Post Upgrade :: file lock issue

[SoDa]

Hello:

Just recently _upgraded_ my Win2kPro to XP-Pro SP-1. After the upgrade
many files are locked, and I'm not able to unlock them, or delete any.

I searched the knowledge base and the only reference I could find was to
use reg-edit to alter the following file;

'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet
\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters'

Now the only problem is I don't have that path <ie> no directory called
'Services' in that path.

So, I'm hoping you Windows gurus can offer some assistance -- I don't
wish to upgrade to SP2 at this time, so please don't suggest this.

Thank-you.

 

[Jon]

To clarify matters, are you saying that if you go

start > run > regedit

and then navigate (in the left pane) to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet

then you don't have these subkeys (that look like folders)

Control
Enum
Hardware Profiles
Services [the one you want to further expand]

?

Jon

 

[Malke]

Hello:

Just recently _upgraded_ my Win2kPro to XP-Pro SP-1. After the upgrade
many files are locked, and I'm not able to unlock them, or delete any.

I searched the knowledge base and the only reference I could find was
to
use reg-edit to alter the following file;

'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet
\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters'

Now the only problem is I don't have that path <ie> no directory
called 'Services' in that path.

So, I'm hoping you Windows gurus can offer some assistance -- I don't
wish to upgrade to SP2 at this time, so please don't suggest this.

Thank-you.

Are you talking about not having access to data files? If so, you need
to take ownership:

Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP [Q308421] -
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

Malke

 

[SoDa]

To clarify matters, are you saying that if you go

start > run > regedit

and then navigate (in the left pane) to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet

then you don't have these subkeys (that look like folders)

Control
Enum
Hardware Profiles
Services [the one you want to further expand]

What I'm saying is that I don't have a 'system' directory in the path I
described below. Yes I have other directories, that can be expanded, but
I'm concerned with that particular path. Thanks.

 

[SoDa]

Malke wrote:

Are you talking about not having access to data files? If so, you
need to take ownership:

Some files are 'locked' and the GUI doesn't allow me to unlock them. I
didn't mean to indicate that I couldn't delete any, just the locked ones.

Thanks.

 

[Malke]

Malke wrote:



Some files are 'locked' and the GUI doesn't allow me to unlock them. I
didn't mean to indicate that I couldn't delete any, just the locked
ones.

Thanks.

I'm sorry, but it still isn't clear to me what you mean by "locked". Are
you getting an "access denied" error message? If not and you *are*
getting an error message, please quote the exact text. Did you take
ownership? Remember that you need to fully describe exactly what is
happening with your computer because none of us can see it from here.
If you aren't getting any error message, then please describe exactly
what you are doing - how you are trying to delete these particular
files, what the files are (the file type will be fine), and what
happens.

Malke

 

[Steve]

SoDa wrote:

I'm sorry, but it still isn't clear to me what you mean by "locked". Are
you getting an "access denied" error message? If not and you *are*
getting an error message, please quote the exact text. Did you take
ownership? Remember that you need to fully describe exactly what is
happening with your computer because none of us can see it from here.
If you aren't getting any error message, then please describe exactly
what you are doing - how you are trying to delete these particular
files, what the files are (the file type will be fine), and what
happens.

No, I'm not getting an access denied error.

When one views some file and/or folder's _properties_ in the GUI, there is a
locked tick -- Similar to when one copies files from a CD.

Normal behaviour, is that one can tick the enclosing directory, and have
the locked permission removed recursively. This hasn't been working with
these locked files/folders since my _upgrade_ from Win2K Pro to XP-Pro.

I'm quite surprised that an OS update, would exhibit this behaviour with
existing files/folders.

I guess Unix programmers are a little better.

Anywho;

I searched the MSFT knowledge base, and there was a fix mentioned.

In my original post, I was asking for help, because the path that I was
to search/use with reg-edit (gleaned from the knowledge base article) --
doesn't exist, at least on my system.

Do you know how to remove this locked behaviour, preferably with a
'batch' command? I don't relish having to do each directory/file
individually.

Thanks for your patience.

 

[Malke]

No, I'm not getting an access denied error.

When one views some file and/or folder's _properties_ in the GUI,
there is a locked tick -- Similar to when one copies files from a CD.

So what you are getting is that these files are Read Only. Folders in XP
are always marked Read Only and it means nothing. It was a poor gui
design. The files inside, however, are another matter. If they are also
marked Read Only and you can't change them, it will be because you need
to take ownership of the files as I suggested in my prior post.

