C:\Users\All Users permission denied

[Len Norton]

Even though I'm logged-in as Adminstrator I'm not allowed to open
C:\Users\Default User or C:\Users\All Users.
I'm not very au fait with NTFS file permissions, but this doesn't seem
correct.

Regards, Len

 

[Jimmy Brush]

Hello,

The "C:\users\All Users" and "c:\users\Default User" folders have been
renamed or moved. However, if you have show hidden files turned on, you will
still see these folders. These are not real folders; they are called
junctions, and actually point programs that try to access them to the new
location. If you try to access these junctions from the shell, you will get
an access denied error.

The new locations are as follows:

c:\users\All Users\ -> c:\ProgramData\
c:\users\Default User\ -> c:\users\Default\

If you are using the command prompt, typing "dir /a" will show where
junctions are pointing to in brackets.

- JB

Vista FAQ
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

 

[Guest]

I've noticed that I had the same problem with the All Users symlink.
However, for my case, the Vista programmers messed up. For some reason they
didn't full take into account dual booting :/

Since XP had the C:\ partition, and Vista D:\, Vista decided that the D:\
should be named C:\ and C:\ D:. And instead of creating a relative symlink,
they must have created an absolute one and somehow were confused as to which
partition was the correct one :S

 

[Mark D. VandenBerg]

Each operating system will identify the installed drives and partitions by
letter, independent of any other operating system installed on the computer,
either on a separate drive or partition. The drive letters are not
autonomous, nor is there an "Alpha" operating system that dictates how the
other, installed operating systems should behave.

 

[Len Norton]

Jimmy, thanks very much for the explanantion.
So these "junctions" are very similar to symbolic links in unix?

Regards, Len

 

[Jimmy Brush]

Yes, they are very similar. They have been available since in Windows 2000
and alot of people have used them to mimick the behavior of symlinks.
Unfortunately, junctions only work with folders, and they are not a native
object to the filesystem, they are implemented using the extension interface
provided by reparse points.

The new ntfs in Windows Vista does now provide a "real" symlink, tho, so you
can now do this with files AND folders . I haven't played around with
Vista symlinks myself, but the command prompt command to do it is mklink.

- JB

Vista FAQ
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

 

[Guest]

Alright, then the programmers screwed up for no apparent reason, appart from
a typo.

 

[Guest]

I made my machine dual boot system and I am having some access issues in
Vista. SO far I did not looked at XP so do not know the details there. He is
how VIsta is playing so far.
1. I tried to put all my picture in the picture folder of my xp user (I am
using the default admin user from both US named abcd during installation).
Estimated time started from some what 1 day and finished actually in 10
minutes or so.
2. I got some 3-4 pop-ups for granting access from UAC. (Annoying). So I
might have to elevate explorer's access right. I will check that soon.
3. I have targetted vista user's picture folder to the location on XP drive.
SO that I can share and use same files easily from both the OS.
4 Now I tried to rotate one of my picture. It gave me access voilation
again. I checked the security and read access from the file property. It was
all OK and adminstrators and system had full access on files.
5. I guess again I have to elevate the aceess rights for windows fax viewer.
I think it is annoying.
6. I do not know what will happen when I install some 3rd party application
say a game. I guess this UAC gonna go haywire and I won;t have a clue.


Thanks,

 

[Jimmy Brush]

Hello,

You will need to modify permissions on your shared picture folder in order
for it to work painlessly in Windows Vista.

This is necessary because in both Windows XP and Windows Vista, when you
create a folder or a file, the only people who have access to that folder or
file are administrators and the person who created it.

Since you created the folder from Windows XP, when you are using Windows
Vista you have to gain administrator access thru a UAC prompt before you can
access that folder, because your user ID in Windows Vista is different than
your user ID in Windows XP, and so you have no access to that folder except
through your administrator power (even if both usernames are the same name).

This worked the same way when dual booting with earlier versions of Windows;
however, since you did not have to go thru UAC to use admin powers in
earlier Windows, you never had to deal with this problem before.

The solution is to give your user ID in Windows Vista permission to access
the folder.

Here's how:

1) Open an "administrator/root" explorer
- Click start
- Type explorer
- right-click windows explorer
- click run-as administrator

2) From the admin explorer, allow access from Vista
- Browse to the folder you need access to
- Right-click it
- Click Properties
- Click security tab
- Click Edit
- Click Add
* If only your account needs acces, type your username
* If every account on vista needs access, type: Users
- Press enter
- Click the checkbox under Allow next to Full control
- Click OK
- Click OK