Windows 7..messed up programs folder permission

[futura65]

Ok...so the wife has windows 7 on her machine, (none of mine are up to that yet) but she as having some other unrelated issues. I was looking at the preferences of a file inside of the main program folder...I wanted to change the permission so I could look at the file closer, and in doing so blocked myself out of the file...AND the rest of the folders/files within the same main program folder. Now looking under the Start menu>programs list the icon is just the blank nothing icon and if you click on it...it doesn't run.
When I try to open the main program folder, it tells me I don't have permission, so I do the whole, granting permission, and attempt to reassign to every other folder/file within that main folder. It seems to work on some of the children but not others. It's really a mad situation, I haven't tried installing the program yet because I feel like that might not even work without proper permission.
How can I reset the main program folder and all sub files/folders to regain permission so the program will run again?

 

[Modelworks]

Use take ownership.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

 

[futura65]

Well I was doing (had to) the take ownership just to get into the main program folder....but all the subsequent files/folders still had me blocked out. But of course I was doing it the normal way. Will this thing correct all the files/folders within? Who made this thing you sent a link to? Please understand my concern with installing such a thing. But I might have to try it if nothing else.

 

[Modelworks]

Well I was doing (had to) the take ownership just to get into the main program folder....but all the subsequent files/folders still had me blocked out. But of course I was doing it the normal way. Will this thing correct all the files/folders within? Who made this thing you sent a link to? Please understand my concern with installing such a thing. But I might have to try it if nothing else.

This adds a setting to the registry and is perfectly safe to install. It is different than what you were doing.

All it contains is:

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"

Both of the commands it uses takeown and icacls are already part of the windows install this just automates it for the user

One caution, using take ownership on a file or folder can allow you to delete system files that windows needs so be careful when deleting.