Vista cannot delete read-only files

[Matthew]

I've noticed this and have seen a couple of posts but it seems most people
don't "interpret" the post as intended.

I have Vista 32bit. I am an administrator. If a file has the "read-only"
attribute checked, I can NOT delete the file. Vista complains that I need
"privileges in order to delete the file" and asks me to "try again". I have
full permissions on the file, and I am the owner of the file. The issue
stems from the fact that it's marked "read only".

If I remove the read-only attribute, I can delete it fine!

What gives here? In XP, if you attempted to delete a read only file, it
would prompt you telling you the file was read-only and asked if you were
sure you wanted to delete it. Vista flat out implies I have no permissions
to the file, which is untrue.

I sometimes have network directories that contain thousands, maybe millions
of files in them. Changing attributes on that many files, prior to deleting
them poses significant problems.

Is this a bug in Vista?

 

[Earle Horton]

My guess is that some corporate account complained about an incompetent
employee who was able to delete a whole directory tree of "read only" files,
thus losing thousands of man hours of work. This is the "solution". Do you
know how to write batch files or do Folder, Properties in the GUI? While it
is recursively changing the attributes of the directory tree, this will give
you time to think about what you are about to it.

I believe that turning off UAC may help also.

Earle

 

[Nonny]

I believe that turning off UAC may help also.

"may help"??????????

It's the most significant way a user who knows what he/she is doing to
increase the enjoyment factor when using Vista.

 

[Earle Horton]

"may help"??????????

It's the most significant way a user who knows what he/she is doing to
increase the enjoyment factor when using Vista.

It's called "understatement". It's a form of sarcasm.

Heh.

Earle

 

[Matthew]

Thanks for the replies. I've had my fair run-ins with UAC and have found
several work arounds for some common issues. I would have never thought this
could be UAC related due to the "message" Vista kindly provides to me.

I'll try to see if it's related to UAC. I hate turning it off because I
force myself to use it. Call me crazy. I like the false sense of security
it gives me haha.

I'll reply back if/when I know it's UAC related.

On a side note, I wouldn't have a problem if it turns out to be UAC related.
My problem would then ultimately stem from the fact that if this was a
security related feature, then the system SHOULD TELL ME THAT vs. "hey you
don't have permissions" which lead me to waste an hour trying to take
ownership/reassign permissions *sigh*. Sorry for caps, but needed the
emphasis.

 

[Matthew]

Hahaha, well, you'll never believe this, but I can now no longer replicate
the issue. Go figure, when I want to test it, it hides *sigh*. I'm not
crazy!

I just created a test file and marked it as read only. It let me delete it
with no problem, even with UAC on. I give up with Vista, I swear.

While doing this test I noticed another *issue* lol. Normally I permanently
delete files (bypassing the recycle bin). I happened to do a normal delete
on one of the test files I was doing and went into the recycle bin to see if
I could delete it from there. I could.

I had a bunch of other things in the recycle bin too... some shortcuts, some
folders, etc.

I highlighted them all and chose to delete. Some deleted but then I got a
prompt stating I didn't have rights to delete this particular folder and
prompted me to try again. I tried again, but failed, and reprompt. I looked
at the properties of that folder and it was read only with no ability to
change it.

So I tried the command to "empty recycle bin". A few more files deleted
before the prompt citing I could not delete that folder and to try again. No
matter how many times I clicked "try again" it wouldn't go. I had 3 folders
left to delete. While prompted to try again, I checked the box to "apply to
all" and clicked skip. When I did that, every folder in the recycle bin
deleted! haha.

Me: "Delete these files/folders."
System: "You can't, sorry. Feel free to try again loser."
Me: "Please try again"
System: "Like I said, Stupid, you can't delete these".
Me: "Ok skip these and delete the rest that you can."
System: "OK fine I'll delete em all! Sheesh."


At any rate if I find myself in a situation where I can't delete a read-only
file again, I'll do more testing with the UAC and pay close attention to
where the file resides.

 

[Adam Albright]

Hahaha, well, you'll never believe this, but I can now no longer replicate
the issue. Go figure, when I want to test it, it hides *sigh*. I'm not
crazy!

I just created a test file and marked it as read only. It let me delete it
with no problem, even with UAC on. I give up with Vista, I swear.

While doing this test I noticed another *issue* lol. Normally I permanently
delete files (bypassing the recycle bin). I happened to do a normal delete
on one of the test files I was doing and went into the recycle bin to see if
I could delete it from there. I could.

I had a bunch of other things in the recycle bin too... some shortcuts, some
folders, etc.

I highlighted them all and chose to delete. Some deleted but then I got a
prompt stating I didn't have rights to delete this particular folder and
prompted me to try again. I tried again, but failed, and reprompt. I looked
at the properties of that folder and it was read only with no ability to
change it.

You discovered WHY UAC is so hated. Even when you do everything
expected and asked for UAC still screws up. Shortly after I installed
Vista over a year ago I bit the bullet and changed permissions for all
the drives/folders causing issues. Guess what, even with me as owner
of EVERYTHING, the moronic UAC still at times for no apparent reason
would refuse to let me delete something as simple as a orphaned
shortcut from the desktop, nagging I don't have permission to do so.

