Unable to save files on my home network.

I have tried all of these except the Reset Windows Network Stack.

I am the only user on my Desktop and I cannot find a way to log into it with Administrative privileges as I should have them. I have also noticed that the file I am trying to write into shows a Read Only checkmark. When I try to remove that it shows that it is removed but when I call it back up the checkmark is there again. Cannot seem to get around this.

Hi Ron,

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing frustration with the system. It sounds like you're having issues with administrative privileges on your machine. There are a few things you can try to resolve this problem:

Check User Account Control (UAC) settings: User Account Control is a security feature that can sometimes interfere with administrative tasks. Ensure that it is enabled and set to an appropriate level. You can adjust UAC settings by following these steps:

• Type "User Account Control" in the Start Menu search and open the "Change User Account Control settings."
• Slide the bar to a lower setting (not recommended) or the second-to-highest setting, which will still prompt you for confirmation but will allow more administrative actions.

Use Windows PowerShell: If the Command Prompt is still not working, try running Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges instead.

Verify your user account status: Ensure that your user account is indeed set as an administrator on the machine. To check this:

• Right-click on "This PC" on your desktop or File Explorer.
• Select "Manage" to open the Computer Management window.
• Go to "Local Users and Groups" > "Users" and verify that your account is listed as a member of the Administrators group.

Check for Corrupted System Files: Sometimes, corrupted system files can cause these issues. You can use the built-in "System File Checker" tool to scan and repair any corrupted files. Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files - Microsoft Support

Create a New Administrator Account: If everything else fails, consider creating a new user account with administrator privileges and see if the issue persists in the new account. Create a local user or administrator account in Windows - Microsoft Support 

Your Sincerely

Hahn - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Hahn, I am really getting upset with this system.  It seems I am the only user set up on my machines and I am listed at the administrator.  When I try to run the Command Prompt as Administrator it just sits there.  I then try to run one of the commands and it comes back and tells me that it requires administrative rights.  Don't really know what to do at this point. Thanks very much for your help with this.

Hi Ron,

If you've tried all the previous suggestions and are still experiencing issues with saving files and the "Read Only" checkmark, it's possible that there might be some underlying system or file permission issues. Since you've already tried most of the basic troubleshooting steps, let's focus on the read-only issue and administrative privileges. A few things to check:

- Reset Windows Network Stack (Winsock):

   As you mentioned, you haven't tried this step yet. Resetting the Windows Network Stack can sometimes resolve network-related issues. To do this, open the Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following commands one by one:

   ```

   netsh winsock reset

   netsh int ip reset

   ipconfig /release

   ipconfig /renew

   ```

   After running these commands, restart your computer and see if the issue persists.

- Open File Explorer, right click on the folder you are trying to write to and go to Properties > Security. Make sure your user account has full control permissions.

- Check if the read-only attribute is being set at a higher folder level. The Properties > General tab will show if read-only is set. Clear it not just on the folder but parent folders.

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator (right click and Run as Administrator) and run: attrib -r X:\Folder replacing Folder with the actual folder. This will remove read-only recursively.
• For admin privileges, open Command Prompt as Admin and run net user administrator /active:yes to enable the built-in admin account. Log off and log back in as the administrator account and test saving files.
• If you don't have admin privileges, the above steps likely won't work. You'll need to either login as the user who installed Windows or reset permissions. Look up taking ownership of files/folders.
• Disable OneDrive Sync: If you have OneDrive syncing enabled on your Windows 11 laptop, it's possible that the sync is interfering with the file attributes. Try temporarily disabling OneDrive sync and check if you can save files without the "Read Only" attribute.
• Safe Mode: Booting your desktop computer into Safe Mode with Networking might help identify if any third-party software or drivers are causing the issue. In Safe Mode, Windows loads only essential drivers and services, which can help isolate the problem. Start your PC in safe mode in Windows - Microsoft Support
• Create a New User Account: If all else fails, you can try creating a new user account on your desktop computer and grant it administrative privileges. Then, try accessing and modifying the files from the new account to see if the issue persists. Create a local user or administrator account in Windows - Microsoft Support 

If none of the above solutions work, it's possible that there might be a more complex issue with your Windows installation. As a last resort, you can take the desktop PC back to factory settings if you can't resolve the permission issues, but backup data first.

Let me know if any of those suggestions help or if you are still having issues taking control of the folder to remove read-only and write files.

Your Sincerely

Hahn - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Hi Ron,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

I'm Hahn and I'm here to help you with your concern.

If you're unable to save files directly to your Desktop on your Windows 11 laptop from other devices on the home network, there could be several potential reasons for this issue, such as:

• The network discovery feature is turned off on your Windows 11 devices.
• The network drive is not mapped correctly or has insufficient permissions.
• There is a bug or compatibility issue with Windows 11 and some applications.

Let's go through some troubleshooting steps to try and resolve the problem:

• Turn on network discovery on both your laptop and desktop devices. To do this, go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network profile and select Private. Then go to Settings > Privacy & security > Windows security > Firewall & network protection > Allow an app through firewall and make sure File and Printer Sharing is checked.
• Map the network drive again or check the permissions on the shared folder. To map a network drive, go to File Explorer > This PC > Map network drive and follow the instructions. To check the permissions, right-click on the shared folder, select Properties > Sharing > Advanced Sharing > Permissions and make sure your user account has full control.
• Reset Windows Network Stack: You can try resetting the Windows network stack to clear any potential networking issues. Open a Command Prompt with administrative privileges and run the following commands one by one: netsh winsock reset netsh int ip reset ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew
• Check Network Sharing Protocols: Make sure that your network sharing protocols are enabled. In some cases, you might need to enable SMB (Server Message Block) versions 1, 2, and 3 in Windows Features. To do this:
  • Open **Control Panel and go to Programs > Turn Windows features on or off.
  • Scroll down and check the boxes for SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support, SMB 2.0/CIFS File Sharing Support, and SMB 3.0/CIFS File Sharing Support.
  • Click OK and restart your computer.

I hope this helps.  If there is anything not clear, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Your Sincerely

Hahn - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist