Old Guy with Access permissions after Win7 Upgrade

[logicearth]

Windows Explorer .. Under Documents & Settings ... shows All Users, Default, Default User, Harry, Public. Only All Users and Default User have lil Blue arrows (Access Denied).
When I click Harry .... App data, cookies, Local settings, my documents, net hood, print hood, send to, start menu and templates are all BLUE ARROW (access denied).

Eliminating that "access denied" is my only goal.

Sorry to flood the help site. That wasn't my intention. I DO see a bunch of folks reading the posts, though. Maybe I'm not alone with my delima.

Document and Settings is not a real folder. LEAVE IT ALONE!
You need to go to USERS instead.

Any folder that is giving you "Access Denied" is a false folder. Merely there for old applications to find the new locations. See the link in my signature. DO NOT CHANGE THE PERMISSIONS OF THESE FOLDERS. PERIOD.

 

[arkhi]

Document and Settings is not a real folder. LEAVE IT ALONE!

Yup. It's called a "junction" technically. It's basically a complex shortcut for old programs so they'll be redirected to C:\Users, as stated.

 

[lakeharry]

Going to C:\users shows me the same crowd as I see in Documents & Settings. AllUsers, Default, Default User, Harry and Public. Same lil Blue arrows on some and clicking on any of the many accounts shows me more "lil Locks" (more files I can't access).

All I wanna do is access all the files on my computer. Virtual files and Junction files included.

Yawn. I guess that's not gonna happen. Where's my 8086 and my 5 1/4" floppies?

I thank each of your for your time & suggestions. I guess my computer and I are no longer "One". I refuse to give in to my computers rules. I'm blacking out files with a magic marker on my monitor!!!

I'm sending an obscene jesture to my computer ... by use of a digit. I'm suggesting that my computer perform a physically impossible act.

 

[logicearth]

Going to C:\users shows me the same crowd as I see in Documents & Settings. AllUsers, Default, Default User, Harry and Public. Same lil Blue arrows on some and clicking on any of the many accounts shows me more "lil Locks" (more files I can't access).

The locks do not mean you do not have access, they mean private as in not shared with anyone but yourself. Again any location that denies you access is a junction for old broken applications.

All I wanna do is access all the files on my computer. Virtual files and Junction files included.

Accessing junctions is pointless, YOU DO NOT NEED ACCESS TO THOSE.

 

[DocBrown]

lakeharry, your problems are small compared to this user

 

[lakeharry]

I agree that my personal gripes are small when compared to other's Real Problems. It just gets on my last nerve for my computer to tell me what I can see/access and what I can't see/access.

I understand, now, that the permissions are for my own protection. I guess I didn't know that protection from others included me as an "other".

I thank U each for your personal attention.

 

[karlsnooks]

I fully understand your frustration as I can recall having the same reactions when I first encountered the "access denied" messages and that was with Vista. Before I educated myself as to their "purpose", I actually managed to get access nearly anywhere I wanted although to the detriment of the security of my system.

In my opinion, Microsoft should have simply not shown the "locked" folders/junctions/whatever unless one chose a separate option to have them displayed. Microsoft would have saved themself much grief and ill-feelings.

Microsoft seems to full of bright young people with not a lick of common sense. Nice people but they've never been in the trenches.

With all of that said, the user interface, ease of use, features and performance of Win 7 is a vast improvement over Vista. Before Win 7, I was advising the non-techies and parents of non-techies getting ready to send their child off to school to buy a Mac.

Guess who is also a senior citizen and thoroughly enjoying being 71.
karl

 

[lakeharry]

Karl, you and others have been a great help. I'm adjusting my attitude. Many is the time when I have known enough to mess up my computer and not known enough to fix the result of my actions.

Thanks again for your help and the help of all that have responded to my posts. I'm happy to see so many peeps viewing our posts. It makes me think I'm not the only one that has me same concerns.

 

[arkhi]

The first time I've used Vista, one of my first hate-encounters was the UAC. Like everyone, I screamed in my mind "WTF?!", and then disabled it immediately. Only after educating myself, just like karl, that in can be good did I decide to re-enable it. Believe me, it was a whole year before that happened.

Like you, I also once desired to access every file and folder. I even gave "Everyone" full control permissions to my whole hard drive including the Windows folder so I could modify it from another PC. It was fun, until I realized what I did was wrong.

Going back, most of the folders you have no access to are not even actual folders. Think of them as a .lnk file but instead, they're a whole new different type which we call a junction.

Remember, if you're denied access, I would be very sure it's because there's nothing you could do there anyway.

 

[WindowsStar]

Those users you see that aren't you are logically "virtual users".

Your computer is like a virtual reality that is settled in the very wild forest. So that not just anyone, or anthing, can simply change your important files and ultimately destroy your PC, your computer has those users.

SYSTEM is basically your own computer. Specifically, Windows.
Guests is everyone not registered to your computer and it also incldes the Guest Account.
Administrators include administrator accounts which may also include you.
Administrator includes the one and only boss account which is hidden by default. It is also referred as the true administrator.
Users include ALL user accounts you have created.
Everyone- this is self explanatory.

Now you might be asking yourself "I'm an administrator, why the hell does it ask me for permission?!"

Well, the reason for this is viruses can trick you so they would run under your name which can be devastating if you have full rights. So to be safe, you're treated as an ordinary user. The UAC prompt just basically confirms that you want to do what you think you want to do.

Note: The Windows and System32 folders are very well protected and is basically locked down from any modifications. There is no reason for you to modify these files.

I'm not one of thsoe security fanatics, but I would highly suggest you keep UAC on.

Thank you for providing the above information. I keep seeing people on this forum saying they want to be the BOSS I want full control without understanding what they are doing and want to take ownership of every file and remove all others.....then 30 minutes later they are asking why their machine is crashing why it is doing weird stuff why this is not working, why they cannot install or uninstall software. Holy Cow you just took ownership of everything and the system has no access!!! Duh! You can’t uninstall or re-install or anything.

Just leave the system alone, if it is working who cares if there are other accounts, if it is working who cares if you don't have access to the system files. If it is working who cares if you are prompted for permission to do something. IT IS WORKING! If you really want to remove accounts and take ownership of every file on the machine spend the time reading "Windows 7 Resource Kit" and "Windows 7 Inside Out" cover to cover twice and then do some research on the internet for several months. This way you can be absolutely sure you know what you are doing.

Again Thanks! I gave you some MAJOR REP!

 

[WindowsStar]

Windows Explorer .. Under Documents & Settings ... shows All Users, Default, Default User, Harry, Public. Only All Users and Default User have lil Blue arrows (Access Denied).
When I click Harry .... App data, cookies, Local settings, my documents, net hood, print hood, send to, start menu and templates are all BLUE ARROW (access denied).

Eliminating that "access denied" is my only goal.

Sorry to flood the help site. That wasn't my intention. I DO see a bunch of folks reading the posts, though. Maybe I'm not alone with my delima.

Document and Settings is not a real folder. LEAVE IT ALONE!
You need to go to USERS instead.

Any folder that is giving you "Access Denied" is a false folder. Merely there for old applications to find the new locations. See the link in my signature. DO NOT CHANGE THE PERMISSIONS OF THESE FOLDERS. PERIOD.

Thank you this is perfect!!!! Glad someone is trying to get these noobies to Windows 7 to understand this is NOT Windows XP. Add some REP.

 

[logicearth]

In my opinion, Microsoft should have simply not shown the "locked" folders/junctions/whatever unless one chose a separate option to have them displayed. Microsoft would have saved themself much grief and ill-feelings.

They are hidden along with all system files like "desktop.ini" you have to selectively enabled viewing of these. "Hide protected operating system files" is what is checked by default and provides the "solution" you are talking about. However, since the user as told Windows to show protected files...?

 

[arkhi]

They are hidden along with all system files like "desktop.ini" you have to selectively enabled viewing of these. "Hide protected operating system files" is what is checked by default and provides the "solution" you are talking about. However, since the user as told Windows to show protected files...?

Yep, you do get a nice warning about showing those files

 

[lakeharry]

arkhi is reading my mind. I have given everybody but my Brother-in-Law full permissions. Your mentioned that what U did was wrong ..... ummmmm .. is there something special I should do to my permissions? I promise to let it alone from now on. Just tell me "if U mess with that ... you'll go blind". It worked for my parents B 4 Computers. It should still work.

 

[logicearth]

As an example of what can happen when changing permissions of junction points a user posted this screenshot: http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/general-discussion/40295d1259928355-green-ribbon-death-back-venegeance-screendump.jpg

AKA. an infinite loop

 

[MacGyvr]

I sincerely want to thank u both for your advice and suggestions. I have returned the "Slider" to it's default position.

I just want to Access ALL the Folders and files on my computer. Some I wanna delete, Some I wanna view. The "ACCESS DENIED" pisses me off. That's what I'm trying to get around.

I don't wanna disable security but I DO wanna manipulate my files at will.

Best advice...don't delete anything that you do not understand. All the user folders you mentioned NEED to be there. They are part of the operating system. Ignore them. If you don't have files stored in the "access denied" locations, leave them alone. They aren't hurting anything.

 

[MacGyvr]

arkhi is reading my mind. I have given everybody but my Brother-in-Law full permissions. Your mentioned that what U did was wrong ..... ummmmm .. is there something special I should do to my permissions? I promise to let it alone from now on. Just tell me "if U mess with that ... you'll go blind". It worked for my parents B 4 Computers. It should still work.

More good advice:

Stop changing permissions and just use the computer UNLESS you have lost files that you created in one of these folders. You've already made changes that you shouldn't have and the situation is only going to get worse.

 

[MacGyvr]

I understand, now, that the permissions are for my own protection. I guess I didn't know that protection from others included me as an "other".

It does, and it's probably one of the smartest things Microsoft ever did.

 

[gladson1976]

@MacGyvr
Guess you should start using Multi Quote

Just click the

button on all the posts you want to quote and then click on