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How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP


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ShadowPuterDude

Fri May 19 2006, 04:16PM

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When you attempt to access your personal and/or encrypted files you recieve an error message similar to this:

Folder is not accessible. Access is denied

This happens when you try to access a Folder that was created on a NTFS file system volume by a previous installation of Windows. This commonly occurs after one of the following:

1. Before you install Windows XP Professional, you change the actual location, or target location, of the My Documents folder to another volume.

2. You format the primary partition to upgrade or reinstall Windows XP.

3. You perform a clean installation of Windows XP Professional and then attempt to import your data backups.

How to take ownership of a folder

Note You must be logged on to the computer with an account that has administrative credentials. If you are running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, you must start the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an account that has Administrative rights to have access to the Security tab.

If you are using Windows XP Professional, you must disable Simple File Sharing. By default, Windows XP Professional uses Simple File sharing when it is not joined to a domain.

How to turn off simple file sharing

To disable simple file sharing, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, and then click My Computer.

2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, and then click the View tab.

3. In the Advanced Settings section, clear the Use simple file sharing (Recommended) check box.

4. Click OK.

To take ownership of a folder, follow these steps:
1. Right-click the folder that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears).

3. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.

4. In the Name list, click your user name, or click Administrator if you are logged in as Administrator, or click the Administrators group. If you want to take ownership of the contents of that folder, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box.

5. Click OK, and then click Yes when you receive the following message:

You do not have permission to read the contents of directory folder name. Do you want to replace the directory permissions with permissions granting you Full Control?

All permissions will be replaced if you press Yes.

Note folder name is the name of the folder that you want to take ownership of.

6. Click OK, and then reapply the permissions and security settings that you want for the folder and its contents.

How to take ownership of a file

Note You must be logged on to the computer with an account that has administrative credentials.

To take ownership of a file, follow these steps:
1. Right-click the file that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears).

3. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.

4. In the Name list, click Administrator, or click the Administrators group, and then click OK.

The administrator or the Administrators group now owns the file. To change the permissions on the files and folders under this folder, go to step 5.

5. Click Add.

6. In the Enter the object names to select (examples) list, type the user or group account that you want to give access to the file. For example, type Administrator.

7. Click OK.

8. In the Group or user names list, click the account that you want, and then select the check boxes of the permissions that you want to assign that user.

9. When you are finished assigning permissions, click OK.

[ Edited Fri May 19 2006, 04:18PM ]

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