Windows 7: File Permission Problems. Windows 7 has Pwnershipped me.

I don't mean to "bump" an old thread so I'm going to post a new topic. I have been all over the internet, and searched FAR AND WIDE, even tried rewording things many different ways, but nothing is helping and so now I'm here. My username should just about explain to you what mental state I am in right now. I have been CRYING actual tears. This is not in jest, I'm a girl.

I'm not a computer whiz. I just need to know how I can gain permission to delete a file on my computer. I am running Windows 7. I used to have XP before that. BUT this file was not on XP it's been added since the switch. "Replace owner on sub containers and objects" This checkbox is NOT available for me. Is there a patient person that can go through everything with me step by step WITH A KINDERGARTEN VOCABULARY or something because I have tried everything and there must be something I am just not getting..

Should I reformat my hard drive? just to delete 1 file?
Sorry I'm just very irritable after 6 hours of CRAWLING around the internet for a solution. And now I'm starting to wonder if I'm bipolar...

Where are the settings to change how like "on a scale of 1-10 HOW PSYCHOTIC do I want my computer to be about file permissions?" so I can set it to 1......




EDIT: I am also trying to quit smoking and this makes want to hook a vat of nicotine up to me via an IV drip.

Hi,

What is the name of the file, and in which folder does it reside?

Regards,
Golden

it is a movie file in my downloads folder, it is in the .iso format.

it says "Unable to display the current owner." and my options to change it are not working when I attempt to edit it. It gives "Unable to set new owner"

EDIT: This account is an Admin account, however it is not the "Administrator" one it is called "Jessipoo" with supposed administrator capabilities, and the file is from this account in the first place. I have tried deleting it and changing ownership from the regular "Administrator" account also and this is not possible either.

EDIT 2: I have even tried downloading 2 programs that are supposed to force delete files. (I am not sure if naming them would be against a rule or be considered advertising so I will not name them unless you ask me to. Neither of them could delete it either.

Your frustration is understandable! But don't let it get to you too much. This really is a tough one, and I've run into the "cannot set owner" issue on other people's computers myself and was quite perplexed.

There's nothing wrong with mentioning force-delete tools. I'm assuming Unlocker was one of the two you tried. It works well but does have its limits.

The best solution I can think of for now is to either boot into the Windows Recovery Environment (from your setup DVD or rescue disc, if you have either one) and use the command shell to delete the .iso file.

Another possibility would be to download a free Linux distribution such as Ubuntu, burn it to a CD and then directly boot from the CD into Ubuntu. It should allow you to browse the NTFS partitions on your harddisk and provide another way to simply delete the offending file.

Please let us know if you can boot to the Windows rescue environment, and how comfortable you feel with using the command window. We'll go from there.

We'll get this sorted out.

yes I tried Unlocker and another one called LockHunter, they were both stumped. filehunter did however tell me that "System" has a process which is locking it. So all LockHunter has done is shake it's finger at Windows 7 like don't look at me it's that guys fault.

Aside from Linux do you know of another tool like those that might do it no matter what? one that doesn't discriminate against measly system prohibitions?

I would LOVE YOU FOREVER

wait is this one called File Assassin good? (BEFORE I do that WRE thing.. I just found it in google search so I will try it first k

OMG my Windows 7 disk has the ability to do that?!?! :O u kidding? I thought all they were good for was installation... OK WOW I'm so trying that RIGHT NOW!!

If it works I will come back and mark it solved and give you a virtual SMOOCH & HUG (ehem: XO)

Yes, the rescue environment as I mentioned before.

Did Unlocker also see "System" locking the file? If yes, you should have had the option of unlocking and then deleting it all in one go.

Since it's an .iso file, did you ever install/use any virtual CD/DVD software to mount this .iso as a virtual drive? Sometimes the problem is the image is still mounted even after a system restart and must be explicitly dismounted before it's freed up and can be deleted.


EDIT: somehow our posts just crossed. Yeah, the setup DVD is useful for a lot of things

You know something originally I thought that was what it was, but I checked Daemon Tools & Power ISO & they both had cleared image caches and all 4 (2 in each program) virtual drives were unmounted and that was hours ago right before my headache truly began.

OK so I'm gonna do a restart for File Assassin since I had to do a restart for the other file deletion programs. (just to keep you up to speed with what's going on here at my end)

WOOT! OK fortunately for my sanity File Assassin worked! But I still want to give you an XO for being patient with me.

Whew

Thank you for your help and suggestions Corazon. And I will remember that advice about the recovery in case anything crazy happens in the future!

-Sincerely, Jessica

PS: You totally rock that Seven Pro title