Folders - read-only

[Michelle]

I have copied all my internet favourites folders in from Windows XP (IE7). I
didn't use a password in XP and still don't in Vista.

Now, I can't organise or add-to any of the folders in Vista. It says they
are read-only.

When I display the properties of the folders, they have a green square
(mixed content) in the read-only tick-box. I switch it off and accept the
prompt which says that it will apply to files and sub-folders.

But when I go to use them they are still read-only, and when I look at their
properties, they are unchanged - still flagged with mixed content. And I
still can't organise or add to them.

What can I do to make them useable again?

thanks...

M

 

[David Morgan \(MAMS\)]

I have copied all my internet favourites folders in from Windows XP (IE7). I
didn't use a password in XP and still don't in Vista.

Now, I can't organise or add-to any of the folders in Vista. It says they
are read-only.

When I display the properties of the folders, they have a green square
(mixed content) in the read-only tick-box. I switch it off and accept the
prompt which says that it will apply to files and sub-folders.

But when I go to use them they are still read-only, and when I look at their
properties, they are unchanged - still flagged with mixed content. And I
still can't organise or add to them.

What can I do to make them useable again?

thanks...

Possible....

Try opening the folder and "select all" then go through the same proceedure
changing the properties of all of the selected files. Also, there may be some
hidden system files in these folders that you can't readily see.

 

[Paul Adare]

I have copied all my internet favourites folders in from Windows XP (IE7). I
didn't use a password in XP and still don't in Vista.

Now, I can't organise or add-to any of the folders in Vista. It says they
are read-only.

When I display the properties of the folders, they have a green square
(mixed content) in the read-only tick-box. I switch it off and accept the
prompt which says that it will apply to files and sub-folders.

But when I go to use them they are still read-only, and when I look at their
properties, they are unchanged - still flagged with mixed content. And I
still can't organise or add to them.

What can I do to make them useable again?

Your problem is not the Read only file attribute on the folder. Read this
article for more details:

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

More than likely you have an NTFS permissions problem on the folder. What
are the permissions on the folder in question and where exactly is the
folder located?

BTW - you've cross-posted this question excessively. I've set follow-ups to
this post to go only to the vista.security group.

 

[Max]

It's likely a 'permissions' thing.
Files/folders copied from another machine or Windows install do not 'belong'
to the Vista system or user--they are flagged with previous ownership and
therefore are limited in what can be done with them.
Take Ownership of the files/folders and you should be fine.
Here is an easy way:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/...n-to-files-and-folders-context-menu-in-vista/

 

[Mr. Arnold]

I have copied all my internet favourites folders in from Windows XP (IE7).
I didn't use a password in XP and still don't in Vista.

Now, I can't organise or add-to any of the folders in Vista. It says they
are read-only.

When I display the properties of the folders, they have a green square
(mixed content) in the read-only tick-box. I switch it off and accept the
prompt which says that it will apply to files and sub-folders.

But when I go to use them they are still read-only, and when I look at
their properties, they are unchanged - still flagged with mixed content.
And I still can't organise or add to them.

What can I do to make them useable again?

There is no such thing as a read-only folder. That check-box for read-only
at the folder level means nothing, it's just cosmetics.

I hear you have to take ownership of the folder in this situation. You have
an user-account permission issue.

 

[David Morgan \(MAMS\)]

It's likely a 'permissions' thing.
Files/folders copied from another machine or Windows install do not 'belong'
to the Vista system or user--they are flagged with previous ownership and
therefore are limited in what can be done with them.
Take Ownership of the files/folders and you should be fine.
Here is an easy way:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/...n-to-files-and-folders-context-menu-in-vista/

Nice tip, thanks...

More evidence as to why VISTA is less than ready for prime time.

 

[Robinb]

lol it is waiting for Windows 7 to come out in 2009
robin

 

[Rick Rogers]

Has nothing to do with Vista, it's a permissions issue associated with the
creator/owner of a folder. Same thing existed in XP, 2K, and NT before it.
Folders created in another operating system have to be taken over by the
owner of the different operating system when migrated. This is an inherent
part of any NT system, as opposed to the 9x line where security was pretty
much non-existent.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[David Morgan \(MAMS\)]

Has nothing to do with Vista, it's a permissions issue associated with the
creator/owner of a folder. Same thing existed in XP, 2K, and NT before it.
Folders created in another operating system have to be taken over by the
owner of the different operating system when migrated. This is an inherent
part of any NT system, as opposed to the 9x line where security was pretty
much non-existent.

OK.... At first I started to rant and disagree.... then I realized I have *never*
used a "migrate" function in any shape for or fashion. I simply transfer files
and settings by copying.

So... If I copy a CD full of files to VISTA from an XP PC, this 'issue' is non-existant?

 

[Rick Rogers]

No, it'd still be the same. In an NT system, the creator/owner is the only
account to automatically have full access to a folder. When migrated to
another installation, the permissions on that folder must be altered by the
user to match the user account on the target installation.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Dave R.]

The CD file system doesn't preserve NTFS file permissions, so no, this
wouldn't happen.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

True, I had missed the point of copying to CD as a step. Once removed from a
secure file system, the descriptors would be lost.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[David Morgan \(MAMS\)]

I was beginning to get really confused, since I'd never encountered this
issue when transferring (not using wizards or 'migrating') files before.

Thanks for bantering it about.

DM