Removing read-only on folders

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I customized two folders on my desktop. Now all of my folders are read-only
and I can't remove it. Can someone please explain how I can do this? Thank
you
 
cld1015 said:
I customized two folders on my desktop. Now all of my folders are
read-only and I can't remove it. Can someone please explain how I can
do this?

The folders do not have the Read-Only (R) attribute. Double-check with
the Windows Explorer: Menu View > Choose Details > Attributes > tick.
 
Don't worry about it.

When you customize a folder, a file called desktop.ini gets created. In
order for Windows to read the desktop.ini file for customized folders, it
looks like the Read-only attribute is applied.

Windows Explorer does NOT allow you to view or change a folder's Read-only
or System attribute. Changing these attributes can break special folders
and screw up any of your folder customizations. You can ONLY view or change
a folder's Read-only or System attributes by using the attrib command.

So why do you think that all of your folders are Read-only?

Read-only for folders does not mean Read-only like it does with files.

A file that is marked Read-only can be read, but it cannot be changed or
deleted.

You can delete, rename, move or change a folder that has the Read-only
attribute set. But if it's a System folder, you'll get a Warning.

For folders the Read-only and System attributes are used by Windows Explorer
to determine whether a folder is a special folder or whether you have
customized the folder using the Customize tab of Folder Properties.

If you customized a folder using the Customize tab of Folder Properties, a
desktop.ini file is created in that folder.

Desktop.ini files normally have the Hidden and System attributes.

Special folders include:
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites, Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin, Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo, Start Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Most of those Special Folders have a desktop.ini file. Sometimes the
desktop.ini file cannot be seen (super hidden). The desktop.ini file in
Downloaded Program Files, for example cannot be seen.

To see the desktop.ini for Downloaded Program Files...
Paste the following line into Start | Run and click OK...

%windir%\Downloaded Program Files\desktop.ini

The desktop.ini should open.

When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set, Windows Explorer reads the
Desktop.ini of that folder to see if any special folder settings need to be
set. That is all Read-only means for a folder.

The Read-only check box in Folder Properties does NOT apply to the folder.

The Read-only check box for folders is there for convenience, it allows you
to change the Read-only attribute of all the files contained in that folder.
The Read-only check box indicates whether the files in the folder are
Read-only, NOT the folder. If you select this check box all of the files
in the folder will be Read-only. If you clear the check box, none of the
files in the folder will be Read-only. If the check appears green or gray,
then some of the files in that folder may be Read-only.

If the check appears green or gray, it indicates either a mixed (some of the
files may be Read-only) or undetermined condition. Windows Explorer
displays the green or gray check because it would take too long to verify
the state of the read-only attribute for every file in the folder.

The System attribute serves to protect files from accidental deletion.

The System file attribute by default is set by the operating system or some
other program to mark files that are essentially important for proper
functioning of system.

The System attribute is usually used jointly with Hidden and Read-only
attributes to provide maximum protection of system files. The System
attribute is usually regarded by programs as a mandatory rule which forbids
any actions to be taken upon files or folders marked with this attribute.

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

To see all of the desktop.ini files on the C: drive...
Open a command prompt....
Start | Run | Type: cmd | Click OK |
Change Directory to C:...
Type: cd \ and hit Enter.
Type: attrib /S desktop.ini and hit Enter.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
I followed the link on how to take ownership of a folder, but it says to
click the security tab, and I don't have one. I think the file is read only
because I tried to save a download from the internet into one of my folders
and a window came up saying that I "do not have write access to it"
 
cld1015 said:
I'm sorry, I don't know how to do that. Can you please tell me how?

I told you already. What part of my message was too hard to understand?
 
cld1015 said:
I customized two folders on my desktop. Now all of my folders are read-only
and I can't remove it. Can someone please explain how I can do this? Thank
you

Folders don't have a read-only attribute. When you open the
"Properties" tab for a folder, you see a short-cut for setting or
unsetting the read-only property for all files in the folder and
optionally subfolders). It originally shows (on my system, anyway) as
a green-shaded box with no checkmark. That's a three-state checkbox in
its third state, telling you that the property is neither true nor
false.

If you click the box and make a checkmark appear, then click OK, the
dialog will disappear and read-only will be set for all files in the
folder. If you then show the dialog for the folder again, the
read-only box will again be a green-shaded block.
 
I apologize, I should not have included that link in my post.

Don't worry about it, your folders are NOT Read-only. Forget about it and
move on to something else.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Dear Tim,
I am using XP Home sp1 and cannot reproduce the "Properties Tab" for
folders, no shortcut appears on the General tab of the property sheet except
an Advanced button, which is about archiving and compression.

I do have folders with the read only attribute showing in Explorer, detailed
view viz. My Music and My Pictures but the property sheet of all the
subfolders of My Documents show Read only checked and greyed.