Normal behaviour, is that one can tick the enclosing directory, and
have the locked permission removed recursively. This hasn't been
working with these locked files/folders since my _upgrade_ from Win2K
Pro to XP-Pro.

See my comments above. *Have* you tried taking ownership yet? If not,
please do so. If you did and were unsuccessful, please describe what
happened.

I guess Unix programmers are a little better.

Then use *nix. Man chmod.

Do you know how to remove this locked behaviour, preferably with a
'batch' command? I don't relish having to do each directory/file
individually.

Please answer the Take Ownership question first.

Malke

 

[Steve]

Steve wrote:

So what you are getting is that these files are Read Only. Folders in XP
are always marked Read Only and it means nothing. It was a poor gui
design. The files inside, however, are another matter. If they are also
marked Read Only and you can't change them, it will be because you need
to take ownership of the files as I suggested in my prior post.

Always ? Well, not all files/directories are showing this behaviour,
that's the thing.

How does one take "ownership" ?

See my comments above. *Have* you tried taking ownership yet? If not,
please do so. If you did and were unsuccessful, please describe what
happened.

No, I don't think you indicated how to do this -- If you did my apologies.

Then use *nix. Man chmod.

Right, believe me I would prefer to do just that -- and I wouldn't need
to use man for this.

Please answer the Take Ownership question first.

See above.

 

[Malke]

Steve wrote:

How does one take "ownership" ?

As I gave you in my first answer:

Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP [Q308421] -
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

Also available from Windows XP's Help & Support - type in "take
ownership".

Malke

 

[Steve]

Steve wrote:

Ai I gave you in my first answer:

Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP [Q308421] -
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

Also available from Windows XP's Help & Support - type in "take
ownership".

OK well unfortunately these instructions aren't relevant as it can't
possibly work -- I don't have the option "Security Tab", and I HAVE
followed the instructions in the "Notes" section in the relevant HELP
file, to enable the "Security Tab" -- what a friggin joke !

And yes -- I'm logged in as Administrator with 'super cow powers' when
attempting this.

Here is the help file entry on 'taking ownership';

"To take ownership of a file or folder Open Windows Explorer, and then locate
the file or folder you want to take ownership of. Right-click the file or
folder, click Properties, and then click the Security tab. Click Advanced, and
then click the Owner tab. In the Change owner to box, click the new owner.
(Optional) To change the owner of all subcontainers and objects within the
tree, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box.

Notes

To open Windows Explorer, click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories,
and then click Windows Explorer. If you are not joined to a domain and want to
view the Security tab, see To display the Security tab."

This is why I dislike GUI OSes so much, they don't have a baseline to
start off with.

If you could give me the relevant syntax to run in a term would be
better. Failing that, I'll simply recommend to the powers that be, that
we should move to desktop Linux <ie> SuSE. Cheaper TCO, as us admins
here know how to run that OS.

Cheers, and thanks for your help anyways.

 

[Malke]

Steve wrote:

Ai I gave you in my first answer:

Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP [Q308421] -
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

Also available from Windows XP's Help & Support - type in "take
ownership".

OK well unfortunately these instructions aren't relevant as it can't
possibly work -- I don't have the option "Security Tab", and I HAVE
followed the instructions in the "Notes" section in the relevant HELP
file, to enable the "Security Tab" -- what a friggin joke !

And yes -- I'm logged in as Administrator with 'super cow powers'
when attempting this.

Here is the help file entry on 'taking ownership';

"To take ownership of a file or folder Open Windows Explorer, and then
locate
the file or folder you want to take ownership of. Right-click the
file or
folder, click Properties, and then click the Security tab. Click
Advanced, and
then click the Owner tab. In the Change owner to box, click the new
owner. (Optional) To change the owner of all subcontainers and objects
within the tree, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects
check box.

Notes

To open Windows Explorer, click Start, point to Programs, point to
Accessories,
and then click Windows Explorer. If you are not joined to a domain
and want to view the Security tab, see To display the Security tab."

This is why I dislike GUI OSes so much, they don't have a baseline to
start off with.

If you could give me the relevant syntax to run in a term would be
better. Failing that, I'll simply recommend to the powers that be,
that we should move to desktop Linux <ie> SuSE. Cheaper TCO, as us
admins here know how to run that OS.

Cheers, and thanks for your help anyways.

For the Security tab to be shown:

a. The drive must be NTFS
b. In Folder Options - View, uncheck 'Use Simple File Sharing'. That is
the level used in Home, and for some strange reason is on by default in
Pro, too.

Otherwise,
http://www.novell.com/linux/suse/

Malke