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Can't copy files.....Read only problem???

Anonymous
2010-12-06T14:40:19+00:00

A few weeks back I noticed that I couldn't copy or access certain files on an external harddrive.  If I tried to copy the files to another drive, only a few files would copy and then it give up.  Eventually windows couldn't even see the external drive.  This same thing happened on three different computers. I assumed that it was a hard drive problem and that it was failing.....

At the time it seemed that I could access files on all of the computers.

Today, however, I tried to copy some photos off my camera and the same thing happened. It copied a few files and then gave up. I then tried copying the files to my laptop and the same thing happened.

It seems that all the folders on all three computers are 'read only' and if I untick the box it automatically re-enables it....

Any ideas as to what the problem might be???  Might this be somthing to do with the permission settings on the computers??

Thanks for your help.

Steve

Edit: I just attempted to copy th files again. During which I repetedly went to the folder properties and switched off read only and it was able to copy most of the files, the only exeption is a large 100mb+ video file..... This seems very similar to what was going on with my external HD......

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2010-12-06T21:43:59+00:00

Whatever the problem is, it's not the Read-Only checkbox.  In XP, the "Read Only" checkbox in properties is associated with a Customized folder and has nothing to do with Write Protecting.  A good explanation is in this article:

"You cannot view or change the Read-only or the System attributes of folders in Windows Server 2003, in Windows XP, in Windows Vista or in Windows 7"

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

How many characters are in the file path?  If you have directories inside of directories, etc, the number of characters in the path to the file can get large.  Windows has a 256-byte limit.  There are other more dependable ways of copying files.  Check out "Robocopy" (Robust Copy) which is contained in the freeWindows XP Resource Kit .

HTH,

  JW

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