"Read Only" folders and files

[Guest]

The boot section on my HDD failed, and had to use my other computer to
extract the files using a commercial program. After that I reformatted the
failed disk, loaded XP and used the HDD from my other computer, installed as
a slave to copy the recovered files. That worked OK, but all Excell folders
as well as some other files (not all) have the "read only" attribute. Going
to "properties" and unchecking "read only" appears to work, but when I check
the folders & files they're still "read only" and won't open. Tried the DOS
ATTRIB command with the same results as above.
Did I run into some Microsoft anti-copying function? How can I get those
files to open?

 

[Gerry]

Leon

How to take Ownership of files and folders in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421&Produc...
Leon wrote:


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Brian Kochera]

The boot section on my HDD failed, and had to use my other computer to
extract the files using a commercial program. After that I reformatted the
failed disk, loaded XP and used the HDD from my other computer, installed as
a slave to copy the recovered files. That worked OK, but all Excell folders
as well as some other files (not all) have the "read only" attribute. Going
to "properties" and unchecking "read only" appears to work, but when I check
the folders & files they're still "read only" and won't open. Tried the DOS
ATTRIB command with the same results as above.
Did I run into some Microsoft anti-copying function? How can I get those
files to open?

Check Settings in BIOS, and on HDD jumpers as a starting point. The OS
may think your HDD is a CDROM hence the READ ONLY. Is the other drive in
"slave" setting still attached? If not you may have skipped the
appropriate settings for jumpers and BIOS settings. One time with a
Seagate drive, I had copied data from an old computer using "Master" /
"Slave". The old drive didn't support "cable select". Once done with
copying in my haste instead of jumpering the Seagate drive for "cable
select", I grabbed the wrong end of the drive and jumpered it for "Read
Only" / "Test Mode". I sure got some confusing behavior when I tried to
use the drive.


Have you run tests on the HDD? If you don't have the original
diagnostics that came with the drive, go the maker's web page and
download the appropriate diagnostics. Sometimes drives start acting
hinkey before failing. This may not be the case, but it wouldn't hurt to
check. If these suggestions don't help, stick around.

--
____
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
____
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951

 

[Jim]

The boot section on my HDD failed, and had to use my other computer to
extract the files using a commercial program. After that I reformatted the
failed disk, loaded XP and used the HDD from my other computer, installed
as
a slave to copy the recovered files. That worked OK, but all Excell
folders
as well as some other files (not all) have the "read only" attribute.
Going
to "properties" and unchecking "read only" appears to work, but when I
check
the folders & files they're still "read only" and won't open. Tried the
DOS
ATTRIB command with the same results as above.
Did I run into some Microsoft anti-copying function? How can I get those
files to open?

All folders have the readonly box checked, but XP ignores this setting.
Files, however, are a different matter. The readonly attribute for files is
strictly
enforced. You just take ownership of the miscreant files, and correct the
permissions.
And, if MS were in the anti-copying mode, they would certainly use a method
that is
much harder to correct.
Jim

 

[Guest]

Thanks, for the suggestion, Brian, but it can't be an HDD problem, as it
appeared on the "other" computer where I extracted the files from the failed
boot, also I've copied the files to a floppy and a flash drive -- no change.
Leon

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the suggestion, Gerry, I followed the directions in that article
to the letter, after which nothing changed.
Leon

 

[Guest]

I like your optimism, Jim (much harder to correct?); The files within the
folder marked "Read Only" have no attributes checked, but when I try to open
them (the .xls files) Excel comes up and gives me a message "This file cannot
be opened, it may be a Read Only or you may be trying to access a Read Only
location". Thus I assumed that the Read Only attribute on the folder was the
culprit, if not, I'm really at a loss, except that it may me an MS trick.
I followed the instructions in the article suggested by Gerry to take
"ownership" to no avail, I'd like to publish one of those files to give you a
chance at it, but it has info that bad guys can use. Appreciate your effort.
Leon

 

[Jim]

I like your optimism, Jim (much harder to correct?); The files within the
folder marked "Read Only" have no attributes checked, but when I try to
open
them (the .xls files) Excel comes up and gives me a message "This file
cannot
be opened, it may be a Read Only or you may be trying to access a Read
Only
location". Thus I assumed that the Read Only attribute on the folder was
the
culprit, if not, I'm really at a loss, except that it may me an MS trick.
I followed the instructions in the article suggested by Gerry to take
"ownership" to no avail, I'd like to publish one of those files to give
you a
chance at it, but it has info that bad guys can use. Appreciate your
effort.
Leon

Have you checked the permissions on the folder and file? Files in a folder
inherit permissions
from the parent; sometimes you must go all the way back to the volume
permissions.
Note that these permissions override what you see in the file properties
box.
Jim

 

[Gerry]

Leon

Try logging on in safe mode and using the Administator and not a User
with Administrators rights.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Guest]

You've lost me on the "parent" and going back to the volume permission: the
effort appears greater than to recreate the files. I long for the good old
days of DOS, when computers did only what you told them to do: it's the only
OS MS came up with that was any good. Thanks for the effort, Jim.
Leon.