Cannot change READ ONLY file attributes using Administrator Account

Question

I have tried windows explorer and a custom program called Directory Opus. I have tried creating several administrator accounts but no luck.

I cannot work with this problem existing.

I need a solution.

Answer 1

I have the exact same issue.  Following the steps above did not work, the folder/subfolders remain Read-Only.  I am the owner of the folder and subfolders.  I'm not even sure how they became Read-Only to begin with.  Setting Read-Only on individual files works properly.  Changing folder settings does not.

***IMPORTANT EDIT:

According to a Microsoft Knowledge Base post:

You cannot view or change the Read-only or the System attributes of folders

To summarize, Windows ignores System or Read-Only settings on folders (it does not ignore those properties on FILES however).  Individual applications that you are running may not ignore the Read-Only status on a folder and may give an error.  In my situation, an application was attempting to create a new file in a folder that was marked as Read-Only and it honored the RO setting and refused to try to create the new file.

To actually change these attributes, the Properties menu will not work.  From the KB source:

• If you click Apply changes to this folder only , the Read-only attribute is changed for all the files in the folder. However, the Read-only attribute is not changed for the folder, its subfolders, or any files in its subfolders. If you click Apply changes to this folder, subfolders, and files , the Read-only attribute is changed for all files in the folder and all files in the subfolders. However, the Read-only attribute is not changed for the folder or its subfolders.

In order to change these properties, the user must launch a command line terminal and execute the changes by hand, such as this command:

• attrib -r +s c:\test

...which will remove the READ-ONLY setting and apply the SYSTEM setting to the folder.  Once again, changing properties of files (including files in subfolders) works as expected with the right-click Properties -> Security menu.

Knowledge Base source:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326549

Bad support, MS.

Answer 2

Hi Glock36 ,          

Welcome to Microsoft Answers community.

a)      Did you create the Read-only file?

b)      What message are you getting while changing the Read-only attribute?

c)       Were you able to change the attributes earlier in your computer?

Try the below steps.

1.       Right click on the file and select the Properties.

2.       Under Generaltab place the check mark on Read-only attribute, which is next to Attributes label.

If the above method didn’t help you in resolving your issue then try the below method.

1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the file or folder (say temporary internet file) you want to work with.
2. From the pop-up menu, select Properties, and then in the Properties dialog box click the Security tab, shown in Figure 1.
3. Users or groups that already have access to the file or folder are listed in the Name list box. You can change permissions for these users and groups by doing the following:

a) Select the user or group you want to change.

b) Use the Permissions list box to grant or deny access permissions.

Tip Inherited permissions are shaded. If you want to override an inherited permission, select the opposite permission.

4. To set access permissions for additional users, contacts, computers, or groups, click Add. This displays the Select Users, Computers, Or Groups dialog box shown in Figure 1.

 

Figure 1: Use the Security tab to configure basic permissions for the file or folder.

5. Use the Select Users, Computers, Or Groups dialog box to select the users, computers, or groups for which you want to set access permissions. You can use the fields of this dialog box as follows:

Look In This drop-down list box allows you to access account names from other domains. Click Look In to see a list of the current domain, trusted domains, and other resources that you can access. Select Entire Directory to view all the account names in the folder.

Name This column shows the available accounts of the currently selected domain or resource.

Add This button adds selected names to the selection list.

Check Names This button validates the user, contact, and group names entered into the selection list. This is useful if you type names in manually and want to make sure they're available.

6. In the Name list box, select the user, computer, or group you want to configure, and then use the fields in the Permissions area to allow or deny permissions. Repeat for other users, computers, or groups.
7. Click OK when you're finished.

 Figure 2: Select users, computers, and groups that should be granted or denied access.

 

Hope this information is helpful.

Let me know if this worked.

Thanks and Regards:

Umesh P - Microsoft Support

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Answer 3

I have the same or similar problem. I did all of the above steps, however the Read Only box under the general tab of properties still has "Read Only" Checked and if I uncheck it, it just goes back to being checked.

Answer 4

I have the same problem, I am trying to change genre on some avi files I created. I cannot for the life of me change the readonly on any folder.