How get back the ability to makes changes to a file

I have been trying to do updates to programs I have on a external hard drive.
For the last few weeks I have been trying to update a few programs; but receive a message saying that I don't have authority to make changes. I can't even delete an empty folder.
I am logged on as administrator, and click to 'Allow' changes. I have tried going into the properties, the security of that folder and it says that Administrators have full control. Although the General tab says it is read only.
I have even downloaded the "Take Ownership" program; but when I right click the folder and chose that option, the Command Prompt opens and says that I am denied access to all that folders files.
Any ideas?

Ok. So I did the check as suggest. I received no errors. And when I check the properties on my "Programs" folders it says that Administrators have full control. Yet I can still not even delete this empty folder. And when I click the security tab I get this message "The Permissions are incorrectly ordered, which may cause some entries to be ineffective", so I click "ok", and it opens and not one of the Groups or Users has any permission. I tried to "edit" but get a message that say it was incorrectly ordered, I click re-order and try to change the access and get another error message denying me access and even though I click Continue, I another error message saying that permissions were NOT changed "Access is Denied". The General tab for my 'Programs" folder is still Read-only, should I change this?

I was a pain. I changed the Security permissions and had to click 'Continue' about fifty times to allow that change to happen. But now I am able to delete folders and update programs.
Thank you!

I agree.
Tax refund. lol