Security issues (Access Denied)

[CrazyAwesome]

I've been pulling my hair out over this issue, or should I say, these issues.
Firstly, a a minor issue. When I try to rename folders, or delete folders on my 2nd drive D, windows 7 keeps asking for admin permission. Why? How can I stop it from happening? I am the admin. I've tried taking ownership, granted full access. Still it wont stop asking.

But perhaps the most annoying issue. I was trying to modify my hosts file and no matter what guide I follow, I cant save the hosts file. Always access denied.
I've done the following:

Gave myself full permissions in the security tab.
Make sure I was one of the owners.
Run notepad as admin.

And still I can't save it. I know all this security is for my protection, but when I install Win7 with only one account, the admins, I should'nt have to jump through hoops to delete things.

Any ideas?

 

[brady]

Start 'orb' / Control Panel / (view by category) System and Security / Change user account control settings
- Slide down to, Never Notify

2nd: As for:

But perhaps the most annoying issue. I was trying to modify my hosts file and no matter what guide I follow, I cant edit it.
I've done the following:

Do you get an error?

 

[fseal]

Actually the real problem is that your second drive probably has files and folders on it created by another user. I'd guess another user account of yours on another machine or previous install of windows?

So as your CURRENT user you do not have acces to those files without invoking admin privs (You are not a full time admin on your machine when logged into your normal user account).

To stop this you want to take ownership of all the files on your D drive. Then they will all be owned by your new windows 7 user account and you won't have to invoke admin privs every time you touch them.

Search this forum for "Take Ownership". But ONLY take ownership of your own personal files. NEVER try to take ownership of any OS controlled file locations or you will hose your install.

 

[MacGyvr]

I've been pulling my hair out over this issue, or should I say, these issues.
Firstly, a a minor issue. When I try to rename folders, or delete folders on my 2nd drive D, windows 7 keeps asking for admin permission. Why? How can I stop it from happening? I am the admin. I've tried taking ownership, granted full access. Still it wont stop asking.

But perhaps the most annoying issue. I was trying to modify my hosts file and no matter what guide I follow, I cant save the hosts file. Always access denied.
I've done the following:

Gave myself full permissions in the security tab.
Make sure I was one of the owners.
Run notepad as admin.

And still I can't save it. I know all this security is for my protection, but when I install Win7 with only one account, the admins, I should'nt have to jump through hoops to delete things.

Any ideas?

The hosts file is set to read-only. You have to remove that in properties before you can change it, regardless of your permissions.

 

[CrazyAwesome]

Actually the real problem is that your second drive probably has files and folders on it created by another user. I'd guess another user account of yours on another machine or previous install of windows?

So as your CURRENT user you do not have acces to those files without invoking admin privs (You are not a full time admin on your machine when logged into your normal user account).

To stop this you want to take ownership of all the files on your D drive. Then they will all be owned by your new windows 7 user account and you won't have to invoke admin privs every time you touch them.

Search this forum for "Take Ownership". But ONLY take ownership of your own personal files. NEVER try to take ownership of any OS controlled file locations or you will hose your install.

Thats spot on. I'll give it a try and see how it goes

The hosts file is set to read-only. You have to remove that in properties before you can change it, regardless of your permissions.

In the properties its not read only.
If for example, I try to rename the hosts file, it will ask for admin permissions.

I click continue but the screen doesnt dim and ask for permission like it does with other things. Then I get this:

I am the admin.

 

[MacGyvr]

By default it is read-only, so that has been changed at some point in time. Your hosts file is also much larger (more than double) than a normal one should be.

Unless you are logged in as "Administrator," you aren't "the admin"...admin permissions are a little different in Windows 7. You could try enabling the "Administrator" account and logging in that way, but you should not need to as long as you are a member of the Administrators group.

 

[James Colbert]

I've been pulling my hair out over this issue, or should I say, these issues.
Firstly, a a minor issue. When I try to rename folders, or delete folders on my 2nd drive D, windows 7 keeps asking for admin permission. Why? How can I stop it from happening? I am the admin. I've tried taking ownership, granted full access. Still it wont stop asking.

It's not a good idea to disable UAC to 'Never Notify', as you remove an effective security measure against rogue programs, trojans, etc., allowing themselves to run. I have UAC set to the 2nd from top setting and don't have any issues. If that setting doesn;t resolve the problem, post back.

But perhaps the most annoying issue. I was trying to modify my hosts file and no matter what guide I follow, I cant save the hosts file. Always access denied.
I've done the following:

Gave myself full permissions in the security tab.
Make sure I was one of the owners.
Run notepad as admin.

And still I can't save it. I know all this security is for my protection, but when I install Win7 with only one account, the admins, I should'nt have to jump through hoops to delete things.

Any ideas?

Ideas:
Have you:

• Checked to see if the file attribute is set to 'Read Only'?
• Tried from Safe Mode?
• Tried making a copy of the file, editing, saving and copying back (admittedly, a bit of hoop jumping)
• From another user account?

All but the first are a bit unreasonable to expect, but at least it will provide further info.

James

 

[CrazyAwesome]

The read only attribute is not checked.
If I make a copy of the file in the same folder, I can delete, edit, rename, all without issue. But I can't do anything with the original hosts file except look at its contents.
I can't delete it or anything. Even if I run CMD with elevated permissions, I keep getting acces denied.
I don't have any other account on this PC except the one I am using.
As for the other suggestion, Ill try it once I have finished tinkering here.
I'm baffled.

 

[MacGyvr]

The read only attribute is not checked.
If I make a copy of the file in the same folder, I can delete, edit, rename, all without issue. But I can't do anything with the original hosts file except look at its contents.
I can't delete it or anything. Even if I run CMD with elevated permissions, I keep getting acces denied.
As for the other suggestions, Ill try them once I have finished tinkering here.
I'm baffled.

Who is the current owner of the file?

 

[CrazyAwesome]

The owner is my PC and my only account. The copy of the hosts file, I compared all the security settings side by side. They are identical. Yet one I can edit and one I can't.

 

[MacGyvr]

The owner is my PC and my only account. The copy of the hosts file, I compared all the security settings side by side. They are identical. Yet one I can edit and one I can't.

Try going to c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc at a command prompt and type

attrib hosts

does it show as below?

R C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

 

[CrazyAwesome]

It says
A C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

 

[MacGyvr]

I'm stumped. By default, the owner is "System" and read-only is set. I just unset my read only and made a change. No prompts for anything related to permissions.

Did you try using the Administrator account?

 

[CrazyAwesome]

The account I'm using is the only account on the pc. When I installed Win7 months ago, I just entered my name and thats it. Not other accounts present. Really appreciating all the help.
But im also stumped. Every guide I've seen online tells me just running notepad as admin will work. Yet it doesnt. Nothing works.

 

[brady]

Almost sounds like you're logged in using a temp account

 

[CrazyAwesome]

Well I surrender. I rebooted the computer and hey presto. I can now edit the file no problem. WTF
Many thanks for everyones input.
The most annoying part is I already tried rebooting once already and it didnt make a difference.
Another Windows mystery.

 

[MacGyvr]

Just a note, the Administrator account is there, but disabled by default. You have to go in and enable it to use it. Glad you got it sorted!

 

[logicearth]

All of this could have been avoided if you just dragged "hosts" from the directory it is in to your desktop, edit the file, then drag it back to the folder it was in. I've done this a dozen times and works every single time.

 

[Glhs958]

To edit the host file I have always ran notepad or notepad++ with elevated admin permissions.
Then opened the host file "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts" made changes then saved.

 

[threeb]

Had the same problem