Cannot unset Read-only attribute for folders.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Satya
  • Start date Start date
S

Satya

I am using Windows XP with all the availble updates.

I have found most of my folders as Read-only,
by looking at their properties.

When I try to uncheck that,
I get the confirmation dialog and it acts like its unsetting.
But, when look at the properties again, its Read-only.
(I see the Readonly check box filled with green color)

How do I change this!?

Thanks,
Satya
 
Satya said:
I am using Windows XP with all the availble updates.

I have found most of my folders as Read-only,
by looking at their properties.

When I try to uncheck that,
I get the confirmation dialog and it acts like its unsetting.
But, when look at the properties again, its Read-only.
(I see the Readonly check box filled with green color)

How do I change this!?

Thanks,
Satya
Click to expand...

It only looks that way. Unless you can't write to those folders, just
ignore it.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"
 
Additional info:
I am a local admin on this computer.
Also, when I create a new folder, it shows as read-only too, and I
cannot reset it, but I am able to delete without a problem.
 
Satya said:
Additional info:
I am a local admin on this computer.
Also, when I create a new folder, it shows as read-only too, and I
cannot reset it, but I am able to delete without a problem.
Click to expand...

"Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for
a folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and
accessories, and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename,
and change a folder with the Read-only attribute by using Windows
Explorer. The Read-only and System attributes is only used by Windows
Explorer to determine whether the folder is a special folder, such as a
system folder that has its view customized by Windows (for example, My
Documents, Favorites, Fonts, Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that
you customized by using the Customize tab of the folder's Properties
dialog box. As a result, Windows Explorer does not allow you to view or
change the Read-only or System attributes of folders." -
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=326549

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"
 
Satya said:
I am using Windows XP with all the availble updates.

I have found most of my folders as Read-only,
by looking at their properties.

When I try to uncheck that,
I get the confirmation dialog and it acts like its unsetting.
But, when look at the properties again, its Read-only.
(I see the Readonly check box filled with green color)

How do I change this!?

Thanks,
Satya
Click to expand...


Unable to remove Read-Only attribute from folder
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=256614
 
WTC said:
Unable to remove Read-Only attribute from folder
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=256614
Click to expand...


APPLIES TO
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
• Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
• Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
• Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Windows 95 Service Pack 1


Next time, try reading the KB article and see if it is applicable before
giving it out!

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"
 
kurttrail said:
"Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for
a folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and
accessories, and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename,
and change a folder with the Read-only attribute by using Windows
Explorer. The Read-only and System attributes is only used by Windows
Explorer to determine whether the folder is a special folder, such as a
system folder that has its view customized by Windows (for example, My
Documents, Favorites, Fonts, Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that
you customized by using the Customize tab of the folder's Properties
dialog box. As a result, Windows Explorer does not allow you to view or
change the Read-only or System attributes of folders." -
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=326549
Click to expand...

Looks like its an example of bad design.
But, thanks for the info.
 
kurttrail said:
APPLIES TO
. Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
. Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
. Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
. Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
. Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
. Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
. Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
. Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
. Microsoft Windows 95 Service Pack 1


Next time, try reading the KB article and see if it is applicable
before giving it out!
Click to expand...


I know, I caught it after. I reposted my mistake.
 
Looks like its an example of bad design.
But, thanks for the info.
Click to expand...

Quite the contrary: not a bad design -- but a skilful turn to provide
the legacy compatibility when Win95 was creating. Simplifying a little:

Earlier, In DOS, this folder attribute was useless -- but existed
because the directory records on FAT are simply the specific files. All
the file attributes were standardize when Windows was not even in the
projects.

So when the new conception of the folder appeared -- as of the logical
stricture, that can combine several directories of the same function (an
example -- Recycle Bin, which combines in one folder not only several
directories -- but even the directories of the several drives), there
was no way to create such structure and in the same time provide the
backward compatibility -- if not to use the standard attributes. Later
this principle had been carried in whole to Win2000/XP -- because of the
same reason.

BTW, the same principle (using combination of the standard attributes)
was used for Long File Names, what allowed to turn from DOS/Win3.1 to
Windows-95 with the minimum of incompatibilities.

--
Mikhail Zhilin
http://www.aha.ru/~mwz
Sorry, no technical support by e-mail.
Please reply to the newsgroups only.
======
 
Mikhail said:
Quite the contrary: not a bad design -- but a skilful turn to provide
the legacy compatibility when Win95 was creating.
Click to expand...
<snip>

I failed to see the beauty of the logic here.
All I see is, if I create a "test" folder and look at its properties, it
shows the folder as read-only.
In reality the folder is not read-only.

But, thanks for all the responses.
At least, I no longer have to worry that *my* Windows got screwed up!
 
The Read-only check box for folders is there for convenience, it allows you
to change the Read-only attribute of all the files contained in that folder.

[[The Read-only check box for folders is not available because it does not
apply to the folder. You can use this check box to set the Read-only
attribute for files in the folder.]]

Cannot View or Change the Read-Only or System Attribute of Folders
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326549/

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Satya said:
<snip>

I failed to see the beauty of the logic here.
All I see is, if I create a "test" folder and look at its properties, it
shows the folder as read-only.
In reality the folder is not read-only.

But, thanks for all the responses.
At least, I no longer have to worry that *my* Windows got screwed up!
Click to expand...

It's actually not marked read only. It's in an indeterminate state.
Clicking on that box cycles through the three states, unmarked, checked,
and indeterminate.
 
Wesley said:
The gray state means...

[[Microsoft calls this a tri-mode flag. When it has gray in the background,
it indicates that some file or folder anywhere under that particular folder
has been set to Read-only.]]

Rally 'Round the Tri-Mode Flag
http://www.mcpmag.com/columns/article.asp?EditorialsID=652
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link Wes. On my system the box is either blank, has a
green check mark, or has a green square not quite filling the whole box.
That is the default for for most of my folders - though I haven't
checked them all...lol.
 
Rock,

I use the Classic theme, so the green you see is gray for me. With the XP
theme(s) it sort of gives new meaning to "gray area". LOL

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Rock said:
Wesley said:
The gray state means...

[[Microsoft calls this a tri-mode flag. When it has gray in the
background, it indicates that some file or folder anywhere under that
particular folder has been set to Read-only.]]

Rally 'Round the Tri-Mode Flag
http://www.mcpmag.com/columns/article.asp?EditorialsID=652
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link Wes. On my system the box is either blank, has a
green check mark, or has a green square not quite filling the whole box.
That is the default for for most of my folders - though I haven't
checked them all...lol.
Click to expand...
 
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