Windows 7: Locked folders

Hi

Can somebody tell me how do i get rid of that Lock in my folders. I got to open some folders but when i click to open that nagging message pops up telling me that i don´t have permission to open it. What do i have to do to open the folders?

madgirl

Hello,

Try this article Take Ownership Shortcut

- Captain

Which folders?

For example, you should not try to fiddle with anything under "C:\DocumentsAndSettings" it's not a real folder. All your real files are found under C:\Users\<username>\<Various folders>

If the folders are from another user on another widows install then yes the take owership shortcut will work, but that won't work if you are looking inside certain windows protected folders.

Hi
I´m back. Well, ihave downloaded and installed the register files But unfortunately "the targets remain..." i would say. Actually, the folders are mine, i mean i am the administrator and user. Just to narrow it down, i got to open, for example the cookie folders, local configurations, recent files.....

I think i managed to get rid of the lock in the Administrator´s folder using the downloaded program as instructed by the Captain. But it didin´t work with the others.

madgirl

Another user given tools again to mess with junctions...when will it ever end? Listen please, before pointing people to the "Take ownership..." stuff, you should ask if they are trying to mess with those compatibility junctions. Take ownership is not a cure all...

As LogicEarth mentioned, the junctions are there for compatibility, and should not be removed or otherwise tampered with.

If you will recall, on Windows XP, all user-related settings and files was stored in "C:\Documents and Settings". Some programs incorrectly hard-coded the access paths to that folder, and although it worked on XP, it would be a big problem on Windows 7 because that folder no longer exists, and the program would no longer function correctly. So Windows creates the "Documents and Settings" junction to automatically and invisibly redirect such poorly written programs to the "Users" folder.


But if the folder does belong to you, then the lock is there also for security, as it prevents other users from accessing your files. The following screenshot show the lock icon on my user folder, "Peter Dzomlija", and the security settings for it shows only "SYSTEM", "Peter Dzomlija" and "Administrators". Should I be concerned? No, because if another user is created on my computer, then it means they they will not have access to that folder or anything inside it.


The same applies to a folder that I created myself for hold all my programming projects. I don't mind other users accessing stuff like my videos or music, but my programming is mine alone, so the securities have been edited to allow access to only myself and important system processes:


Essentially what the lock icon means is that the folder has limited access to only specific users...

Oh my! I think i got it. In this case, what´s happened to some folders like Local configurations, where a body could access the IE folders like cookies, temporary files, recently opened docs and so on. I mean, where are the stuff of those folders stored in?

Thanks for the help
madgirl

The real issue here is why do you need to get to those folders directly? There are plenty of tools out there that will clear that information for you without having to go directly to the source.

Also, if you already changed permissions or "took ownership" of anything, I would recommend that you perform a System Restore and go back to the point before you did it. Chances are high that you have made changes that should not have been made due to reckless advice given here.

   Quote: Originally Posted by madgirl

Oh my! I think i got it. In this case, what´s happened to some folders like Local configurations, where a body could access the IE folders like cookies, temporary files, recently opened docs and so on. I mean, where are the stuff of those folders stored in?

* USER NAME means insertion of your user account name.

Also,you can create a shortcut to the any of the following locations and keep it on your desktop or wherever suits you.

Further, you can create keyboard shortcuts to these shortcuts for even more convenient access

(in the vista group, but same in Win 7):
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/74...-shortcut.html

Access to some or all of these may require that you show hidden folders and/or unhide protected OS Files:

Hidden Files and Folders - Show or Hide

-------------------------------------------------

Access Temporary folder (real temp folder, not the system protected junction):

C:\Users\USER NAME\AppData\Local\Temp

or

1) Windows Key
2) Type %temp%
3) Press Enter


Access Cookie folder:

C:\Users\USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low


Access to SendTo folder:

C:\Users\USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

For this folder, you can create a shortcut, placing it in it's original folder (above):

1) Right Click on the folder and (still holding the right mouse button) drag it into itself (the right side pane with shortcuts).
2) Release mouse button and choose 'Create shortcut here' from the popup menu.

This will Place Send To in your Right Click context menu, allowing you to place items in your Send to menu simply by right clicking and choosing Send To\Send To.

Access to Start Menu:

C:\Users\USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

or

1) Click on Start
2) Right click on All Programs
3) Choose Open


Recently Opened Docs:

C:\Users\USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent

or

1) Click on Start
2) Right click on Recent Items
3) Choose Open



James

Hi guys!

I did it! Colbert´s help got me right to the point! This way, I´d like to thank all of you for the help and ask a last question about this issue. It seemed to me that i shouldn´t have used the registry keys, am i right? If it is that way, do you think that i should restore my system?

madgirl