Can't edit file properties

[Len]

When trying to add a property value (title, keywords, etc)
to my .tif image files, I am receiving the following error
message:

"changes to summary properties could not be saved, access
has been denied. The file may be marked read only or may
be in use by another application"

The files are not checked 'read only', and no other
applications are open (double checked in task manager). I
have previously added file properties (title, comments,
author, etc.) without any problems, this 'access denied'
problem just started recently. Re-booting, check disk, and
defrag are having no impact.

The only difference with these latest files is that they
are all over 40mb in size, whereas previously successfully
modified files were in the 20mb range.

Could this be size related, or are there other possible
problems / solutions to explore ?

thanks for any help
..

 

[WinGuy]

When trying to add a property value (title, keywords, etc)
to my .tif image files, I am receiving the following error
message:

"changes to summary properties could not be saved, access
has been denied. The file may be marked read only or may
be in use by another application"

The files are not checked 'read only', and no other
applications are open (double checked in task manager). I
have previously added file properties (title, comments,
author, etc.) without any problems, this 'access denied'
problem just started recently. Re-booting, check disk, and
defrag are having no impact.

The only difference with these latest files is that they
are all over 40mb in size, whereas previously successfully
modified files were in the 20mb range.

Could this be size related, or are there other possible
problems / solutions to explore ?

thanks for any help

File size should not be a factor.

Have you right-clicked an offending file and checked the Security tab to
make sure your account being used for login has full permissions to alter
its properties? These permissions, by default, are usually "inherited" from
the folder permissions. There are some other possibilities, generally caused
by virus or left over effects after virus is eliminated, such as
administrator privileges having been reduced, files being marked as system
files that an administrator can not easily change, and so on.

If you don't see the Security tab when you look at the file properties then
open My Computer, double-click Drive C:, click on the Tools button on the
top menu bar, select Folder Options, select the View tab, and scroll down to
where it says in part "Display simple folder view" and uncheck that box. The
Security tab should thereafter show up when you look at file properties.

Winguy

 

[Len]

Hi winguy

I tried your suggestion about viewing the security tab by
changing folder view, but it did not work - security tab
did not show up.

Went into control panel / admin tools to check on admin
privileges, but do not see any way to check on this.

I have virus protection, and have not received any
indication of a virus.

Completely stumped, since this problem just started, I was
always able to add to / edit file properties

-----Original Message-----


File size should not be a factor.

Have you right-clicked an offending file and checked the Security tab to
make sure your account being used for login has full permissions to alter
its properties? These permissions, by default, are usually "inherited" from
the folder permissions. There are some other

possibilities, generally caused

 

[WinGuy]

Hi winguy

I tried your suggestion about viewing the security tab by
changing folder view, but it did not work - security tab
did not show up.

It must work in XP if your account has administrative privileges and you've
properly disabled simple folder view. Try a reboot, although that should not
be necessary. If you've done things correctly and still can not see the
security tab then it is a possibility that the security section of your
registry is badly damaged or (more likely) your computer is infected
regardless of what your utilities tell you about infection. Set a restore
point and try to go back a good long ways and restore to that time, don't
forget to then use the method to see the Security tab, and see if you can
see it then. That will restore a complete copy of an earlier registry, make
it forget about any programs installed and registry information changed
since that time, but all your data will still physically be there on the
HDD. Return to the current restore point you made if you still can not see
the security tab after you tried doing so with earlier restore points, and
we'll try other avenues of investigation.

 

[Guest]

Winguy - here's the latest :

- ran complete system virus check - no virus found
- established restore point, then restored to most recent
available restore point ( 1 week ago) - problem still
occurs
- no new programs added since restore point of a week ago
- new clue - when viewing the problem files in win
pictures and fax viewer, even though they are tif files,
only the options for jpeg files are available ( i.e. no
tif annotation options, like the good tif files)
- all of the files (good and bad)created with Epson
scanner/twain, and modified in Adobe Photoshop Elements
- no changes have been made to scanner/twain or elements
- I am not on a network that has "admin priviledges" - I'm
on a private, in-home network using a router - is this why
the "security tab" is not available ?
- now that I've restored to a week ago, will re-scan
problem files and see if that makes a difference - will
let you know

thanks

 

[Len]

Update - I seem to have narrowed down the problem to Adobe
PS Elements :

After i scan the image using Epson / Twain, saving as tif,
I go into explorer and am able to add / edit properties.

Once I bring the image into Elements and modify it, then
save it, I am no longer able to add /edit properties, I
get the "access denied" error message.

I've been using Elements since it came with my new scanner
over a month ago, but never had this problem 'til 3 days
ago.

All I can think of is one of the Adobe automatic updates
that download sometimes when the program starts corrupted
the program somehow. I can't think of any other
possibility, can you ?

I will contact Adobe to see what they have to say - I
would think this would have happened to other people too,
but then again they haven't contacted me to say there was
a problem on their end (I'm a registered user), so maybe
it's unique to my machine ??

