how can I get access to the folder \\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_app.exe_192c225529f481d42f1e80faa089554165f14f9_f9c15471_5e134628-89bc-4d55-a304-5d34673ebbf7

Question

I am admin user, I have added myself as the owner on the file but still can't open the file.

* Changed to a question

Answer 1

Dear Divya_RH,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community

To gain access to the folder \?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_app.exe_..., even as an administrator, follow these steps:

Take Ownership of the Folder

Since you've already added yourself as the owner, let's make sure that ownership is fully applied and you have the required permissions.

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive.
2. Right-click the folder (or the specific file if it's the file you're trying to access) and choose Properties.
3. Go to the Security tab, and click on the Advanced button.
4. At the top of the Advanced Security Settings window, check the Owner. If it’s not you, click Change next to the owner field.
5. In the "Select User or Group" window, type your username and click Check Names, then click OK.
6. After you've changed ownership, check the box Replace owner on subcontainers and objects, then click Apply.

Modify Permissions

Once you have ownership, you need to make sure you have full permissions.

1. In the Advanced Security Settings window, click Add to add permissions.
2. Click Select a principal and enter your username again, then click Check Names.
3. Under Permissions, select Full Control, and then click OK.
4. Back in the Security tab, ensure that your account has Full Control permission, then click Apply.

Access the Folder

After following these steps, you should be able to open the folder and the files within it. If you are still being denied access, proceed with the following:

Use Command Prompt to Gain Access (Optional)

If all else fails, you can try accessing the folder via the Command Prompt by running the following commands:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Use the takeown command to take ownership of the folder:

takeown /f "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive" /r /d y

Then, give yourself full control using the icacls command:

icacls "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive" /grant YourUsername:F /t

Make sure to replace YourUsername with your actual Windows username.

Check for Folder Lock or System Protection

If the folder is still inaccessible, it could be locked by the system or another process (e.g., Windows Error Reporting). You can try using a third-party tool such as LockHunter to unlock and delete or modify files that are locked by system processes.

Try these steps and let me know how it goes!

Best Regards,

Martin | Microsoft Community Support Specialist