How to Bulk Unblock Files

[Sue & Bill]

I think since XP SP2 days, a new security attribute was added to files
such that files that came in by IM, email, or across the network were
separately identified and blocked from being executed. To unblock,
one need to go the Properties of the file and then click the Unblock
button.

XP was rather lax in enforcing blocking. But Vista appears to block
everything, including html files inside a zip file.

Each time I unzip the contents of a compressed file, I have to go and
unblock each and every of its files. What is the method to Unblock
more than one file at a time? The moment I select two files, the
Unblock button cannot be seen anymore, even if both individually is
blocked. What is the command line version or Windows Powershell
cmdlet to unblock a file?

Thanks for any help.

S & B

PS: I went to Windows Help and Support and enter "Unblock a file" as
search words, but the first 30 results were not relevant to the
subject.

 

[a.k.a.]

This reg file tweak may do the trick for you: It adds a "Take ownership"
option to the right-click context menu when you select a file:
http://forums.techguy.org/tech-tips-tricks/586439-vista-take-ownership-context-menu.html

It sometimes balks at adding the context menu tweak when you select a huge
batch of files, but it tends to work just fine for something in excess of 10
files at a time.

a.k.a.

 

[Bob]

That is one cool reg file tweak!!

This reg file tweak may do the trick for you: It adds a "Take ownership"
option to the right-click context menu when you select a file:
http://forums.techguy.org/tech-tips-tricks/586439-vista-take-ownership-context-menu.html

It sometimes balks at adding the context menu tweak when you select a huge
batch of files, but it tends to work just fine for something in excess of
10
files at a time.

a.k.a.

 

[Sue & Bill]

This reg file tweak may do the trick for you: It adds a "Take ownership"
option to the right-click context menu when you select a file:http://forums.techguy.org/tech-tips-tricks/586439-vista-take-ownershi...

It sometimes balks at adding the context menu tweak when you select a huge
batch of files, but it tends to work just fine for something in excess of 10
files at a time.

a.k.a.

Great! Does taking over ownership automatically unblock a file?

 

[a.k.a.]

Unless you actually mean something different than what I heard, it'll likely
get the job done. There's a chance that ZIP files will add an unexpected
wrinkle. Anway, this tweak was a godsend for me -- and Bill too, sounds like.
a.k.a.

 

[Sue & Bill]

Unless you actually mean something different than what I heard, it'll likely
get the job done. There's a chance that ZIP files will add an unexpected
wrinkle. Anway, this tweak was a godsend for me -- and Bill too, sounds like.
a.k.a.

Unfortunately it didn't work for me. When I drag a file file from a
zipped folder onto a ordinary folder, the owner of that file is
already myself. And the Unblock button is there because it was
detected to be from the Internet. Taking over ownership didn't remove
the Unblock button.

 

[Bob]

Right Click>Properties>Unblock

Unless you actually mean something different than what I heard, it'll
likely
get the job done. There's a chance that ZIP files will add an unexpected
wrinkle. Anway, this tweak was a godsend for me -- and Bill too, sounds
like.
a.k.a.

Unfortunately it didn't work for me. When I drag a file file from a
zipped folder onto a ordinary folder, the owner of that file is
already myself. And the Unblock button is there because it was
detected to be from the Internet. Taking over ownership didn't remove
the Unblock button.

 

[Sue & Bill]

If the Unblock thing is a file attribute, would ATTRIB work?
ATTRIB /? gives R, A, S, H, and I. There doesn't seem to be one
regarding dangerous files. Is it undocumented?

Or is it an access control right? ICACLS /? doesn't seem to throw up
a convincing one.

 

[Sue & Bill]

This reg file tweak may do the trick for you: It adds a "Take ownership"
option to the right-click context menu when you select a file:http://forums.techguy.org/tech-tips-tricks/586439-vista-take-ownershi...

It sometimes balks at adding the context menu tweak when you select a huge
batch of files, but it tends to work just fine for something in excess of 10
files at a time.

a.k.a.

Just discovered that Vista comes with TAKEOWN.EXE. Take ownership as
its name suggests.

 

[Bob]

Where does this mysterious "TAKEOWN.EXE" reside?

This reg file tweak may do the trick for you: It adds a "Take ownership"
option to the right-click context menu when you select a
file:http://forums.techguy.org/tech-tips-tricks/586439-vista-take-ownershi...

It sometimes balks at adding the context menu tweak when you select a huge
batch of files, but it tends to work just fine for something in excess of
10
files at a time.

a.k.a.

Just discovered that Vista comes with TAKEOWN.EXE. Take ownership as
its name suggests.

 

[Richard Urban]

It is a command line tool that resides in the system32 folder

Open a command prompt with admin privileges.

Type takeown /? to see the correct syntax for usage.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

 

[Dave]

C:\Windows\System32