Accidentally Overwritten the administrative access to the C: drive...

[brandrixco]

So I think I did something stupid, though it was not my intention to do so. I tried limiting the access to the C: drive to another user on the computer and for some reason even though I disabled access only to the users accounts it disabled them for the administrative one as well. I have no access to the C drive nor CMD.

What can I do to solve this issue?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Reverse actions you did before.
Or at least explain exactly what you did.

 

[brandrixco]

I tried removing access to the c drive for users except for administrators and ended up accidentally not checking the systems rights. I am an adminstrator, but cannot go on CMD administrator nor can I change the user settings of the folder. I have no clue why it checked off system, I never once checked anything off in there nor the administrator settings.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Then add back those users you deleted from access list.

 

[brandrixco]

I cannot change anything. Going into the C :drives property-->Security I cannot edit any of the options in here.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Take ownewship.
And post screenshot from Advanced Security Settings for C:

 

[brandrixco]

 

[SkyNetRising]

Press on Change and take ownership.

 

[brandrixco]

It won't let me...

 

[SkyNetRising]

Ok. You'll need to use Administrator account to do that.

Use theese instructions:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-security/cant-open-access-control-editor-access-is-denied/0b938de0-620c-417f-a2b6-50a9c7f58766

 

[brandrixco]

Ok so its not letting me even as an administrator. It still won't let me access the permissions on the drive.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Did you use instructions from that page?
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-security/cant-open-access-control-editor-access-is-denied/0b938de0-620c-417f-a2b6-50a9c7f58766

 

[brandrixco]

Yup, I am using the administrative user and still cannot change the permissions using the security tab. I also tried doing it in safe mode and still have found no luck.

 

[SkyNetRising]

On witch step did you get stuck?
What was the error message?

 

[brandrixco]

Its the same as above "Can't open access contro editor". The permissions are somehow only towards the SYSTEM. I am completely locked out even with super admin.

Edit: Even using commands such as this has no luck getting the permissions re-set.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Try takeown command.

 

[brandrixco]

Alright so I literally kept digging and digging and digging and managed to make myself the SYSTEM (I am the matrix) and I still change it with takeown...Is there something higher then SYSTEM? WTF.

 

[SkyNetRising]

One more option - attaching drive to another computer (with not fcked up OS) and setting access permissions from there;
or installing another OS on the same computer.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I think that takeown error means, that you don't have execute rights for takeown.exe file
(C:\Windows\System32\takeown.exe)
Try setting up those first.

 

[brandrixco]

How would I get set the permission rights for the takeown.exe file?

 

[Jason_156]

I have the exact same problem. I removed administartive permissions for my c drive and now i cant do anything to fix it. Anyone know how to fix this?