Creator Owner Permissions

[pizzapatty]

I have what may be separate problems, but still may need
to reinstall Windows XP Pro to solve them (as per Gateway
Support advice).

My computer is set up as a network, but I only have one
computer. I think it may be that way because I
originally wanted to hook up my old computer. I have
since given it away. I can't look at information
on "Help and Support" for my computer and am wondering if
it thinks I'm trying to look at the second computer.

I tried to set up different users and it kept telling me
I needed to add an administrator first. I did and then
added a user, then couldn't figure out how to utilize all
of them. I did a System Restore and the other users do
not show, so I figured things were back to square one.

Then, I added a new multi-function machine and was having
trouble installing it because of permissions. I had
technical support from HP helping me over the phone. I
seem to remember going into the registry and changing
some permissions. The multi-function machine is running
fine, but they may have messed up my permissions since my
Creator Owner does not have "full control". I have tried
changing it, but it reverts back.

Also, my "C" drive is shared. I imagine that is because
of the "network". I can't change that either.

What this all boils down to is that when I try to look at
System Information, I get a message "access denied, ask
administrator to change permissions". I thought I was
the administrator. That is the only user that shows and
I have been using it all along.

My question is--do you solve all of this by reinstalling
Windows XP?

 

[Roger Abell [MVP]]

That is a list of things, and so likely not simply solvable.

First if the "multifunction machine" means an HP all-in-one
print/scan/fax etc. man I ask (?)

Is HP support still recommending that you go to the registry
and setting Everyone Full permissions on all of the
HKey Local Machine registry hive (!!)

If that is what they had you do then I would suggest doing
a refresh of the registy permissions to install defaults (which
will of course make their device again not work)

I am not sure where you believe that Owner Creator perrmission
grants are goofed up, the reg or the filesystem ?
Similarly I do not follow the C drive shared issue, as C is always
shared under the sharename C$, and this is normal (only an
admin can access it).

You have Pro edition, and so if needed you can use the info in
the following KB to reset the filesystem and the registry permissions
(at least to some extent) to the installation defaults.
Restore XP to installation Security Defaults
for Pro see: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=313222
Pay attention to ability to restrict use of this to sections, like reg
This may break things done post-install, even by Gateway

 

[Guest]

Yes, it is the HP all-in-one. I think the permissions
were messed up before I connected the machine and that is
why it would not install properly, but I'm not sure what
permissions they had me change.

I'm not sure what you mean about HP telling me to set
everyone full permissions. I meant that Creator Owner
did not have full permissions in the Class Root and
Current Config in the registry. I sent the settings to
Gateway Support and they told me the registry had been
corrupted and I needed to reinstall Windows.

What I meant by Creator Owner was when you look at the
security properties for "C" drive, the Creator Owner has
only special permissions for subfolders. I can't change
that--it reverts back. I looked at it in the registry
and the same thing.

Wouldn't a reinstall put the default permission back in?

 

[Roger Abell [MVP]]

It sounds like they (HP print support line) are getting better.
What I meant by Everyone Full is that a year or so ago they
were having people grant to Everyone (a built-in) and to do
this over all of HKLM. The two areas you mentioned, Classes
root, and Current Config are parts within HKLM.
What they appear to have told you is an improvement, although
if I have understood and you told correctly, doing that made no
difference if your registry permissions were at their defaults.

Before you follow Gateway's suggestion, it would be worth a
go with the info in the KB that I mentioned - if you are having
issues that is.

Having Owner Creator set as you see it on the C: drive is
normal. Owner Creator is a placeholder that gets replaced
with account info for the actual account that creates the new
child object. So for example, a limited account is allowed to
make a new directory just under C: as the Users group (limited
accounts) have a grant on C: allowing them to do this. However,
if the Owner Creator grant were not there they would be able to
do very little with the new directory afterwards. With it, the
account the created the directory will also have a grant of full
control over what they create.

Now, looking back at your post I only see two things that you
mention as wrong. You get an access denied message when
you try to use System Information, and after you defined some
new accounts you could not use them (?).
I already mentioned that having the drive root folders shared
administratively is normal, as is the was Owner Creator is set
on the installation drive.

After you did the system restore, things may have become a
little mixed regarding accounts, however.
If you open a cmd prompt (start / run cmd) and into it enter
net localgroup administrators
and
net localgroup users
these will list all accounts that exist that are in these two groups.
(With pro you could just run lusrmgr.msc and view the groups also).

If may be a simple as there being a problem running System
Information and from what you have so far described fixing that
is all that is necessary.