NTFS - Changing Read-Only attribute on folder

[5tulips]

Windows XP SP2 NTFS

I have a folder that has a subfolder with a title composed of 15 words. I
didn't create it, but know what's in the sub folder (not much, and don't
need it). It looks like the title of a web page. Inside the subfolder is
four very small files (4 are .js) (1 is jpg).

My computer got a complaint yesterday while I was doing a backup with a
message that said the title was too long, either change the name or delete
it.

I could do neither. The folder's properties are checked for 'read only.' I
went to Help and Support and it gives instructions, which I already know,
and in most cases it always worked.

I'm on NTFS, The change procedure is to right-click the folder; click
properties; click Advanced; then select the options you want to change. in
the Advanced dialog, only one attribute is checked (allow indexing to index
this folder).

On the first dialog box (Read only already checked) and (Hidden is not
checked). I was looking for an 'archive' box to check

I've tried a few variations, including clearing and applying that change;
then going to the Advanced dialog and checking "this file is ready to
archive" and applying that, but still cannot change the name, delete the
folder, or have success with the instructions.

What is the secret?

-- 5tulips

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Windows XP SP2 NTFS

I have a folder that has a subfolder with a title composed of 15 words. I
didn't create it, but know what's in the sub folder (not much, and don't
need it). It looks like the title of a web page. Inside the subfolder is
four very small files (4 are .js) (1 is jpg).

My computer got a complaint yesterday while I was doing a backup with a
message that said the title was too long, either change the name or delete
it.

I could do neither. The folder's properties are checked for 'read only.' I
went to Help and Support and it gives instructions, which I already know,
and in most cases it always worked.

I'm on NTFS, The change procedure is to right-click the folder; click
properties; click Advanced; then select the options you want to change. in
the Advanced dialog, only one attribute is checked (allow indexing to
index
this folder).

On the first dialog box (Read only already checked) and (Hidden is not
checked). I was looking for an 'archive' box to check

I've tried a few variations, including clearing and applying that change;
then going to the Advanced dialog and checking "this file is ready to
archive" and applying that, but still cannot change the name, delete the
folder, or have success with the instructions.

What is the secret?

-- 5tulips

A folder's read-only attribute has no effect under WinXP, and changing it
does not address the excessively long folder name issue anyway. To deal with
it you need to jump into the middle of this long path and work from there.
The command

subst Q: "c:\Documents and Settings\5tulips\My Documents" (for example)

will create drive Q: that you can now use as a platform to delete whatever
file or folder you have in this long structure.

 

[5tulips]

:
: : > Windows XP SP2 NTFS
: >
: > I have a folder that has a subfolder with a title composed of 15 words.
I
: > didn't create it, but know what's in the sub folder (not much, and don't
: > need it). It looks like the title of a web page. Inside the subfolder is
: > four very small files (4 are .js) (1 is jpg).
: >
: > My computer got a complaint yesterday while I was doing a backup with a
: > message that said the title was too long, either change the name or
delete
: > it.
: >
: > I could do neither. The folder's properties are checked for 'read only.'
I
: > went to Help and Support and it gives instructions, which I already
know,
: > and in most cases it always worked.
: >
: > I'm on NTFS, The change procedure is to right-click the folder; click
: > properties; click Advanced; then select the options you want to change.
in
: > the Advanced dialog, only one attribute is checked (allow indexing to
: > index
: > this folder).
: >
: > On the first dialog box (Read only already checked) and (Hidden is not
: > checked). I was looking for an 'archive' box to check
: >
: > I've tried a few variations, including clearing and applying that
change;
: > then going to the Advanced dialog and checking "this file is ready to
: > archive" and applying that, but still cannot change the name, delete the
: > folder, or have success with the instructions.
: >
: > What is the secret?
: >
: > -- 5tulips
:
: A folder's read-only attribute has no effect under WinXP, and changing it
: does not address the excessively long folder name issue anyway. To deal
with
: it you need to jump into the middle of this long path and work from there.
: The command
:
: subst Q: "c:\Documents and Settings\5tulips\My Documents" (for example)
:
: will create drive Q: that you can now use as a platform to delete whatever
: file or folder you have in this long structure.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I'm not very "techie" and that makes me very nervous if my 22 GB of My
Documents is part of that fix - in case I make a mistake.

I have another idea. I have a small empty drive not using it for anything
right now. How about if I moved that folder over there, and did the subst
over there?

Also, do I use quotes as you have written? Is that the exact syntax? (except
changing 5tulips to the real username)

When you said 'jump into the middle of this long path and work from
there...' ...why would it work on a fake drive, and not right where it is?

:

 

[5tulips]

