NTFS File Properties

[Guest]

I have jsut installed Windows XP and find that I am unable to change the NTFS File properties

Specifically, I am trying to get rid of the "Read Only" check box. After I apply the change and come back to the file, the "Read Only" check box is still checked

Mike Smith

 

[David Candy]

describe the exact steps.

 

[Guest]

David

1) Launch the Windows Explore
2) Locate a file folder on the left side of the partition and right clic
3) Click on Propertie
4) Click on the "Read Only" Attribute to remove the highlighted colou
5) Click <Apply> and <OK
6) Now right click on the folder agai
7) The "Read Only" attribute is still shown as checked

Mike Smith

 

[David Candy]

No it's not. Click it three times.

 

[David Candy]

I asked you to explain your steps. That's because you were describing the behaviour of a FOLDER but mentioned FILE in your post. RO is meaningless on a folder and only has meaning on a file. You are seeing indeterminate (because for RO doing the command on a folder means you want it done on the files in the folders). As RO is unused in file systems (when applied to folders - folders CAN'T be read only) MS reused it to specify the folder is special. Only explorer cares. In prev versions of windows people kept breaking it by doing what you are doing. EG if you remove the system attribute from the fonts folder (as to exolorer, system and read only mean 99.99999% the same thing - but system also has defined meaning within the file system unlike RO) you can no longer install fomts. Remove it from Tasks and you can no longer view scheduled tasks. If you remove RO from Favourites then it no longer acts like a special folder and so on.

System may warn "Sure you want to delete? It's a important folder." (this can be turned off in individual folders) read only won't warn and will just delete (that's the .00001% difference). However a lot of programs ignore files or folders with system attribute set.

 

[Guest]

David

OK, I did not understand this

I am having some problems with processing files where I have installed software and I thought that "Read Only" was causing it. I guess it is caused by something else. I will investigate this further

Thanks for your feedback

Mike Smith

 

[David Candy]

If you give details

eg If you said the files are at c:\program files\appfolder I can say only admins can write there. If you said I reinstalled windows. Both of the above is handled with File Permissions (type it in help). Mention programs by name. There a few older programs that check the attribute on a folder and will refuse to use if read only. Why who knows, it's window's job to guard things, programs don't have to and shouldn't do too much of it. And they got it wrong (hard to know what's worse - Read Only is 25 years old this year so they've had time to learn the rules). Plus explorer is 9 years old this year (august) so for 16 years RO meant absolutely nothing (though you could set and unset it), For 5 years you could set and unset it and only explorer cared. For the last 4 years you can't change it (by clicking anyway).

Whenever posting we here want raw data, not your theories on why it isn't working. Therefore full details, exact text of messages, full names of files and programs (and mfg if not obvious), the step one takes to make it happen, and as windows works in two modes domain and non domain that can be vital.