I don't find it affects anything.
Regards,
ern.
 
folders, no shortcut appears on the General tab of the property sheet

If it is Folder Properties and not a shortcut to the Folder, there won't be
a shortcut tab.
except an Advanced button

Folder Properties | General tab |

Advanced button:
[Click to set attributes for archiving, indexing, compression, or
encryption.]
I do have folders with the read only attribute showing in Explorer,
detailed view viz. My Music and My Pictures but the property sheet of all
the subfolders of My Documents show Read only checked and greyed.

My Music and My Pictures are Special Folders.

Windows Explorer does NOT allow you to view or change a folder's Read-only
or System attribute. Changing these attributes can break special folders
and screw up any of your folder customizations. You can ONLY view or change
a folder's Read-only or System attributes by using the attrib command.

Read-only for folders does not mean Read-only like it does with files.

A file that is marked Read-only can be read, but it cannot be changed or
deleted.

You can delete, rename, move or change a folder that has the Read-only
attribute set. But if it's a System folder, you'll get a Warning.

For folders the Read-only and System attributes are used by Windows Explorer
to determine whether a folder is a special folder or whether you have
customized the folder using the Customize tab of Folder Properties.

If you customized a folder using the Customize tab of Folder Properties, a
desktop.ini file is created in that folder.

Desktop.ini files normally have the Hidden and System attributes.

Special folders include:
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites, Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin, Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo, Start Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Most of those Special Folders have a desktop.ini file. Sometimes the
desktop.ini file cannot be seen (super hidden). The desktop.ini file in
Downloaded Program Files, for example cannot be seen.

To see the desktop.ini for Downloaded Program Files...
Paste the following line into Start | Run and click OK...

%windir%\Downloaded Program Files\desktop.ini

The desktop.ini should open.

----------desktop.ini--------------
[.ShellClassInfo]
CLSID={88C6C381-2E85-11d0-94DE-444553540000}
----------desktop.ini--------------

{88C6C381-2E85-11D0-94DE-444553540000} = ActiveX Cache Folder

{88C6C381-2E85-11d0-94DE-444553540000} Makes Downloaded Program Files work

<quote>
The "Downloaded Program Files" folder contains functionality that enables
you to easily uninstall ActiveX controls. When this folder is deleted, a new
"Downloaded Program Files" folder is created the next time Internet Explorer
downloads new program files. However, the newly created folder does not
contain the functionality to easily uninstall ActiveX controls.
<quote>
from...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/174925

When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set, Windows Explorer reads the
Desktop.ini of that folder to see if any special folder settings need to be
set. That is all Read-only means for a folder.

The Read-only check box in Folder Properties does NOT apply to the folder.

The Read-only check box for folders is there for convenience, it allows you
to change the Read-only attribute of all the files contained in that folder.
The Read-only check box indicates whether the files in the folder are
Read-only, NOT the folder. If you select this check box all of the files
in the folder will be Read-only. If you clear the check box, none of the
files in the folder will be Read-only. If the check appears green or gray,
then some of the files in that folder may be Read-only.

If the check appears green or gray, it indicates either a mixed (some of the
files may be Read-only) or undetermined condition. Windows Explorer
displays the green or gray check because it would take too long to verify
the state of the read-only attribute for every file in the folder.

The System attribute serves to protect files from accidental deletion.

The System file attribute by default is set by the operating system or some
other program to mark files that are essentially important for proper
functioning of system.

The System attribute is usually used jointly with Hidden and Read-only
attributes to provide maximum protection of system files. The System
attribute is usually regarded by programs as a mandatory rule which forbids
any actions to be taken upon files or folders marked with this attribute.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Thanks Wesley,
ern.

Wesley Vogel said:
folders, no shortcut appears on the General tab of the property sheet

If it is Folder Properties and not a shortcut to the Folder, there won't be
a shortcut tab.
except an Advanced button

Folder Properties | General tab |

Advanced button:
[Click to set attributes for archiving, indexing, compression, or
encryption.]
I do have folders with the read only attribute showing in Explorer,
detailed view viz. My Music and My Pictures but the property sheet of all
the subfolders of My Documents show Read only checked and greyed.

My Music and My Pictures are Special Folders.

Windows Explorer does NOT allow you to view or change a folder's Read-only
or System attribute. Changing these attributes can break special folders
and screw up any of your folder customizations. You can ONLY view or change
a folder's Read-only or System attributes by using the attrib command.

Read-only for folders does not mean Read-only like it does with files.

A file that is marked Read-only can be read, but it cannot be changed or
deleted.

You can delete, rename, move or change a folder that has the Read-only
attribute set. But if it's a System folder, you'll get a Warning.

For folders the Read-only and System attributes are used by Windows Explorer
to determine whether a folder is a special folder or whether you have
customized the folder using the Customize tab of Folder Properties.
<snip>
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
ernie said:
Dear Tim,
I am using XP Home sp1 and cannot reproduce the "Properties Tab" for
folders, no shortcut appears on the General tab of the property sheet
except an Advanced button, which is about archiving and compression.

I do have folders with the read only attribute showing in Explorer,
detailed view viz. My Music and My Pictures but the property sheet of all
the subfolders of My Documents show Read only checked and greyed.

I don't find it affects anything.
Regards,
ern.
 
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