"You need permission to perform this action": moving folders in Documents

  • Thread starter Thread starter weewillie
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weewillie

I migrated from xp to vista 18m ago
I'm now on sp2
I copied my 'my documents' folder into documents, and gradually, as
the mood takes me, I've moved directores from 'my documents' to
'documents'
There are still quite a number of folders in 'md'
Today I went to move one from md to documents and got the above
message
I then tried a 'drag and drop' with the same result
As I'm the only person using this laptop, whose permission do I need?

David
 
The stupidity of Vista, and Win 7 is similar, often locking files that are
copied over from another machine in a manner that is indescribably
Microsoft.
You have to reset the permissions/ownership of these documents.
In XP and prior when you copied documents as you have done they were
generally tagged as read-only, frustrating but a tad more understandable
than the way "ownership" is now automatically denied. If you did not
understand how to change from read-only at least you could open and resave
under a different name.
If you install Win7 in a dual boot environment you will find inconsistently
the same thing: you will be denied access to many, but not all, folders and
documents stored on the Vista side unless you grant yourself access rights.
Lest any Microsoft apologists deny this they can come examine my several
dual boot desktops and laptops.
Airport security will not let you bring shampoo on the airplane but if you
are sitting in business class they will give you a steak knife with your
meal: it all makes sense, somehow.
 
I migrated from xp to vista 18m ago
I'm now on sp2
I copied my 'my documents' folder into documents, and gradually, as
the mood takes me, I've moved directores from 'my documents' to
'documents'
There are still quite a number of folders in 'md'
Today I went to move one from md to documents and got the above
message
I then tried a 'drag and drop' with the same result
As I'm the only person using this laptop, whose permission do I need?

David
Click to expand...

You need to take ownership of the folders/files. This will add the command
to your right-click menu:
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/
 
Worked a treat, thanks for your help

Oddly I do remember that I did previously move some folders in vista
as I described and that worked
Click to expand...

Perhaps the folders were actually 'yours', I mean that you created them.
Also, Vista seems to be particular about the folder's path whether or not
to grant you control.

The registry code to add Take Ownership was included in the early Windows 7
betas but has been removed from the final versions. Microsoft must have thought
it would be A Bad Idea to let users loose with it!
 
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