Unknown user has control of an entire directory of files.

  • Thread starter Thread starter JF
  • Start date Start date
J

JF

I recently downloaded and unzipped an SDK (Apache Axis, fyi) into a
directory on my machine. At some time later, I tried to copy a file to this
directory but was getting an "Access Denied" error. I really don't remember
anything out of the ordinary happening between when I unzipped the SDK and
when I received the access denied error message.

Anyway, I eventually discovered that every file and folder at and below the
unzip directory had read-only access. I could not understand how this was
possible as I am logged in as the Administrator. My goal at this point was
to just delete the directory but I could not seem to do it. I tried every
trick in the book, including re-booting, disabling explorer.exe, etc. and
even trying a program called MoveOnBoot that supposedly allows for deletion
before Windows Access control takes over. Nothing worked.

Finally, I enabled the security tab to check out the owner of the files.
Some unknown user who's username looks more like a GUID has full control of
this folder and all files and sub-directories within. Every other user has
read-only access - including the Administrator. I can't even change rights
as the Administrator!

This strange user has a little icon next to the username in the security
dialog box that looks like the typical user icon (a head) but it also has a
little question mark overlapping the head. I consider my self pretty
skilled in this sort of thing but I can't for the life of me figure out what
is going on here. I can rename and move whole directory without a problem,
but that is about it. So, now I am stuck with this stupid directory on my
machine.

Might anyone offer suggestions as to what is going on here? An OS bug? A
virus? I am really confused.

Regards,

JF
 
use the security tab, advanced button, ownership tab, and change owner to
yourself. check the box under the list of users and it should change the
whole tree at once. i don't know why this happens, but i have some folders
with a guid as owner, though i do have admin permissions on them... maybe it
happens when files are copied from a different machine in some cases.
 
JF said:
I recently downloaded and unzipped an SDK (Apache Axis, fyi) into a
directory on my machine. At some time later, I tried to copy a file to
this
directory but was getting an "Access Denied" error. I really don't
remember
anything out of the ordinary happening between when I unzipped the SDK and
when I received the access denied error message.

Anyway, I eventually discovered that every file and folder at and below
the
unzip directory had read-only access. I could not understand how this
was
possible as I am logged in as the Administrator. My goal at this point
was
to just delete the directory but I could not seem to do it. I tried every
trick in the book, including re-booting, disabling explorer.exe, etc. and
even trying a program called MoveOnBoot that supposedly allows for
deletion
before Windows Access control takes over. Nothing worked.

Finally, I enabled the security tab to check out the owner of the files.
Some unknown user who's username looks more like a GUID has full control
of
this folder and all files and sub-directories within. Every other user
has
read-only access - including the Administrator. I can't even change
rights
as the Administrator!

This strange user has a little icon next to the username in the security
dialog box that looks like the typical user icon (a head) but it also has
a
little question mark overlapping the head. I consider my self pretty
skilled in this sort of thing but I can't for the life of me figure out
what
is going on here. I can rename and move whole directory without a
problem,
but that is about it. So, now I am stuck with this stupid directory on my
machine.

Might anyone offer suggestions as to what is going on here? An OS bug? A
virus? I am really confused.

Regards,

JF
Click to expand...


That string of numbers is the SID that corresponds to an account that no
longer exists or to an account that belongs to a domain that your system is
no longer a member of or unable to contact.
 
Thanks everyone for your help.

I changed the owner as directed and then the permissions on the directory
tree and was finally able to delete the directory. I remember reading
something about changing the owner before I posted here but in all my
frustration I missed it.
 
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