How do I change folder and file Permissions?

Question

I am trying to delete a folder on my computer and am getting a message box saying I need permission to do this.

Why is this, and how do I change it?

Answer 1

Folder and file permissions

 Here are the steps to modify ownership and permissions of folders and files:

  1.       Right-click the file or folder, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.

  2.       Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.

  3.       Click Edit, and then do one of the following:

 ·         To change the owner to a user or group that is not listed, click Other users and groupsand, in Enter the object name to select (examples), type the name of the user or group, and then click OK.

  ·         To change the owner to a user or group that is listed, in the Change owner to box, click the new owner.

  4.       If you want to take ownership of the contents of the folder, select the Replace owner on sub containers and objects check box.

  5.       Click OK, and then click Yes when you receive the following message:

You do not have permission to read the contents of directory folder name. Do you want to replace the directory permissions with permissions granting you Full Control?

All permissions will be replaced if you clickYes*.*

Notefolder name is the name of the folder that you want to take ownership of.

  6.       Click OK, and then reapply the permissions and security settings that you want for the folder and its contents.

Additional considerations

   ·         An administrator can take ownership of any file on the computer.

   ·         Assigning ownership of a file or a folder might require you to elevate your permissions using User Access Control.

Answer 2

Hi,

The below also works on 32 and 64 bit Vista

Download - SAVE - go to where you put it - Right Click on - RUN AS ADMIN

FileAssassin - Free

http://www.malwarebytes.org/fileassassin.php

Force Delete (Cannot Delete) Locked or In Used Files or Folders with FileASSASSIN

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/12/27/force-delete-cannot-delete-locked-or-in-used-files-or-folders-with-fileassassin/

Download - SAVE - go to where you put it - Right Click on - RUN AS ADMIN

And this - MoveOnBoot

MoveOnBoot

http://www.softwarepatch.com/software/moveonboot.html

Hope this helps.

---

Rob - Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

Answer 3

When I click Advanced in Step2.  I do not get an Owner tab.  I get "you must have Read permission  to view the owner of this object.

Answer 4

I am trying to delete a folder on my computer and am getting a message box saying I need permission to do this.

Why is this, and how do I change it?

In my case I found that when loading  W10 somehow all my pictures had been copied across four times.  When I tried to delete one picture the computer could not delete four pictures at a time.  I had to go to File Source and it showed the four repeated pictures and then I had to right click and delete every one that I did not want.  Since then no problems

AG

Answer 5

I found an even simpler solution. Recently I bought a new computer and added the external hard drive. I didn't have permission to even open the folders. I found that if I copied the folder and pasted on a portion of my new main drive,  and posted it back to the external dive I had no problems what soever using the files again.