How to take absolute ownership of a folder

[Cortex7]

Hi guys. I want to disable Windows update to install Windows 10 on my old Win 7 PC without any additional application. By idea I want to disable Windows update to install KB removing ownership to destination folder. I've removed all users from thhere except Administrators but when I install 3035583 again, it moves back all files in previously "protected" folder.

I know for some other approaches how to disable this update but I want to understand how to do that on this way. I've became curious about taking absolute ownersip over desired folders. As the first, is it possible to disable anything to Win updates?

 

[Brink]

Hello Cortex, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If you like, you could directly clean install Windows 10 Pro on your Windows 7 PC.

Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First - Windows 10 Forums

 

[Cortex7]

txh, I was here many years ago ))

As the 1'st, I wanna keep my Win 7 installation on this computer. As the second, I know how to disable Windows update to Win 10 by other means. As the 3'rd, I want to know is it possible to disable windows update to install it files in exclusively owned folder by administrator. Simply, couldn't find more informations about this in Google.

 

[Brink]

If you wanted to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7, then you could download a Windows 10 ISO or use WCT to do so at anytime without using Windows Update.

The free offer of Windows 10 will expire after July 2016, so as long as you upgrade from Windows 7 by then, you're fine.

 

[LMiller7]

Hi guys. I want to disable Windows update to install Windows 10 on my old Win 7 PC without any additional application. By idea I want to disable Windows update to install KB removing ownership to destination folder. I've removed all users from thhere except Administrators but when I install 3035583 again, it moves back all files in previously "protected" folder.

I know for some other approaches how to disable this update but I want to understand how to do that on this way. I've became curious about taking absolute ownersip over desired folders. As the first, is it possible to disable anything to Win updates?

Which folder or folders are you talking about?

 

[Cortex7]

The free offer of Windows 10 will expire after July 2016, so as long as you upgrade from Windows 7 by then, you're fine.

I have some hardware/drivers issues with newer Windows releases and therefore I want to keep Win 7 on that PC.

 

[Cortex7]

Which folder or folders are you talking about?

In this concrete case it is GWX from System32. Is it possible to "lock" that folder on some way? Everything I tried says that it isn't but I still believe that it is

 

[LMiller7]

Modifying permissions of system folders is asking for trouble. The only suggestion I will make is don't do it.

 

[Brink]

Cortex,

If your end goal is to disable the "Upgrade to Window 10" update, then you can use the tutorial below to do so. If not, then please post back with what your end goal is.

Upgrade to Windows 10 Update - Enable or Disable in Windows 7 or 8.1 - Windows 10 Forums

 

[Cortex7]

my own goal is to learn how to disable system to access a folder locked by user. I've tried a lot of things but without a positive result. Still hope that someone could show how to that. GWX isn't an important folder for system itself and therefore I wouldn't say that it is asking for trouble as it coulkd be case with let's say System32

 

[Brink]

Anytime you disable system access to something it needs access to, it may not end well.

As for GWX, you could use OPTION THREE below to disable it.

Get Windows 10 Icon - Remove from Taskbar in Windows 7 and 8.1 - Windows 10 Forums

 

[Cortex7]

I've spent a few hours searching for anything which could explain this topic. There's thousands of pages which explains how to take ownership under some file or folder but absolutely nothing which would say how to disable system to access that file. I understand, that technique could be misused from malware writers to destroy your system but I also couldn't find an explicite statement that it is impossible.

 

[Cortex7]

Anytime you disable system access to something it needs access to, it may not end well.

As for GWX, you could use OPTION THREE below to disable it.

upss.. you post this anwer while I wrote a new message.

Yes, I understand that it may produce many bad things. Just want to understand how system works in this case. As I told previously I don't have problems to disable GWX but I'm more interested in disabling access to some file or folder which are under OS control. I've chosen GWX just because it is not so important for proper work of Windows.


What's the highest privileged account used by Windows for system's jobs?

 

[Pyprohly]

Cortex, if by "locking a folder" you mean denying all trustees access to it, then locking a folder is easy. Simply remove all the access rules in the Security tab of the folder's properties, and you'll have a folder no one can access.

Denying the system from making changes to the GWX folder might actually be an effective way of getting the GWX app off your tray and at bay.

What's the highest privileged account used by Windows for system's jobs?

That would be an account called SYSTEM but I wouldn't say it has a higher privilege level than the builtin Administrator account.

 

[Brink]

Cortex,

Here's some more information about changing the owner and permissions of an item to help.

Owner of Files and Folders - Change in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/122666-permissions-allow-deny-users-groups.html

I would still recommend OPTION THREE below to disable GWX instead though.

Get Windows 10 Icon - Remove from Taskbar in Windows 7 and 8.1 - Windows 10 Forums

 

[Pyprohly]

Okay, I just tried it. I denied everyone permission to the GWX folder, and of course it did nothing. Each item in the GWX folder has it's own explicit permissions, and changing the permission settings of the GWX folder will not affect the permissions of the GWX app or neighbouring files (well played Microsoft, well played). After denying all to the GWX.exe itself, a reboot later, zero traces of the Get Windows 10 app was to be found.

Success.

Cortex, if there is anything specific you want to know or want achieved in Windows, just ask us and we'll do the digging and the testing for you. There's no point in you risking your PC when we have the answers and skill to figure things out efficiently.

 

[Cortex7]

it isn't so risky when we have possibility to work with VM.

After denying all to the GWX.exe itself, a reboot later, zero traces of the Get Windows 10 app was to be found.

you want to say if we lock GWX.exe after rebooting it won't be there anymore?

 

[Pyprohly]

it isn't so risky when we have possibility to work with VM.

By all means, if it's worth your while, use a VM at all times.

After denying all to the GWX.exe itself, a reboot later, zero traces of the Get Windows 10 app was to be found.

you want to say if we lock GWX.exe after rebooting it won't be there anymore?

The GWX.exe application will still be there, it just won't be running when Windows starts as no users will have permission to run it.