 

[WinGuy]

Winguy - here's the latest :

- ran complete system virus check - no virus found
- established restore point, then restored to most recent
available restore point ( 1 week ago) - problem still
occurs
- no new programs added since restore point of a week ago
- new clue - when viewing the problem files in win
pictures and fax viewer, even though they are tif files,
only the options for jpeg files are available ( i.e. no
tif annotation options, like the good tif files)
- all of the files (good and bad)created with Epson
scanner/twain, and modified in Adobe Photoshop Elements
- no changes have been made to scanner/twain or elements
- I am not on a network that has "admin priviledges" - I'm
on a private, in-home network using a router - is this why
the "security tab" is not available ?
- now that I've restored to a week ago, will re-scan
problem files and see if that makes a difference - will
let you know

Networking uses permissions, but it has nothing to do per se regarding
setting of permissions. Permissions are independent of networking.

If I read you correctly, you are able to view .tif picture files where your
account has permissions to access them. But you can not view the .tif files
that have been modified by the Adobe utility (access denied problem). All
files exist in the same folder. Files scanned in in .tif format by your
Epson scanner utility can be accessed and manipulated. Only files that have
been altered by the Adobe utility are not accessible anymore.

Further, even though you attempted to disable "Display simple folder view in
Explorer's Folder list" you still could not thereafter right-click any file
from your account (that has administrative privileges) and then, by choosing
Properties, see a Security tab get displayed. This is NOT GOOD and it is
most likely the cause of all your other problems. It is usually an indicator
of problem related to a current or previous infection.

Check in Control Panel, and make sure that your account (in User Accounts)
is definitely set as an administrator type of account.

You say that you've used up to date antivirus and it finds nothing now. You
should also obtain and use AdawareSE, and Spybot Search & Destroy and let
them get rid of anything at all that they find; be sure to obtain updates
for them immediately after you install them. Once installed, you should boot
into Safe Mode and use them.

After that, reboot normally and see if you can activate (as explained my
last response) and then view the Security tab.

If so, we can continue. But if not and then simply because the subject of
permissions is such a complicated and advanced topic, I'd have to recommend
that you take your computer to a qualified repair person in this particular
case because without sufficient knowledge in this sort of thing you can
easily do stuff that could make your computer or some of its functionality
unusable. What is actually going on in your case is not entirely clear, and
IMO appears to require advanced knowledge abilities that a qualified
technician should be able to provide without you loosing any data or
reinstalling any programs. Again: an administrator account not being able to
configure to see, and then to actually see, the Security tab indicates a
severe problem and a security risk at the very minimum. Correcting this
problem is certainly possible but not necessarily a simple task, and IMO
really requires knowlegable hands at the keyboard for safety's sake.

Winguy

 

[Len]

Hi winguy

I went into control panel / user accounts, and I am
definitely listed / logged on as "computer administrator".
I clicked on everything possible to see about making any
changes related to 'security' or 'permissions', but was
not able to find any info on making changes to those areas.

Before I pursue your suggestion of professional
troubleshooting, I will still pursue the Adobe connection,
I think the problem is with Elements, not my computer
(haven't heard from them yet).

I use Adaware every other day, and always check for
updates. What scares me is when it finds malware that
affected the registry. Even though adaware
deletes/quarantines the malware, maybe the damage was
already done ?

I am also going to see if editing the scanned files in a
program other than Elements creates the same problem. If
not, then it is further evidence that the problem is
unique to Adobe - I may try re-installing the Elements
software from the original disk.

Thanks for your help - I'll let you know how things go...

 

[WinGuy]

http://www.smoothwall.net/information/news/newsitem.php?id=681

If you don't see the Security tab when you look at the file properties
then
open My Computer, double-click Drive C:, click on the Tools button on the
top menu bar, select Folder Options, select the View tab, and scroll down
to
where it says in part "Display simple folder view" and uncheck that box.
The
Security tab should thereafter show up when you look at file properties.

....

I tried your suggestion about viewing the security tab by
changing folder view, but it did not work - security tab
did not show up.

....

....
Further, even though you attempted to disable "Display simple folder view
in
Explorer's Folder list" you still could not thereafter right-click any
file
from your account (that has administrative privileges) and then, by
choosing
Properties, see a Security tab get displayed. This is NOT GOOD and it is
most likely the cause of all your other problems. It is usually an
indicator
of problem related to a current or previous infection.

....

Before I pursue your suggestion of professional
troubleshooting, I will still pursue the Adobe connection,
I think the problem is with Elements, not my computer
(haven't heard from them yet). ...
Thanks for your help - I'll let you know how things go...

Not necessary, but thank you. A security related problem, independent of
Adobe but Adobe might be a victim of it, has been demonstrated with your
computer if you related things correctly in previous messages in this thread
and as quoted above. I don't think I can be of any continuing help now. I
hope you are able to resolve all problems.

Winguy

 

[Len]

Before you go....2 more questions :

1. The 'security' tab is a 3rd tab that sould appear next
to the 'general' and 'summary' tabs when I right click a
file and select properties ? Or is the 'security tab'
supposed to be somewhere else ??

2. I am not seeing any difference, in any folders, in any
view, when I select or deselect "display simple folder
view in Explorer's folder list". The bubble that pops up
when you place the '?' over that box is very confusing as
to what that option does or does not do. What exactly
should happen when that box is deselected vs selected ?

thanks