Cannot change READ ONLY file attributes using Administrator Account

Anonymous
2009-10-31T21:41:55+00:00

I have tried windows explorer and a custom program called Directory Opus. I have tried creating several administrator accounts but no luck.

I cannot work with this problem existing.

I need a solution.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2010-02-27T20:39:32+00:00

I have the exact same issue.  Following the steps above did not work, the folder/subfolders remain Read-Only.  I am the owner of the folder and subfolders.  I'm not even sure how they became Read-Only to begin with.  Setting Read-Only on individual files works properly.  Changing folder settings does not.

***IMPORTANT EDIT:

According to a Microsoft Knowledge Base post:

You cannot view or change the Read-only or the System attributes of folders

To summarize, Windows ignores System or Read-Only settings on folders (it does not ignore those properties on FILES however).  Individual applications that you are running may not ignore the Read-Only status on a folder and may give an error.  In my situation, an application was attempting to create a new file in a folder that was marked as Read-Only and it honored the RO setting and refused to try to create the new file.

To actually change these attributes, the Properties menu will not work.  From the KB source:

  • If you click Apply changes to this folder only , the Read-only attribute is changed for all the files in the folder. However, the Read-only attribute is not changed for the folder, its subfolders, or any files in its subfolders. If you click Apply changes to this folder, subfolders, and files , the Read-only attribute is changed for all files in the folder and all files in the subfolders. However, the Read-only attribute is not changed for the folder or its subfolders.

In order to change these properties, the user must launch a command line terminal and execute the changes by hand, such as this command:

  • attrib -r +s c:\test

...which will remove the READ-ONLY setting and apply the SYSTEM setting to the folder.  Once again, changing properties of files (including files in subfolders) works as expected with the right-click Properties -> Security menu.

Knowledge Base source:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326549

Bad support, MS.

Was this answer helpful?

300+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

77 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-10-07T19:42:55+00:00

    I am an administrator on my own windows 10 home computer. I have worked as a system admin (a while back) and written considerable software for windows.

    I am trying to remove the read-only file attributes for all the files in the following folder and subfolders, due to a failing Itunes UPDATE.

    C:\Programs Files\Itunes\

    None of the suggestions above has worked, either from Explorer or from an Admin-elevated command prompt using ATTRIB.

    While I GUESS that the read-only problems is the source of my problem, further research indicates that I have cleared the attributes of every file in this path (and subfolders)--verified by 

    attrib *.* /s > attriblst.txt       And sording in Excel.

    HOWEVER, the itunes FOLDER continues to have a READ-ONLY attribute--I could NOT save my XLS file THERE!

    Using ATTRIB to change the permissions on the Itunes folder did not solve this problem--even though it executed without error from it's parent.

    How about a workable solution?  

    I get it that W10 home is a crippled implementation?  Could I really fix this behavior if I upgraded to Windows 10 Pro?

    LMA Durham Nc

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-09-13T17:17:58+00:00

    This does not work. I am using a new system with Windows 10 factory installed. Local admin account. I have folders I created on the D drive that I use for development of mods for a few games. Windows 10 marked them read only and now many of my tools do not work properly. 

    I have done the following:

    Taken ownership of the folders

    Tried sharing the folders under full control with my account

    I have tried an Admin elevated cmd window and changing the folders that way

    and I have tried adding the elevated permissions in the security window

    None of these work. While I am fairly new to windows 10 I have been a system and network admin for over ten years with MS products. This little issue is driving me nuts. It makes me want to get Win 7 and install on this new system.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-08-10T20:36:11+00:00

    Well, I stumbled into this problem today when I tried to remove a program that I no longer needed.  The company provided uninstall as is typically the case left lots of files behind.  However, in this case it may have not been their fault.  Turns out about a dozen files had the Read-Only attribute set as outlined here.  I waded through this article and few others, but kept coming back to this one, especially since someone had updated it the first of August.

    Here is how I was able to fix my problem, whether it will work for you or not only time will tell.

    1.  I booted off a Windows 7 Repair USB stick I have.  (I suspect a DVD should work).

            (Might be good idea to use appropriate Windows Repair software.)

    1.  Wait till given a choice and selected Other Repair option.
    2.  Selected Command Prompt.
    3.  Then did attrib -r +s to files and folders to be deleted.

           (The r attribute was finally missing from the files.)

    1.  Now attrib -s to files and folders to be deleted.

           (So I could see them.)

           (The r attribute was "still" missing from the files.)

    1.  Deleted files with del and folders with rd.  (I suspect I could have used rd with /s.)
    2.  Rebooted into normal drive.

    Like I said this worked for me this time.  The key I guess was getting access to the folder in question with another Operating System.

    On of my pet gripes with Windows and to some degree Linux/UNIX and I guess by association Apple is the hoops one must jump through to work on files in the OS "sometimes".

    This definitely being one of those times.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-08-01T14:36:00+00:00

    I did this.  All user names are to Allow all operations.  It did not solve the problem.

    That includes:

    SYSTEM

    (me)

    Account Unknown...

    Administrators

    The security system seems to be centered on particular persons, rather than installed programs.

    Who is the 'person' behind mysql?  I don't know.

    Should fall under SYSTEM, seems to me, but SYSTEM has full access like the other three above.

    By the way, your images appear to be from an earlier Windows version.  Windows 10 shows roughly the same labels, but with different icons.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments