When tech support needs tech support...

Technology and Gaming Help and Support
#1

…They go to their favorite forum for tech help.

I am the most techy of the family, so when there is a problem they come to me. This particular problem is that I cant figure out and I need help. How do I get the “Steve” and “Elizabeth” folders in the picture below to NOT give me the security error. I already verified that they are NOT user accounts, and I am already logged in as the “Administrator”.

So, how do I get rid of that error/gain access to those folders?

Also, what and where is the setting that auto hides your desktop shortcuts?

Thanks for the help guys. I am really stuck.

#2

That’s easy, assuming the folders are locked due to account restriction (and not bad sectors on your hard drive) Just boot up your favourite flavour of live linux and copy the contents of those folders somewhere else.

#3

Go into safe-mode (it depends what motherboard you’re using, but typically this can be accessed by pressing F5 or similar on your mobo’s splashscreen). Then navigate to these folders, right click them and set the permissions that way. If you’d like a more detailed step-by-step procedure, I can provide that in about 30 minutes when I get home. Hope this helps, Catz :slight_smile:

#4

Right click -> Security tab -> Advanced -> Owner tab -> Edit… -> set your current account as owner. Apply and close properties.

And then

Right click -> Security tab -> Advanced -> Permissions tab -> make sure your current account has full control.

If that doesn’t work, do what sersoft said.

#5

eh, what?
since when is safemode related to the mainboard?

#6

Oh, haha, my bad. I was thinking of BIOS for a second.

#7

And the safe mode button is obviously F8… Do your homework.

#8

Thanks for the suggestions folks. I will have mom fire up remote desktop and I will try those suggestions.

#9

Remote desktop doesn’t work when you go into safe mode nor does it work in linux. Keep that in mind.

#10

Actually… I was hoping Burbinator’s ideas would work. I really REALLY dont want to have to guide my mom over the phone on how to go in through safe mode.

And this is a windows xp system.

#11

What you need to do is claim ownership of the directories. You could chown them in Linux/BSD and retrieve what you need that way. If you don’t know or want to do that you can boot into safe mode by pressing F8 when Windows is booting. Right click on the folder you are wanting to change permissions for and there are a few things you can do. Now I don’t use Windows anymore and haven’t for 4-5 years, but I am pretty certain you have to claim ownership of the directories you want to change permissions to or it won’t let you change any permissions. This can only be done in Sage Mode and you should also click:

Apply Changes to all Sub Directories

or whatever it says similar to that
After you take ownership you should be able to browse without getting Access Denied and will be able to change permissions, I can’t give you exact word for word directions cause like I said I haven’t used Windows myself, except for cleaning up other ppls shit, in about 4-5 years. I still use Windows every now and then maybe ever 3-6 months for my Steam Games, but thats it.

#12

If you want to do it remotely you can pick Safe Mode with Networking and then use a bundled VNC server and client like RealVNC, TightVNC, or UltraVNC so you can do it for her. It should work pretty easily as long as she doesn’t have a router/firewall. It should allow it through her Windows XP firewall with PNP support but if it doesn’t it will still ask her if she wants to block or unblock the traffic from the VNC app so it should be able to get through that. I could get it done it 5 min, 10 min max if there are any hitches…

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