: ::
:: :: > Windows XP SP2 NTFS
:: >
:: > I have a folder that has a subfolder with a title composed of 15 words.
: I
:: > didn't create it, but know what's in the sub folder (not much, and
don't
:: > need it). It looks like the title of a web page. Inside the subfolder
is
:: > four very small files (4 are .js) (1 is jpg).
:: >
:: > My computer got a complaint yesterday while I was doing a backup with a
:: > message that said the title was too long, either change the name or
: delete
:: > it.
:: >
:: > I could do neither. The folder's properties are checked for 'read
only.'
: I
:: > went to Help and Support and it gives instructions, which I already
: know,
:: > and in most cases it always worked.
:: >
:: > I'm on NTFS, The change procedure is to right-click the folder; click
:: > properties; click Advanced; then select the options you want to change.
: in
:: > the Advanced dialog, only one attribute is checked (allow indexing to
:: > index
:: > this folder).
:: >
:: > On the first dialog box (Read only already checked) and (Hidden is not
:: > checked). I was looking for an 'archive' box to check
:: >
:: > I've tried a few variations, including clearing and applying that
: change;
:: > then going to the Advanced dialog and checking "this file is ready to
:: > archive" and applying that, but still cannot change the name, delete
the
:: > folder, or have success with the instructions.
:: >
:: > What is the secret?
:: >
:: > -- 5tulips
::
:: A folder's read-only attribute has no effect under WinXP, and changing it
:: does not address the excessively long folder name issue anyway. To deal
: with
:: it you need to jump into the middle of this long path and work from
there.
:: The command
::
:: subst Q: "c:\Documents and Settings\5tulips\My Documents" (for example)
::
:: will create drive Q: that you can now use as a platform to delete
whatever
:: file or folder you have in this long structure.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:
: I'm not very "techie" and that makes me very nervous if my 22 GB of My :
Documents is part of that fix - in case I make a mistake.
:
:
: Also, do I use quotes as you have written? Is that the exact syntax?
(except
: changing 5tulips to the real username)
:
: When you said 'jump into the middle of this long path and work from
: there...' ...why would it work on a fake drive, and not right where it
is?

Speaking of fake, are we talking about "virtual"?
:
:: I have another idea. I have another almost empty drive (say D (partition
of C; Updates use it for downloads. How about if I moved th Long-Name-
folder over there, and did the subst over there? Then, if I created the
subst Q: "d:\Long file name folder" and didn't include the update folders on
the D: drive, would it create a virtual drive Q: that I woudn't have to
return back to what it was before?


:
:
:

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

See below.

:
: : > Windows XP SP2 NTFS
: >
: > I have a folder that has a subfolder with a title composed of 15
words.
I
: > didn't create it, but know what's in the sub folder (not much, and
don't
: > need it). It looks like the title of a web page. Inside the subfolder
is
: > four very small files (4 are .js) (1 is jpg).
: >
: > My computer got a complaint yesterday while I was doing a backup with
a
: > message that said the title was too long, either change the name or
delete
: > it.
: >
: > I could do neither. The folder's properties are checked for 'read
only.'
I
: > went to Help and Support and it gives instructions, which I already
know,
: > and in most cases it always worked.
: >
: > I'm on NTFS, The change procedure is to right-click the folder; click
: > properties; click Advanced; then select the options you want to
change.
in
: > the Advanced dialog, only one attribute is checked (allow indexing to
: > index
: > this folder).
: >
: > On the first dialog box (Read only already checked) and (Hidden is not
: > checked). I was looking for an 'archive' box to check
: >
: > I've tried a few variations, including clearing and applying that
change;
: > then going to the Advanced dialog and checking "this file is ready to
: > archive" and applying that, but still cannot change the name, delete
the
: > folder, or have success with the instructions.
: >
: > What is the secret?
: >
: > -- 5tulips
:
: A folder's read-only attribute has no effect under WinXP, and changing
it
: does not address the excessively long folder name issue anyway. To deal
with
: it you need to jump into the middle of this long path and work from
there.
: The command
:
: subst Q: "c:\Documents and Settings\5tulips\My Documents" (for example)
:
: will create drive Q: that you can now use as a platform to delete
whatever
: file or folder you have in this long structure.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I'm not very "techie" and that makes me very nervous if my 22 GB of My
Documents is part of that fix - in case I make a mistake.

*** The method I outlined is risk free, provided that you only delete
*** the folders that need deleting.

I have another idea. I have a small empty drive not using it for anything
right now. How about if I moved that folder over there, and did the subst
over there?

*** This is unlikely to work because your "move" action will fail, due
*** to the exessively long path . . .

Also, do I use quotes as you have written? Is that the exact syntax?
(except
changing 5tulips to the real username)

*** You can ALWAYS surround path+file names with double quotes - it is
*** never wrong doing so. However, you MUST do it when the path+file
*** name includes spaces.

When you said 'jump into the middle of this long path and work from
there...' ...why would it work on a fake drive, and not right where it
is?

*** The total length of your problem folder is reduced on the fake drive
*** because you've lopped off the first 30 or 50 characters. This enables
*** you to stay below the magical 260 character limit.

*** Another point: Your concerns suggest that you don't have a backup
*** of your important files. Are you one of those who like to live on the
*** edge? The basic law of safe computing says that you MUST back
*** up your important files regularly (e.g. weekly) to an independent
*** medium, unless you prefer to let a disaster happen first and ask for
*** advice here afterwards. A 2.5" disk in an external USB case is an
*** excellent backup medium that costs very little. It's your decision . . .

 

[Tim Slattery]

I could do neither. The folder's properties are checked for 'read only.'

No it isn't. When you open the "Properties" box for a folder you see
something that looks just like the "read-only" box on an individual
file's property sheet. But a directory has no "read-only" attribute.
What you see is a shortcut that allows you to set or remove the
"read-only" flag from *all* files in the folder (and optionally in
subfolders). When the box first appears, it's in a neutral state:
neither checked nor unchecked. Depending on some settings somewhere,
it might be filled with a greenish block (that's the way it looks here
at work on XP Pro), or maybe a grayed-out check (that's how it looks
at home on my XP Home machine). Click it once, and it goes into
"Unchecked" state (empty box). Click again, and the check mark appears
(not grayed out). Click a third time, and you're back to neutral
state.

What ever you do, the next time you open that properties box, the
"read-only" box will be back to its neutral state.

Yes, the display - especially the grayed-out check mark - is
misleading. It shouldn't say "read-only", it should explicitly say
something about it being a shortcut, not a property of the directory.

On the first dialog box (Read only already checked) and (Hidden is not
checked). I was looking for an 'archive' box to check

"Archive" also applies only to individual files, not to folders.