Can't Access "Default User" folder in Users Folder

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  1. Posts : 167
    Vista
       #1

    Can't Access "Default User" folder in Users Folder


    No matter what I do, and how much I edit the security settings on that folder (not that it lets me even do that) I can't access this folder for some reason?

    What's the deal? Thanks.

    This is on Windows 7. I have two admin accounts. I can't access it from either account.
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  2. Posts : 1,506
    W7 Ult. x64 | OS X
       #2

    Can you take ownership of the folder?

    karlsnooks said:
    Taking Ownership of Files and Folders
    As an administrator you can take ownership of a file or folder as follows:
    1. In Windows Explorer, rt-click on "properties" for the file or folder.
    2. Security tab | Advanced
    3. Owner tab| click Edit
    4. In the Change Owner To list, select the new owner. To take ownership of all subfolders and files within the folder, select Replace Owner On Subcontainers And Objects option.
    5. OK | OK

    Assigning Ownership
    As administrator or the current owner, you can assign ownership to another user or group as follows:
    1. In Windows Explorer, rt-click on "Properties" for the file or folder.
    2. Security tab | Advanced
    3. Owner tab | Edit
    4. Click Other Users Or Groups
    5. Type the name of a user or a group | click Check Names | Choose the name you want if its not already filled in | OK
    6. From the Change Owner list, select the new owner. For a folder, select Replace Owner On Subcontainers and Objects to assign ownership of all subfolders and files within the folder.
    7. Ok | OK
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  3. Posts : 5,642
    Windows 10 Pro (x64)
       #3

    "Default User" is a junction. Go to "Default" which "Default User" points to.
    Revert any changed you made to it as well.

    Read the links in my signature to learn more about why you should leave it alone.
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  4. Posts : 167
    Vista
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Ok, it seems this folder is not supposed to be accessed and is a junction point or whatever, but this isn't Vista. I guess Windows 7 is the same. Thanks. I'll go change it to Everyone - Deny again.

    Alright, I'm trying to reset this to Read: Everyone - Denied like before, but do I have to reset it to this? What would happen if I don't reset it to this?

    I have it currently set on the setting where, I can't access it unless I click grant permission to myself. Is that ok?

    Also, I wanted to folder icon to be restored to that folder since I changed it. Originally it had a shortcut symbol on the folder. logicearth should know what I'm talking about...

    I then changed the folder icon to a folder with a lock symbol instead. Now, I couldn't change the folder icon back to what it was originally, for some reason. I don't understand why. Maybe it's because it's a shortcut folder?

    Anyway, somehow it has the shortcut icon back as it did originally, and this was after I copied and pasted (not cut and paste, but COPY AND PASTE) the folder to the desktop, so there were now two "Default User" folders, one in my "Users" folder and one on the Desktop. I THEN dragged the copy folder from the desktop back to the user folder. It then, obviously asked me if I wanted to replace "Default User" to the one I'm dragging in. I clicked "Yes". Again, it's the same folder.

    But would that cause anything? I hope not.
    Last edited by Wandering Flame; 13 Apr 2010 at 06:06.
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  5. Posts : 167
    Vista
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Sorry for making a double post but, in case I modified anything from it's original state, could I just "remake" this "Default User" folder like how it was before I did anything? I think I may have deleted the original and now probably looking at a duplicate right now...

    Also, it has a shortcut symbol on it, however when I look into properties of that folder, where it says "Type of File" it says "File Folder" instead of "Shortcut"...and where it says "Target" there is nothing, and where it says "Comments" there is nothing as well.

    Also, if I can't delete this folder completely and just remake it (so that is has all the default permission settings) can I do something to test to see if it works properly?
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  6. Posts : 167
    Vista
    Thread Starter
       #6

    This has seriously depressed me for some reason and am still wondering if I can just make a new "Default User" folder that had the default permission settings and that functions the same way. I thought by deleting it, it would fix the problem but now I so regret doing that...and want it back

    I know I can simply create a folder here and call it "Default User"...but that wouldn't exactly make it just like the one I deleted. Because the folder I deleted was a junction folder as logicearth said, a new folder I can just "make" will not also be a junction folder like the one I deleted, or, can I make it a junction folder as well?

    I can say though that I DO HAVE the contents of the folder I deleted, but it's not in the original "junction" folder I deleted. Can I RE-CREATE a junction folder and put the original contents back into it?

    Someone please help me out, especially you logicearth. Thanks.

    Also, I was going to ask, since you said Default User points to "Default"...

    Ok, if I deleted the Default User folder (or, went into it and edited its contents) does that affect the "Default" folder as well, since Default User is a shortcut to it? I mean I guess it does...since Default User is a SHORTCUT which means it sends you directly to "Default" like you said...

    So I was wondering, can I just re-create a junction folder in the "Users" folder and call it "Default User" and have it point to the "Default" folder like before (of course, keeping in mind that if I edited the contents of "Default User", I essentially edited the contents of "Default" since I think "Default User" is a shortcut to it)? I still have the contents of the folder I deleted (the unedited contents) so perhaps I can put these unedited contents back in "Default", and then re-create the junction folder belonging to it, and then call it "Default User" and put this junction folder in the "Users" folder. This would revert everything back to normal and I can stop regretting trying to take control over something I'm not supposed to, and screwing around with it, in an attempt to change its folder icon...

    Thanks, for those that will help. If I need to clarify anything more, I can.
    Last edited by Wandering Flame; 13 Apr 2010 at 10:36.
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  7. Posts : 1,170
    XP Pro SP3 X86 / Win7 Pro X86
       #7

    Wandering Flame said:
    This has seriously depressed me for some reason and am still wondering if I can just make a new "Default User" folder that had the default permission settings and that functions the same way. I thought by deleting it, it would fix the problem but now I so regret doing that...and want it back
    Default User is not a folder. It is a "junction" or "hard link" that merely redirects to "Default" also visible in the same folder. This is a superhidden link used only for compatibility with XP/2000, there should be no reason you need to access it at all. I don't know any way to remake it except to do a repair install of windows.

