folder "Access Denied" in Vista

[Steak Sammich]

Hello hello

I searched through some threads for info but haven't found much.

Issue:
I'm the only user of my laptop so i have admin priv

when I go to access certain file folders such as My music, photos, videos or
even documents!
I dont understand.
I can get into the command prompt but I dont know what to do from there. Is
there a way to change or check on admin settings?
I also troubleshooted through trying to change ownership settings of
specific folders and it wont allow access even when I put myself as the
administrator.
The laptop is new and this has been happening since I installed everything
and started using it.

help!
any info would be grateful!

-Steak

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

"My" anything in Vista is a junction point that redirects software requests
to the real folder under the user profile. For instance, "My Documents" is
simply C:\Users\<user>\Documents (without the "my" part). There's nothing to
access, and they are considered system files as they are only there for
compatibility with older software that expects those directories to be
there. Same applies for "Documents and Settings" which merely redirects to
C:\Users.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Steve Young]

Hi,

"My" anything in Vista is a junction point that redirects software
requests to the real folder under the user profile. For instance, "My
Documents" is simply C:\Users\<user>\Documents (without the "my" part).
There's nothing to access, and they are considered system files as they
are only there for compatibility with older software that expects those
directories to be there. Same applies for "Documents and Settings" which
merely redirects to C:\Users.

Ah, that explains it.
Adding 2 and 2 together, I'll bet the manufacturer of the laptop upgraded an
XP operating system to Vista without starting fresh. I now realize this
results in the convoluted file structure appearance. The reason I say this
is because the appearance of the structure of a machine which had only Vista
installed from the get go has not a 'my' file to be found and is as clean as
a whistle in explorer. Certainly not so with the laptop. Thanks for your
reply

 

[Malke]

wrote:

Ah, that explains it.
Adding 2 and 2 together, I'll bet the manufacturer of the laptop upgraded
an XP operating system to Vista without starting fresh. I now realize this
results in the convoluted file structure appearance. The reason I say
this is because the appearance of the structure of a machine which had
only Vista installed from the get go has not a 'my' file to be found and
is as clean as a whistle in explorer. Certainly not so with the laptop.
Thanks for your reply

Your assumption is incorrect. The reason you see the junction files on one
machine and not the other is that on the machine where you see the files the
option to show hidden files is checked and it isn't on the other one. The
junction ("My....) virtual directories are part of every Vista installation.

Malke

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Actually, those are defaults for a clean install of Vista, not just an
upgrade. If you can't see them, then your folder options are not set to see
hidden and system files. If you alter the settings on that system, then I'm
certain they will appear.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[+Bob+]

Hi,

Actually, those are defaults for a clean install of Vista, not just an
upgrade. If you can't see them, then your folder options are not set to see
hidden and system files. If you alter the settings on that system, then I'm
certain they will appear.

.... and the common misconception that you can't do anything with the
junction points is also incorrect. If you set the protections, you
should be able to transverse any junction point - that's the very
design of a junction point (foolish MS name for it though).

 

[Steve Young]

Your assumption is incorrect.
The reason you see the junction files on one
machine and not the other is that on the machine where you see the files
the option to show hidden files is checked and it isn't on the other one.
The junction ("My....) virtual directories are part of every Vista
installation.

That's interesting, cause I'm geek enough that one of the first things I do
with a new install is UN-hide hidden folders and extensions. Willing to
fess up and take the hit, I checked in folder options 'view' and sure
enough, the circle is marked that says 'show hidden files and folders'.
Also the next box that says hide files for known file types is unchecked.
My explorer structure is clean as a whistle.

Perhaps it only hides those folders when an upgrade install
is made?

Steve Young

 

[Steve Young]

Hi,

Actually, those are defaults for a clean install of Vista, not just an
upgrade. If you can't see them, then your folder options are not set to
see hidden and system files. If you alter the settings on that system,
then I'm certain they will appear.

Not in my case here, they don't show.
I have no 'my' folders visible with 'show hidden files and folders' marked

Steve Young

 

[Steve Young]

Not in my case here, they don't show.
I have no 'my' folders visible with 'show hidden files and folders' marked

I checked the laptop and setting the view to hide hidden files and folders
does indeed hide them. I rechecked the desktop unit, which had the clean
install, and it makes no difference if I unhide them or not, in either case
they doNOT display. I contend there is a difference with clean installing.

Steve Young

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Here's what Steve Young wrote on 8/20/09:

"Steve Young" <bowtieATbrightdslDOTnet> wrote

I checked the laptop and setting the view to hide hidden files and folders
does indeed hide them. I rechecked the desktop unit, which had the clean
install, and it makes no difference if I unhide them or not, in either case
they doNOT display. I contend there is a difference with clean installing.

Steve Young

Only for you

Consider the other option, "Hide protected operating system files
(recommended)". That one hides the "My ..." files for me.

This is a clean install.

 

[Steak Sammich]

Well thank you Sir. I truly appreciate the feedback and help.
It was your suggestion/info ( "Hide protected operating system files

(recommended)".) that fixed this issue for me.

-Steak

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Here's what Steak Sammich wrote on 8/20/09:

Well thank you Sir. I truly appreciate the feedback and help.
It was your suggestion/info ( "Hide protected operating system files

Glad to help. To tell the truth, I had to double check it here before
writing my reply

 

[Steve Young]

Here's what Steve Young wrote on 8/20/09:

Only for you

I'm thinkin silly Billy built a special version for me

Consider the other option, "Hide protected operating system files
(recommended)". That one hides the "My ..." files for me.

That was the difference between the 2 machines, the laptop didn't have this
box checked. Once checked, it doesn't matter if 'show hidden files and
folders' is ticked or not. Both appear the same now

Thank you folks!

Steve Young

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Here's what Steve Young wrote on 8/20/09:

I'm thinkin silly Billy built a special version for me

It's so nice to have friends in high places!

 

[+Bob+]

So if you're following along, and you're having the same deal I am, do
not think you're crazy. There is some setting in Vista that displays
junction folders all the time. We just don't know what it is.

And if you set the protections, you can look into them (i.e.
transverse) them just like any other folder, that being the
specifically intended use of junction points - despite what people
here will tell you.