Fed up with not being able to delete/move/etc files because of permissions

[David Wicks]

I'm on the end of my rope on this one. A while ago, maybe a year or so, I got an SSD for two purposes: the first was to run Windows 8.1, which I just bought (was using Windows 7 loaded onto a 1 terabyte hard drive before that) so that it loads quickly and all that, and to install Battlefield 4 (which I play often) so I can load in quickly. So I did that and all was dandy.

I began realizing something, though. Something painfully annoying I didn't experience with Win7. Even though I'm the only account on this computer, and I'm supposedly an administrator and have UAC turned off, there are files in my terabyte drive and SSD I cannot edit at all, I can't even edit the permissions. I can't change anything in Program Files or Program Files x86 most of all, and Windows 7 is still installed on the terabyte drive even though I will never use it again. But it is so aggravating that I can't do a damn thing with my SSD or terabyte drive.

Now, I also have a 500 gigabyte hard drive that was my old drive before the terabyte one. I used that for backup. Funny enough I CAN edit anything on that one and have full control.

Skip to here if you don't care about the history of my problem
I'm going to assume that because I have Windows 7 installed on the terabyte drive, that is why I cannot change any of the files on that drive. So how can I both A) Delete Windows 7 from my terabyte drive since I do not need it anymore but maintain my files, and B) get the ability to change the files and folders on that drive and my SSD back before I rip out all my hair?

Thanks for any help.

 

[johnbl]

you have to take ownership of the files or directory and give yourself permissions

takeown.exe and icacls.exe commands via the cmd.exe
or use windows explorer right mouse click, properties, security tab and you can see/change the permissions

I think there is a registry key to make the takeownership popup box come up if it is a ownership issue.
you should be able to google for the key.

 

[David Wicks]

EDIT 2: Or not...it works, I can change ownership...but even changing the ownership to my username, I still apparently need permission from...myself...to edit the folders and files..

EDIT: I got it working. Here's what happened for anyone searching in the future:
In Windows 7, putting the User Account Control slider to the bottom turned UAC off. In Windows 8, it doesn't. In order to turn it off, you need to go to the registry.
So because I came from Win7, I was used to not having to run as administrator. Now I had to. So I right clicked cmd.exe and ran it as an admin and now I can take ownership finally.

I tried the takeown stuff from the command prompt and even that tells me I don't have permission to do it.

C:\Windows\System32>TAKEOWN /F * /A /R /D Y
ERROR: The current logged on user does not have administrative privileges.

Trying anything, I get the same exact error each time.

C:\Windows\System32>takeown /f D:\Windows 
ERROR: The current logged on user does not have ownership privileges on the file (or folder) "D:\Windows".

C:\Windows\System32>takeown /f D:\Windows /r /d y
ERROR: The current logged on user does not have ownership privileges on the file (or folder) "D:\Windows".

So because I don't have ownership privileges, I can't take ownership.
This computer is a moment away from being out the window.

 

[johnbl]

sorry, I should have mentioned that you have to start cmd.exe elevated as a admin.
(windows key +x then type a)
By default the windows files will be owned by "trustedInstaller" not by the admin

EDIT: I got it working. Here's what happened for anyone searching in the future:
In Windows 7, putting the User Account Control slider to the bottom turned UAC off. In Windows 8, it doesn't. In order to turn it off, you need to go to the registry.
So because I came from Win7, I was used to not having to run as administrator. Now I had to. So I right clicked cmd.exe and ran it as an admin and now I can take ownership finally.

I tried the takeown stuff from the command prompt and even that tells me I don't have permission to do it.

C:\Windows\System32>TAKEOWN /F * /A /R /D Y
ERROR: The current logged on user does not have administrative privileges.

Trying anything, I get the same exact error each time.

C:\Windows\System32>takeown /f D:\Windows 
ERROR: The current logged on user does not have ownership privileges on the file (or folder) "D:\Windows".

C:\Windows\System32>takeown /f D:\Windows /r /d y
ERROR: The current logged on user does not have ownership privileges on the file (or folder) "D:\Windows".

So because I don't have ownership privileges, I can't take ownership.
This computer is a moment away from being out the window.

 

[David Wicks]

Or not...it works, I can change ownership...but even changing the ownership to my username, I still apparently need permission from...myself...to edit the folders and files..

 

[johnbl]

use the icacls.exe command to give yourself permissions

Or not...it works, I can change ownership...but even changing the ownership to my username, I still apparently need permission from...myself...to edit the folders and files..

 

[David Wicks]

use the icacls.exe command to give yourself permissions

Or not...it works, I can change ownership...but even changing the ownership to my username, I still apparently need permission from...myself...to edit the folders and files..

Right, I was trying to figure out how to work that. I'll have to work on it when I get home from work in the morning.