Why can't I change folders I created from Read Only

[Guest]

I understand the comments in threads I've read regarding inherited
attributes, etc., and why you may have problems turning off the Read Only
attribute on pre-existing folders.

However, I've created new folders on my C-drive, and am unable to remove the
Read Only attribute. I go into properties, uncheck it, Apply, OK, When I go
back in it is still checked.

I am logged in to Vista with the base ID I created when I set up the machine
(and it says it is administrator).

What am I doing wrong?

Mark B,

 

[Tom Porterfield]

I understand the comments in threads I've read regarding inherited
attributes, etc., and why you may have problems turning off the Read Only
attribute on pre-existing folders.

However, I've created new folders on my C-drive, and am unable to remove
the Read Only attribute. I go into properties, uncheck it, Apply, OK,
When I go back in it is still checked.

I am logged in to Vista with the base ID I created when I set up the
machine (and it says it is administrator).

What am I doing wrong?

You are misinterpreting what you are seeing, that's all. The folder isn't
read-only, and the read-only indicator in Explorer in regards to folders is
not a true representation of the attribute on the folder. When you look at
that in Explorer, is it checked or unchecked? The answer is neither, the
square is filled in by not with a check mark. This is an indication that
the value is undetermined or in a mixed state. To determine whether a
folder really has the read-only attribute set, you need to open a command
window and check from there using the attrib command. In a command prompt
window type the following:

attrib <folder name>

If the folder is truly read-only the result would look similar to as
follows:

R c:\<folder name>

The R is an indication that the folder is read-only. If you do not see that
R before the folder name, it is not read-only.

Add to that the fact that Windows does not treat a read-only folder as truly
read-only. Rather it uses that as an indicator that the folder has special
viewing attributes.

 

[Ken Gardner]

I understand the comments in threads I've read regarding inherited
attributes, etc., and why you may have problems turning off the Read Only
attribute on pre-existing folders.

However, I've created new folders on my C-drive, and am unable to remove
the
Read Only attribute. I go into properties, uncheck it, Apply, OK, When I
go
back in it is still checked.

I am logged in to Vista with the base ID I created when I set up the
machine
(and it says it is administrator).

What am I doing wrong?

Have you tried running chkdsk on the drive? Sometimes this happens because
of a disk error. If chkdsk doesn't do the trick, then it is probably a
permissions issue. You need to validate that you have permission to modify
the folder in question. If THAT doesn't work, check the permissions of the
parent folder(s), if any.

Ken

 

[Gary]

Wrong!

You can not set this property on a folder, ONLY a file can have this
property.

 

[Keith Miller MVP]

Wrong! The read-only attribute can be and is set on many folders. It
doesn't affect a user's ability to save files in that folder -- it tells
explorer to process the desktop.ini file.

 

[Gary]

Only the files within a folder can be read only.

Wrong! The read-only attribute can be and is set on many folders. It
doesn't affect a user's ability to save files in that folder -- it tells
explorer to process the desktop.ini file.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

Wrong!

You can not set this property on a folder, ONLY a file can have this
property.

 

[Tom Porterfield]

Only the files within a folder can be read only.

A folder can have the read-only attribute set, but it doesn't make the
folder read-only. Instead it tells Windows that the folder has special
viewing characteristics that should be applied.