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You do not have permission to open this file

Anonymous
2023-12-11T17:53:44+00:00

I have a solid-state drive in an external USB enclosure, with files and folders copied from my old Windows 10 laptop. I now use Windows 11 on a new laptop. The SSD is encrypted with BitLocker. I have the password, and can unlock the drive fine. The problem I'm encountering is that I can't open the files. I get the following error message:

"You do not have permission to open this file. See the owner of the file or an administrator to obtain permission."

I've tried to follow some how-to videos on YouTube to try to change the permissions, but have been unsuccessful. I also tried a third-party application, TakeOwnershipPro, but this also failed to sort the problem.

Is there anything else I could try? Thanks!

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-12-12T08:11:24+00:00

    Hi Lain,

    Welcome to Microsoft Community.

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

    1. Run as Administrator: Try opening the file by right-clicking and selecting "Run as Administrator." Sometimes, elevated privileges can bypass permission issues.
    2. Ownership Change via Command Prompt: Use the Command Prompt with administrative rights to change ownership of the files. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and use the takeown command followed by the file path. For instance: takeown /f "file_path"
    3. Reset Permissions with Command Prompt: You can reset the permissions using the icacls command. In Command Prompt (run as administrator), type: icacls "file_path" /reset /t /c /q
    4. Safe Mode Access: Boot into Safe Mode and try to access the files from there. Start your PC in safe mode in Windows - Microsoft Support
    5. Check BitLocker Settings: Ensure BitLocker is fully disabled or properly configured on both the old and new laptops. Sometimes encryption settings can interfere with file access.

    If the files were encrypted with an encrypted file application, then you need to use the same application to decrypt those files. For example, if you used a particular encryption program (not just BitLocker) to encrypt your files, then you need to install the same program on your new computer and use it to decrypt those files.

    If none of these methods work, it might be worthwhile to check if the issue lies in the way the files were originally copied or if there's any corruption in the file system. You could attempt to copy a few files from the encrypted SSD onto a different location on your new laptop and see if you can access them without issues. If successful, it might indicate a problem with the encrypted drive or the way the files were transferred.

    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

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