Installed Windows 7 64-bit and cannot rotate pictures

Here is my solution (the original post is at the bottom):

I just installed Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, and I couldn't rotate any of the pictures on my internal hard drives. After clicking around, I figured out what the problem was.

You need to:

1. Click on the Start menu.
2. Click on Computer.
3. Right-click the drive that is giving you trouble.
4. Select Properties.
5. Click on the Security tab.
6. Click on the Edit button where it says "To change permissions, click Edit."
7. In the "Group or user names" box, click on the user that you want to edit. On my computer, I had to select "Users (computer-name\Users)" at the bottom of the list.
8. In the "Permissions for Users" box, click on the check box to Allow Full control.
9. Click ok.

It may popup boxes telling you that it can't change the permissions on certain files. Just click ok to move on.

Repeat these steps on each drive that is giving you trouble.


Below is the original Message:

I just installed Windows 7 Professional 64-bit and it won't let me rotate any of my pictures on my hard drives. It gives me the error message, "You cannot rotate this image. The file might be in use or open in another program, or the file or folder might be read-only."

I've tried resetting my computer. I've checked to make sure nothing is read-only. There are no programs using the pictures. If I move the folder onto my desktop and then back to its original location, it will allow me to rotate the pictures in that folder. It will also allow me to rotate the picture if I move the picture onto the desktop.

I guess I could manually move everything off my drives and back onto them, but this is so strange. I'd like to know the cause and if there is a better solution.

Also, everytime I move something, it says I need to give administrator permission. Is there any way to make it not do that for moving files?

Thanks in advance.

UPDATE: After clicking around, I found something that works. I right-clicked each drive and selected properties. On the security tab, I editted the permissions to allow "Everyone" full control (anyone know if there are any risks with the full control option?). I can now rotate my pictures. They should have included info about this in the error message. I hope they do in the future. Hope this helps someone.

BTW, I checked the permissions for the main C drive and it has different "Users and Groups." For example, it has "Authenticated Users" and for my other drives, they have "Everyone" and "Creator Owner." What does this all mean? Why did allowing "Everyone" full control enable me to rotate my pictures? And should I be allowing "Everyone" full control? I don't want to expose my computer to unecessary security risks, so if someone knows a better way to do this, please let me know. Thanks!

I was going to give you advice on how to solve the file problem. But you got the anwer. There is no problem with your change if no one else has access to the computer and/or your account. It is a safety feature to make sure that someone does not see something they are not suppose to.

Your A/V, firewall and your common sense are the protection from outside dangers.