HOME  >>  FILE ACCESS (Updated: April 10, 2008) WINDOWS 2000 - Taking Ownership of Profiles 1. In the Profile folder, right-click the appropriate user's profile folder, and then click Properties. 2. Click the Security tab, and then click Advanced. 3. Click the Owner tab, click the user that you would like to take ownership in the Change owner to box, and then click Apply. 4. Click the Ownership button. A dialog box appears and displays: Directory Name: D:\ Owner: Administrators Close Take Ownership Help 5. Click the Take Ownership button. You receive the following error message: One or more of the items selected is a directory. Do you want to take ownership of all the files and contained in the selected directories? 6. Click Yes. This makes the Administrators the owner of the whole directory structure and all of the files in it. But note that taking ownership does not automatically grant you permission to access it. You have to explicitly give the administrator permission to the folders and files. WINDOWS XP - Taking Ownership of a Folder Log on with an account that has administrative credentials. If you are running Windows XP Home Edition, you must start the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an account that has Administrative rights to have access to the Security tab. If you are using Windows XP Professional, you must disable Simple File Sharing (see below). By default, Windows XP Professional uses Simple File sharing when it is not joined to a domain. 1. Right-click the folder that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties. 2. Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears). 3. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab. 4. In the Name list, click your user name, or click Administrator if you are logged in as Administrator, or click the Administrators group. If you want to take ownership of the contents of that folder, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box. 5. Click OK, and then click Yes when you receive the following message: You do not have permission to read the contents of directory folder name. Do you want to replace the directory permissions with permissions granting you Full Control? All permissions will be replaced if you press Yes. Note the folder name is the name of the folder that you want to take ownership of. 6. Click OK, and then reapply the permissions and security settings that you want for the folder and its contents. WINDOWS XP - Taking Ownership of a File Log on with an account that has administrative credentials. 1. Right-click the file that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties. 2. Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears). 3. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab. 4. In the Name list, click Administrator, or click the Administrators group, and then click OK. The administrator or the Administrators group now owns the file. To change the permissions on the files and folders under this folder, go to step 5. 5. Click Add. 6. In the Enter the object names to select (examples) list, type the user or group account that you want to give access to the file. For example, type Administrator. 7. Click OK. 8. In the Group or user names list, click the account that you want, and then select the check boxes of the permissions that you want to assign that user. 9. When you are finished assigning permissions, click OK. How to turn off simple file sharing: 1. Click Start, and then click My Computer. 2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, and then click the View tab. 3. In the Advanced Settings section, clear the Use simple file sharing (Recommended) check box. 4. Click OK. WINDOWS VISTA - Enable built-in Administrator account: 1. Click Start, and type "cmd" in the "Start Search" box. 2. In the search results list, right-click "Command Prompt", and then click "Run as Administrator". 3. If you are prompted by User Account Control, click "Continue". 4. At the command prompt, type "net user administrator /active:yes", and then press ENTER. 5. Type "net user administrator <Password>", and then press ENTER. (Replace <Password> with a password you want for the administrator account) 6. Type "exit", and then press ENTER. 7. Log off the current user account. ACCESS DENIED - Fix access "denied" error when trying to access or back up files: Log on as Administrator Control Panel... Folder Options... View... Show Hidden Files and Folders Right Click the parent folder... Properties... Security... Advanced... Owner... Edit... Administrator... Check "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects"... Apply... Yes... OK(x4)