTFS permissions instead.

Since the attribute is not actually used by anything Windows instead uses the attribute flag as a hint to indicate a desktop.ini is available for the given folder.

The checkbox for read-only in folder properties is used to change the read-only flag for all files within the folder. Again, it does NOT do anything to the folder itself. On an otherwise empty folder you can check then apply that checkbox all day long and it will keep resetting. At best you can move the tri-state checkbox from a "some checked" to fully checked depending on whether the folder is empty and what attributes the contained files have.


The short version:
Check your NTFS permissions instead and don't worry about it

 

[Smilin]

here ya go:

326549 You Cannot View or Change the Read-Only or System Attribute of Folders
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;326549

 

[dawnoffatex]

ok so I read what you linked all the way through, and it seems to be the exact issue i'm encountering.

However, when i type

attrib -r -s c:\program files

it tells me
Parameter format not correct -

The exact type looks like this:

(prompt)
C:\Users\myname>attrib -r -s c:\program files

 

[Smilin]

Throw quotes around "c:\program files" otherwise it gets parsed as a parameter "c:\program" and then an unknown parameter "files".

However... this is NOT the cause of your problem. Seriously. No need to fool with the attributes at all. Windows ignores them for all practical purposes.

The read only attribute on the folder is 110% a red herring. Look elsewhere.

 

[Smilin]

edit: deleting doublepost

 

[dawnoffatex]

ok even when I do that, it tells me access denied to the program files folder. I'm totally stuck here this is retarded, i'm about one step away from going back to XP as my computer is pretty much ceasing to allow me to control it.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Nothinman]

ok even when I do that, it tells me access denied to the program files folder.

Because the read-only attribute is totally meaningless on NTFS volumes, fix the ACLs and you should be fine.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

ok even when I do that, it tells me access denied to the program files folder.

Because the read-only attribute is totally meaningless on NTFS volumes, fix the ACLs and you should be fine.

This isn't an ACL issue. He's trying to unzip directly into program files. That isn't going to work if he doesn't elevate the admin privs.

Have you turned off UAC? Are you running the installers in question as 'admin' or just running it from an admin account?

 

[dawnoffatex]

I can run the installers as an administrator by right clicking. However, I can't even modify files within the folders.

For example, in order to unzip a file - instead of just double clicking the .zip file , i have to open WINZIP as an administrator, manually locate file, then unzip.

Now the problem gets compounded, for example the issue that started this is this:

I have to change a .ini config file once unzipping a certain user interface for Vanguard (game) I can't go in to change the .ini file at all because it's read only, just tells me "nope"

huge pita.

 

[bsobel]

Its on purpose, bear in mind it's to keep malware from writing to your program files directory. As for modifying the .ini file, if virtualization is on, modify the copy in your local virtualized copy directory (unless the change is for all users, in which case you'll need to run notepad as admin to fix it).

You must be doing something 'strange' (IMHO) since I'm running Vista on all of my boxes and am not running into the problems installing you are. The only problem I ran into was (stupidly forgetting) that some changes got put into the virtulaized directory and not being able to find the .ini file i KNEW the app was (ooops)

 

[dawnoffatex]

Originally posted by: bsobel
Its on purpose, bear in mind it's to keep malware from writing to your program files directory. As for modifying the .ini file, if virtualization is on, modify the copy in your local virtualized copy directory (unless the change is for all users, in which case you'll need to run notepad as admin to fix it).

You must be doing something 'strange' (IMHO) since I'm running Vista on all of my boxes and am not running into the problems installing you are. The only problem I ran into was (stupidly forgetting) that some changes got put into the virtulaized directory and not being able to find the .ini file i KNEW the app was (ooops)

I don't know anything about the virtualized directory, if you could assist perhaps thats my issue? I'm just putting things (or trying) into c:/program files(86)/folder

Is there anyway to disable the whole damn thing all together? I tried disabling UAC didn't do a damn thing.

 

[Smilin]

ok, stop stop stop.

Let's start over from the beginning. What are you trying to do?

If you want to write things to the program files folder this can't be done by default but with some simple acl changes we can make it happen, no problem. Before we go there:

1. WHY are you trying to write things directly to the program files folder?
2. What steps did you take to install winzip? Did you copy it to program folders somehow?


How to load the gun...
Navigate to c:\program files\your program
Right click and select properties on 'your program'
Security tab
Advanced button
Edit button +UAC prompt.
Clear the "include inheritable permissions" checkbox.
Select "copy" instead of remove when prompted.
highlight the "Users" group.
Hit 'edit'.
Check full control. Hit ok.
Check 'replace all existing..." button back at the advanced security settings page.
ok your way out.
...if this all seems a pain it's because you weren't meant to do it.

 

[pcgeek11]

How to load the gun...

Ya gotta love it!!

pcgeek11