Vista Ultimate - Access Denied Docs and Settings

  • Thread starter Thread starter Loopy
  • Start date Start date
L

Loopy

I figured out how to show hidden files and system files but access is denied
to documents and settings folder. I'm the only user on this machine and am
logged on as administrator. How can I gain access?
 
I'm still fairly new with Vista.. but...

Should be able to just change the permissions. This folder comes (by
default) with the Special Permissions of "EVERYONE - Deny". Remove that. If
you have issues removing it, use the "Owner" tab to assign ownership to
yourself. Then remove Everyone-Deny. Oughta work.

-Frank
 
in the "Security" tab of the folder properties "take ownership" of the
directory. Then delete the "Everyone Group". The Everyone Group has an
explicit Deny permissions that overrules the adminsitrators Full Control
permission because the administrator is also a member of the Everyone Group.
He isnt listed as such because the Everyone Group is a System Group that
does not have actual account members listed - its just the Everyone is a
member. (an explicit deny by being a member of one group always overrules
any permissions a user might have gained under a different group)

After you delete the Everyone Group, (or uncheck Deny) you will have access.
I haven't bothered to find the checkbox for forcing the setting through the
entire directory. Like everything else they are hiding that for us to find.
 
Loopy said:
I figured out how to show hidden files and system files but access is
denied to documents and settings folder. I'm the only user on this machine
and am logged on as administrator. How can I gain access?
Click to expand...


That's because there is no Documents and Settings folder.

All user folders and user settings are located in the "Users" folder now.
What you're seeing is simply there to redirect legacy software to the new
location(s) for user folders and settings.

If you look again, you'll notice that the Documents and Settings icon has a
'shortcut' label on it, it's not actually a folder at all.

Mic
 
Loopy said:
I figured out how to show hidden files and system files but access is
denied to documents and settings folder. I'm the only user on this machine
and am logged on as administrator. How can I gain access?
Click to expand...

You don't need access to this folder. It is actually just a junction point,
created for compatibility with older applications. Any folder that is
dimmed and has the curved arrow overlay is a junction point. All it does is
point to another folder. It is in that folder were you will find what you
want.

Do not change the permissions on these junction points as someone else
suggested you do. The permissions are set for deny so older programs don't
get confused if they can open it and see more links. Leave these folders
alone because you don't need to get into them.

If you don't know what folder a junction points to, open an elevated command
prompt, navigate to the folder where these junction points are located and
do a dir /s /al. This will list the junction points and the folders to
which they point.

For what you expect under Documents and Settings look in \Users\<Username>\
 
Michael Palumbo said:
That's because there is no Documents and Settings folder.

All user folders and user settings are located in the "Users" folder now.
What you're seeing is simply there to redirect legacy software to the new
location(s) for user folders and settings.

If you look again, you'll notice that the Documents and Settings icon has
a 'shortcut' label on it, it's not actually a folder at all.

Mic
Click to expand...

Yessir. However, for access to all the directories under "Users", you will
still need to remove the Everyone-Deny file permissions on a number of the
folders under Users.

-Frank
 
WoW! This is getting confusing. I'm afraid I've already changed tome of
the permissions. What started my search is, I'm trying to find where
cookies are stored. Hope I haven't messed anything up to badly.
 
Loopy said:
WoW! This is getting confusing. I'm afraid I've already changed tome of
the permissions. What started my search is, I'm trying to find where
cookies are stored. Hope I haven't messed anything up to badly.
Click to expand...

Go back and restore the permissions to what they were.
 
G:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies

<WinKey>+R -> shell:cookies
 
Thank You Keith. I did a system restore to put everything back the way it
was. Changed my user folder and finally drilled down to the cookie folder.
Dang, they sure buried that one deep. I'm trying to find a way to only
delete selected cookies from IE7 so I don't have to constantly sign in to a
couple of forums. In Firefox I use an add on called Cookie Culler that does
the job admirably. I just protect the cookies I want to keep and with one
click all the others are removed.

I do appreciate everyone's input here.



Keith Miller MVP said:
G:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies

<WinKey>+R -> shell:cookies


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

Loopy said:
WoW! This is getting confusing. I'm afraid I've already changed tome of
the permissions. What started my search is, I'm trying to find where
cookies are stored. Hope I haven't messed anything up to badly.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Thank You Keith. I did a system restore to put everything back the way it
was. Changed my user folder and finally drilled down to the cookie folder.
Dang, they sure buried that one deep. I'm trying to find a way to only
delete selected cookies from IE7 so I don't have to constantly sign in to a
couple of forums. In Firefox I use an add on called Cookie Culler that does
the job admirably. I just protect the cookies I want to keep and with one
click all the others are removed.
Click to expand...

The perfect reason to "just say no" to Internet Explorer.
 
Hello,

All the directories that have the "Deny permission" are not directories -
they are junctions. This deny permission should never be removed from
junctions - one should find out where the junction is pointing to and use
the real location instead. This can be done from the command prompt by
issuing the 'dir /al' command.


--
- JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

Windows Vista Support Faq
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
 
Yes. I agree. Now that I have a better understanding of Vista. (more
everyday...).

Anyway, I have spent the last hour or so looking around at all the new
"junctions" and permissions, and whatnot. Interesting.

I'm glad this thread came up. These are things I need to know.

Perfect example: Some program decides to place a "startup" program in what
used to be "All Users". I often need to find it to delete it. There are
hundreds more examples of this info being important. As is, Vista seems to
be designed so that the individual user, while logged on, has access to
these personal files. But for the system administrator to adjust these
"profile" files from an administrator logon, that's another story.

I do love what appears to be a lot of new command line options. Now I just
have to identify and learn them all. I'm a command line kinda guy anyway.
After I catch on to some of the new command line features I'll probably love
it. Sure are long paths though! :) LOL!

-Frank
 
I figured out how to show hidden files and system files but access is denied
to documents and settings folder. I'm the only user on this machine and am
logged on as administrator. How can I gain access?
Click to expand...

Is there a way to redirect all the stuff under User to a defined
location ? I hate my stuff on the C: and normally put it on another
drive. Put with Vista it seems that I have to do it for pictures,
documents, music etc... is there an easier way ?
 
If I go to the command prompt, and issure dir al, I get no files. If I issue
dir I get a list including the "junction" local settings". Still, how do I
get to the files that I want? There is one called archive.pst that I want to
transfer to a dvd since it is huge and taking up a lot of space.
Thanks, Tom
 
cd \<Enter>

dir /a /s archive.pst<Enter>

should find the file & show you the real path.
 
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