The bottom line is UAC simply doesn't work as claimed. Microsoft is
AWARE of this. View the interview with the two engineers that wrote
the routine for UAC. They sheepish admit hey, we know UAC got
problems, tell us about them if you run into any.

http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=288259

The decision tree at the below site points to how UAC is suppose to
work.

http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/...og/2007/02/an_example_of_why_uac_prompts.html

Note there are actually four levels of warnings you might see from
UAC. The most serious being warning boxes with a red border. These
SHOULD stop you since there may very well be a real threat. Of course
getting a red warning is rare. The rest of the UAC warnings are
basically bluffs, fluff, bullshit just to get you to change your ways.
How do I know that? Well duh, the two Microsoft engineers in the
channel 9 interview SAY SO. Not in those exact words, but their
inflection is clear. Also note their body language.

So you can either listen to the moronic fanboy crowd that have been
proven to be clueless idiots time after time or go right to the
horse's mouth and LEARN. The cost is about an hour's worth of your
time. The video interview runs that long, and while boring and
needlessly technical in many parts, still has a few eye opening
moments worth learning about.

Channel 9 is a EXCELLENT free resource where to can go to get the
scoop right from the people at Microsoft that are actually responsible
for implementing the changes made. You'll also learn a lot of the WHY
things are done the way they are, at least from Microsoft's point of
view.

Now I ask you, isn't that better than reading the slop some moron like
Frank writes? You be the judge.

 

[D. Eth]

OK.. maybe someone here can help me out... i made this folder in 32 bit
vista home premium with the name of alt+255 and an invisible file icon,
was using it to hide titty pics (pardon the expression, but its true) i
deleted the files inside and decided that i needed to delete the
folder.... here comes the problem... its been checked read-only so i try
to un-check it... still wont delete, go back into properties and its
still checked "read-only".... anyone have some advise for getting rid of
this said folder? Ive attached some screen shots.. but there is nothing
telling me that i don't have permissions or anything... I'm not to
familiar with vista but i tried to force delete it with the CMD prompt
like i would with a corrupt file in XP.... did i mess up somewhere?


+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Filename: Untitled2.jpg |
|Download: http://forums.techarena.in/attachment.php?attachmentid=7286|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

--
hellhound5005
------------------------------------------------------------------------
hellhound5005's Profile:
http://forums.techarena.in/members/hellhound5005.htm
View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/962480.htm

http://forums.techarena.in

Empty the recycle bin.
It's not on the Desktop as it should be.

In the future, hide them in a compressed folder, then rename the folder to
an unknown extension.

 

[Ian D]

OK.. maybe someone here can help me out... i made this folder in 32 bit
vista home premium with the name of alt+255 and an invisible file icon,
was using it to hide titty pics (pardon the expression, but its true) i
deleted the files inside and decided that i needed to delete the
folder.... here comes the problem... its been checked read-only so i try
to un-check it... still wont delete, go back into properties and its
still checked "read-only".... anyone have some advise for getting rid of
this said folder? Ive attached some screen shots.. but there is nothing
telling me that i don't have permissions or anything... I'm not to
familiar with vista but i tried to force delete it with the CMD prompt
like i would with a corrupt file in XP.... did i mess up somewhere?


+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Filename: Untitled2.jpg |
|Download: http://forums.techarena.in/attachment.php?attachmentid=7286|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

--
hellhound5005
------------------------------------------------------------------------
hellhound5005's Profile:
http://forums.techarena.in/members/hellhound5005.htm
View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/962480.htm

http://forums.techarena.in

File folders are always Read Only in Vista and XP. The
first thing I would with the invisible folder, is rename
it and give it a default icon so it's easier to work with.
Maybe then you will be able to delete it in the CMD
window.

 

[Ian D]

OK.. maybe someone here can help me out... i made this folder in 32 bit
vista home premium with the name of alt+255 and an invisible file icon,
was using it to hide titty pics (pardon the expression, but its true) i
deleted the files inside and decided that i needed to delete the
folder.... here comes the problem... its been checked read-only so i try
to un-check it... still wont delete, go back into properties and its
still checked "read-only".... anyone have some advise for getting rid of
this said folder? Ive attached some screen shots.. but there is nothing
telling me that i don't have permissions or anything... I'm not to
familiar with vista but i tried to force delete it with the CMD prompt
like i would with a corrupt file in XP.... did i mess up somewhere?


+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Filename: Untitled2.jpg |
|Download: http://forums.techarena.in/attachment.php?attachmentid=7286|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

--
hellhound5005
------------------------------------------------------------------------
hellhound5005's Profile:
http://forums.techarena.in/members/hellhound5005.htm
View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/962480.htm

http://forums.techarena.in

Once you get this sorted out, download and install
TrueCrypt. It's free. With TrueCrypt you can create
a file that contains an encrypted virtual drive of any
size you want. When you want to access the files
or add new ones, you mount the virtual drive, which
only takes a few seconds. The user manual with
TrueCrypt is very thorough.