Bad permissions problems... need help!

[Iniamyen]

Well, I posted on the networking forum thinking it was a filesharing problem a few weeks ago, but I've since found out some other issues I'm having.

Basically, my permissions are all screwed up and I can't seem to backup my data so I can do a reformat. Some of my files (it seems random, and independent of location, date modified, etc...) won't let me manipulate them, i.e. it says I don't have access/permission. I don't think they are corrupt, as their size is reported correctly, and some of them work fine. When I right click on a file that's affected, click properties, then click on the "security" tab, this is the dialogue box that I get:

You do not have permission to view or edit the current permission settings for (filename), but you can take ownership or change auditing settings.

Does anyone have any idea how I can rescue my files long enough to do a reformat? I can't even put them on a CD, as it says I don't have permission to move them when I try to!!! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[glc]

Log in as an administrator or go ahead and take ownership.

[Iniamyen]

All of my accounts have administrative privelages, and I have tried to mess with the ownership settings by applying myself, administrators in general, allusers, etc... to the "owner" of the file. None of this works, and I think there is something going on here which isn't supposed to happen. I've scanned the whole disk for viruses, spyware, nothing seems amiss. And it performs fine when I can use the file of interest. All I really need is a brute force, never-fail method to retrieve files off of this disk that I know are there. Then I can do a reformat, which will hopefully fix whatever's wrong. Any suggestions?

[faulkner132]

Have you tried copying them to another location from a DOS prompt?

[Iniamyen]

What's the syntax for doing this?

I'll tell you exactly what the problem's structure is in regards to my main concern. I have a ~500 MB folder called "photos" in C:\Jason. I have some subfolders within this folder, as well as some .jpg files in the root of C:\Jason\photos. The files that I can't open have no preview (just a generic picture icon), and the file type (i.e. jpeg image) does not appear for them in the "details" view. Also, some of the subfolders contain pictures which all have this problem--and in these cases, I cannot even open the folder. Also, the previews on the folder's icon of the contained images do not appear as normal. What I've surmised is that for some reason, whatever account I am logged in as will not even allow the computer to "glance" at these files (for lack of a better term), because it can't even get preview or file type information other than just the size on disk.

The funny thing is, though, that I can move the entire "photos" folder anywhere I want *in Windows.* The errors don't change though. And the funnier thing is that I can try to move subfolders anywhere I want, and if the folder contains no problem files, it will copy fine, but otherwise gives the usual permissions error. Would moving files from a command prompt be any different?

What the heck is going on?!

[faulkner132]

You would have to boot straight to DOS and you use the syntax:

cd\jason\photos <--- directory with the files you want to copy
copy *.* c:\newfolder <--- copy entire contents into c:\newfolder

[Iniamyen]

Follow up:

I was able to get access to some of my files by going to their properties, sharing, and messing around with permissions and owners. Suffice to say, it took me a long time to do and never was one file the exact same procedure to do as the next. With 500 MB of files, it took awhile

The odd thing is, I tried to do the same thing on some other (non-jpeg) files and it seems as though only .jpg's have the right set of ownership/permissions options to get my problem sorted out. I would have looked longer at the other file types for a solution if I really needed to back them up, but the pictures were the most important thing. So, I reformatted my computer and the problem no longer exists. What a waste of an entire evening though!

[glc]

Next time, just take ownership of the whole folder and every subobject. That won't take much more than 5 minutes.

[JONATHANABBY]

I have the same problem, mostly with JPG files, and some MP3 files
and I dont seem to be able to TAKE OWNERSHIP, even from the ADMIN user
HOWEVER , if I copy/paste files they are OK.
only when I have dragged them to other folders has the problem come up.
any suggestions?

[shadowpr]

Might want to start your own thread on this, but for now, what os are you using? XP or vista?

[pam123]

Here's how to take ownership of a file or folder in XP : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

If you have any more questions please start your own thread rather then continue one more than 2 1/2 years old.