    Do yourself a favor and go into
    control panel -> folder options -> view
    and check the "Hide protected system files" box.

    I guarantee your excedrin bill will go down....
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  8. Posts : 167
    Vista
    Thread Starter
       #8

    That's the thing dude. It wasn't hidden and that folder option for some reason was set to have it show up to me! How stupid of Dell, because I sure don't remember choosing to have superhidden files and/or folders to show up. The only thing I edited in folders options is to have file extensions show, like .doc and .mp3 to tell me what files actually are.

    This was all caused because of my stupid ****ing insistence to take control of everything because I'm the stinking admin of the damn computer. What kind of logic is it to restrict a computer admin from something, in the first place. Not so admin-friendly is it.

    That advice is too late for me, because (all of the following was un-intentional by the way) I already screwed up the permission settings of that junction folder, ripped out its contents (which are un-edited so there should be hope in making a new junction folder...I think) and, I'm not sure if the "Default User" junction folder I currently have in the "Users" folder, is the original one. That is why I'm asking if it's possible just to create a new junction for "Default".

    And if this is not possible, can you at least tell me how I can check if the "Default User" junction folder (at least I think the one I have now is still the same junction folder like before) is working? Can you tell me what its permission settings are set to on your own (what it lists in "Group or user names", and the permissions given to each, or basically, what is checked and what is not) and what it says in the general properties tab, like where it says Type of File: and Location:, etc., and where it targets to?

    In fact, I think where it targets to should be the answer (I guess target is another word for directory) because if this is a "junction" folder then I think it's basically a shortcut, which would mean it must tell you what it directs to.

    I just thought I should mention that, after changing the security settings on it, I noticed that when I strip my user account from having access to it, the folder icon changes back to a folder with a shortcut symbol, and when I re-gain access to it, it turns into a folder with a lock symbol on it.

    I really wish I hadn't done anything...and am just wondering how I can undo this mess. I just want to know if my Default User folder is working like it should and what its security settings should be (basically, I want to know what all of its properties should say. If anyone would be kind enough to screen print the contents of each tab in properties, of their "Default User" junction folder, that would relieve me greatly. Or you just just type the information).

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  9. Posts : 233
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #9

    This addresses extra security measures in regards to taking ownership and granting permission to files and folders in Windows 7 - Windows 7 Take Ownership & Grant Permissions to Access Files & Folder.

    Cheers,
    Cassandra
    Microsoft Windows Outreach
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 1,170
    XP Pro SP3 X86 / Win7 Pro X86
       #10

    Wandering Flame said:
    That's the thing dude. It wasn't hidden and that folder option for some reason was set to have it show up to me! How stupid of Dell, because I sure don't remember choosing to have superhidden files and/or folders to show up. The only thing I edited in folders options is to have file extensions show, like .doc and .mp3 to tell me what files actually are.
    In win7, by default... the folder view settings should hide system protected files and not show hidden files... These are parts of the system that can be accessed but, in all honesty, unless you know exactly what your doing... you're better of not messing with.

    This was all caused because of my stupid ****ing insistence to take control of everything because I'm the stinking admin of the damn computer.
    Well... I'm certainly glad that between you and me, it was you who said that...

    What kind of logic is it to restrict a computer admin from something, in the first place. Not so admin-friendly is it.
    The thing is that "Default User" is NOT a folder and it's NOT a shortcut... it's a hardlink which is a whole different animal... In a folder the files are right there. In a shortcut (which is probably what you've created) it's a one directonal path... to use the files you have to follow the shortcut to the folder. In a hardlink it's bidirectional, you can open and access files in both directions just like it was a folder... Linux style.


    That advice is too late for me, because (all of the following was un-intentional by the way) I already screwed up the permission settings of that junction folder, ripped out its contents (which are un-edited so there should be hope in making a new junction folder...I think) and, I'm not sure if the "Default User" junction folder I currently have in the "Users" folder, is the original one. That is why I'm asking if it's possible just to create a new junction for "Default".
    Did you disturb the Default folder? ... and it is a folder... at the opposite end of the Default User hardlink.

    That one contains the default settings for new users on your system... the information there is copied to the user folder when an account is created. If you are the only user on the system, it's of little matter... but it's likely to mess up the creation of any new accounts.


    And if this is not possible, can you at least tell me how I can check if the "Default User" junction folder (at least I think the one I have now is still the same junction folder like before) is working?
    I can almost guarantee it's not.

    Can you tell me what its permission settings are set to on your own (what it lists in "Group or user names", and the permissions given to each, or basically, what is checked and what is not) and what it says in the general properties tab, like where it says Type of File: and Location:, etc., and where it targets to?
    There's not much point... Unless someone else knows how to create a new juntion (not a shortcut) I'm afraid the only way I know to recreate it is with a Repair Install of Windows itself... and that's going to undo a lot of your customizations and settings.

    I just thought I should mention that, after changing the security settings on it, I noticed that when I strip my user account from having access to it, the folder icon changes back to a folder with a shortcut symbol, and when I re-gain access to it, it turns into a folder with a lock symbol on it.
    My best advice to you... stop messing with it... really, it's not something you ever need to access... It exists only for compatibility with XP and Win2000 ... on those systems the default user is "Default User" on Win7 it's "Default"... The junction just connects the two points... Until it becomes an issue, I'd just hide the protected system files and have it not show hidden files, make a coffee, and get my mind on something else...


    From the infinite wisdom of "The Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy" ... "Don't Panic".
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