Windows 7: How to undue a 'permission' problem on a drive?

This one is a doozy. For some reason my hard drive has gone nuts. It said on startup that there were bad files then proceeded to delete then restore. At the end it was removing some error security number and applying a new one to almost 50000 files. When it started back up the drive icon was gone and the square box with the little circles was in it. Then it stated I couldn't delete anything as the waste basket was in error. Fixed that manually and finally got the icon back. NOW the problem is any time I access a folder it says I don't have authority and then that damn little lock appears. I have tried the fix PER FOLDER but the whole drive is acting this way, even files that are NOT in folders state I don't have permission and then I go through the whole process and it fixes THAT file. I NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE NOR DO I HAVE IT ON ANY OTHER DRIVE.... IS there a way to enter the proper info in ONE TIME and have it globally apply to ALL the files on that hard drive?? I really can't afford to lose this info and to do it singly will certainly be a PAIN.... ANY HELP appreciated!! Thanks and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all..

You are between a rock and a hard place. You can apply the "change" to the root of the drive with a "/s" (for sub directories) switch but if the data is that important I would be very care.

You have no idea what state the folders are in, which have the change, which dont, etc.

Of course you dont have a backup to restore from or a restore point.

Easiest way is to re-install. Failing that a repair install "MAY" help.



Ken j

That does sound like a big problem.

My first instinct would be to save all the files I think I need to another drive before doing anything else. If the drive itself is actually going bad causing these issues, it may not have long to live. Course it could be virus related as well, I'd check that out.

Then once you are backed up to your satisfaction, maybe play with it but resetting all persmissions from the root is probably just going to do more damage to the working windows install (Assuming your talking about the root folder).

Saying that you don't have permissions for all files, even ones you created in non protected areas sounds like either your account ID was changed or that the owner ID was changed on all the files during that mystery operation... Would take some serious spelunking to probably tell what is going on for sure...

You can try using the Take Ownership shortcut on folders of personal files, just don't use it on the root or the windows folder. Take Ownership Shortcut

My instinct says this drive is in the process of failing. I would run some heavy duty diags on it ad plan to replace it.