Permission

[Allen Craig]

I want to delete some files, Windows 7 home premium says I don't have permission

 

What do I have to do to 'give' myself permission to do whatever I wish to do in Windows 7?

[JSkorna]

Turn off UAC.

[Daniel.T]

First, did you disable UAC, to "take control" ?

[il88pp]

To not have this issue (amd many others) you install outside of the programs folder.

Leave uac on. It protects your system, and the Windows files.

[zswobbie1]

I've always turned my UAC settings right down. It just nags the whole time it is on to prevent users from getting their fingers burnt. I have never had a problem with it in my Windows 7, 8.1 & Windows 10.

Actually, there are developers that actually recommend turning it off.

So, turn it off, & run as Admin. All will be good! :-)

[Allen Craig]

Thanks all

 

UAC is off

 

I had to establish control (jump through hoops) to delete each folder

 

and there were over 100

 

WHEW!!

 

Woulda been nice to simply highlight all folders and click delete

 

but that wasn't gonna happen

[longbreak754]

Hi Allen,

 

An option is to take 'ownership' of the file or folder(s). To take ownership you have to change the security permissions/settings for the file/folder. Google the phrase 'how to take ownership of a file in windows 7' (without the quotation marks) to find numerous guides on how to do it.....

 

A caveat here - be sure that the files to be changed/deleted are not essential system/program files. Changing the permission settings/deletion of such files may cause issues.....

[N99WB]

Open command prompt as administrator

Use the del command with /F to force delete read only files.

 

del /? will bring up the help files.

 

N99WB

[il88pp]

Installing outside "program files" and "program files (x86)" is the bes option.

Taking ownership is irreversible. You can't give back ownership to the system admin account afterwards. And it can cause issues.

 

Uac prevents files that are owned by the system account from getting changed by something untoward.

Any program you run will run with your permissions. Your user account, or your admin account.

That means that what you run, can only change files you own.

A file that is owned by the system will at least block this, and give a popup saying: "are you sure?"

 

If the program you just started iss something you know is safe, you could choose to click agree.

And if you get a message:

Program: "something you never heard of"--is trying to change a file in C:Windows\System32

You have the option of saying: NO! don't do that!

Or for example: Program: X-is trying to change a file in C:\program Files\Norton360

You also have the option of saying NO.

A good idea in those cases, as something that you don't know, and that coud be a virus trying to cause damage, is trying possibly to damage your system files or virus scanner.

 

By all means, do NOT take ownership of important stuff like that. Definitely not of the Whole C:\Program files or Program Files (x86) folders, or more even.

[napamule2]

Using 'TakeOwnershipEx' (free program) will simplify taking ownership of any folder / files. And it also allows you to 'Restore' ownership of said folder / files.

 

The download is zip file containing 2 '*.exe' installers. One is for Win 7 and the other is for Win 8, 8.1 and 10.

 

Google to get 'How To' guides, and info, concerning permissions and ownership.

Chuck B

Napamule