Need to delete a file but Vista does not let me.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Michael Moser
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Michael Moser

Occasionally Vista and its permission handling really drives me nuts: I
needed to replace a certain .exe file in a subdirectory of "C:\Program
Files" but for some, to me unexplainable, reason Vista at first did not
let me delete the old version.

The file was owned by "Administrators" of which I am a member. When I
checked "Effective Permissions" of that file for my user-id I had ALL
necessary permissions (including "Full Control", "Delete" and "Take
Ownership"). However, if I tried to delete the file or take ownership,
then I got errors that I don't have the necessary permission.

Only after I added my user-id explicitly to the file's permission list
and gave me "Full Control" , then I was able to delete the file. Why was
it not enough that I am of user type "Administrator" and also member of
the "Administrators"-group?

Michael
 
Michael Moser said:
Occasionally Vista and its permission handling really drives me nuts: I
needed to replace a certain .exe file in a subdirectory of "C:\Program
Files" but for some, to me unexplainable, reason Vista at first did not
let me delete the old version.

The file was owned by "Administrators" of which I am a member. When I
checked "Effective Permissions" of that file for my user-id I had ALL
necessary permissions (including "Full Control", "Delete" and "Take
Ownership"). However, if I tried to delete the file or take ownership,
then I got errors that I don't have the necessary permission.

Only after I added my user-id explicitly to the file's permission list and
gave me "Full Control" , then I was able to delete the file. Why was it
not enough that I am of user type "Administrator" and also member of the
"Administrators"-group?
Click to expand...


Do you have UAC turned off?
 
Michael Moser said:
No.
Click to expand...


I seen having UAC off cause problems when trying to change permissions with
Windows Explorer. I don't know what would have caused the problem you
experienced. For troublesome files you may have to take ownership and change
permissions from an elevated command prompt.
 
I was reading this thread with high interest as I'm having the same kind of trouble...

Kerry, your first reply gave me the idea to turn UAC off. And, in fact, that was the solution to my problem. So my experience is quite contrary to what you've written in your last response.

Strange...

Axel Dahmen




-------------
 
The method needed to modify ACLs may differ depending on the existing ACls,
what type of account you are logged on as, if UAC is on/off, and what
program you are using to modify the ACLs.

--
Kerry Brown
MS-MVP - Windows Desktop Experience: Systems Administration
http://www.vistahelp.ca/phpBB2/

I was reading this thread with high interest as I'm having the same kind of
trouble...

Kerry, your first reply gave me the idea to turn UAC off. And, in fact, that
was the solution to my problem. So my experience is quite contrary to what
you've written in your last response.
 
I'm logged in as a member of the Administrators group. I've switched off UAC using the User Accounts control panel. (* not sure if it's "User Accounts" in English. I'm using the German version of Vista/W2k8).

Appreciate your help!

Axel Dahmen
 
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