Changing file attributes

[Shenan Stanley]

All my folders have a green box (not a checkmark) in Properties >
Attributes > ReadOnly. If I click the box to make it blank, then
click Apply and OK, it seems to remove the read-only attribute. But
when I go back in to check, the green box is back again. How do I
get rid of this and make sure the folders are not read-only?

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

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

All my folders have a green box (not a checkmark) in Properties >
Attributes > ReadOnly. If I click the box to make it blank, then
click Apply and OK, it seems to remove the read-only attribute. But
when I go back in to check, the green box is back again. How do I get
rid of this and make sure the folders are not read-only? Thanks!

There's nothing to get rid of. They are not read-only. The read-only
attribute isn't used for folders.

 

[Steve]

All my folders have a green box (not a checkmark) in Properties >
Attributes > ReadOnly. If I click the box to make it blank, then
click Apply and OK, it seems to remove the read-only attribute. But
when I go back in to check, the green box is back again. How do I get
rid of this and make sure the folders are not read-only? Thanks!

 

[Don Schmidt]

All of my folders are marked Read Only in the Properties. I have XP Pro.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

All my folders have a green box (not a checkmark) in Properties >
Attributes > ReadOnly. If I click the box to make it blank, then
click Apply and OK, it seems to remove the read-only attribute. But when I
go back in to check, the green box is back again. How
do I get rid of this and make sure the folders are not read-only?

There's nothing to get rid of. They are not read-only. The
read-only attribute isn't used for folders.

All of my folders are marked Read Only in the Properties. I have
XP Pro.

Thanks for affirming what was said.

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

"Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for a
folder is typically ignored by Windows..."

 

[Jim]

Thanks for affirming what was said.

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

"Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for a
folder is typically ignored by Windows..."

It certainly would have been better for MS to code the folder display such
that the readonly box is not present.

This question comes up extremely frequently.
Jim

 

[Wesley Vogel]

It certainly would have been better for MS to code the folder display such

that the readonly box is not present.

That would certainly not confuse so many people that way.

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 indicates whether the files in the folder are
Read-only, NOT the folder. If you select this check box all of the files
in the folder will be Read-only. If you clear the check box, none of the
files in the folder will be Read-only. If the check appears green or gray,
then some of the files in that folder may be Read-only.

If the check appears green or gray, it indicates either a mixed (some of the
files may be Read-only) or undetermined condition. Windows Explorer
displays the green or gray check because it would take too long to verify
the state of the read-only attribute for every file in the folder.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

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