MAKING CHANGES IN THE WINDOWS DIRECTORY - Vista Home Premium

[JosephP]

I recently bought an HP Pavilion dv4, Entertainment Notebook. 64 bit. Windows Vista Home Premium. It will not allow me to add any files to the Windows Directory and will not allow me to modify the WIN.INI file, to give two examples. It is, in effect, tying to protect me from myself by denying me access. I am the Administeator.

How do I override this protection so I can work with files in the Windows Directory?

Please go step by step. When I started to look at all of the options I was clearly over my head.

THANKS 

[CorMit]

Hello JosephP,

Try this:

This tweak adds the "Take Ownership" option to folder context menus, saving a lot of time and possible errors that can result from doing it manually.

So all you need to do is RIGHT CLICK on the File or Folder you want to be able to edit and then choose Take Ownership and you will be able to edit it..

Copy the text between the lines, paste in a Notepad window, save the file to your desktop as ownership.reg and then right-click the file and Merge it with your registry give the permission or allow it if prompt . 

------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Let me know how that works for you ..

Message Edited by CorMit on 01-23-2009 03:06 PM

[JosephP]

Hi CorMit

Your instructions appear to have left out some steps. Please don't assume I have any intuitive ideas on how to deal with Vista. For example, you say:

 "all you need to do is RIGHT CLICK on the File or Folder you want to be able to edit and then choose Take Ownership"

When I right click on any file or folder I get a menu that includes ONLY these options:

Open, print, edit, Scan win.ini (the file in question), open with, send to, cut, copy, create short cut, delete, rename, properties.

I did click on properties, but could find nothing that related to "take ownerdhip"

SOMETHING STRANGE DID HAPPEN. I right clicked on the Windows Folder. I clicked on Properties. I UNchecked the box for read only. When I clicked, Apply, I got an error. When I clicked, OK, the machine seemed to go through every file in Windows. So, I tried to edit the Win.ini file. It would not let me. Says I need administrator permission. Went back and right clicked on the Windows Folder. The read only box was checked again. NOTE: The Win.Ini file is not marked as "read only".

The second part of your message with all of the instructions for the registry is way over my head.

Please try explaining again. I don't know why I can't find anything that says, Take Ownership.

THANKS 

[CorMit]

Hello Again,

This is the step you have forgotten ...

Copy the BLUE text between the RED lines, paste in a Notepad window (DO NOT COPY THE RED LINES), save the file to your desktop as "ownership.reg" and then right-click the file "ownership.reg" and choose "Merge" and give the permission to continue or allow it if prompt . 

------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After that is copied, restart your computer, once that is done, go to the WIN.INI file you are trying to edit, and RIGHT click on it and you should now have a NEW option labled "Take Ownership" ... Click on it then try editing it ...

let me know if you have any trouble with that and i will see if I can post an easier way ..

[JosephP]

Hi CorMit:

Thank you for your timely response and instructions.

It has taken me a little while to get back to you because I got a bit scared when you suggested I do something that would change the registry. So I consulted with a friend who fixes computers. I was looking for free advice and was reluctant to lean on him. But with your information in hand I was able to get an opinion. His answer was the same as yours.

There are a couple of caveats, however, that you should explain if you ever have reason to give out this advice again. 1)- Warn people that the DOS window will pop up and a person will see a lot of activity stream by. My first impulse was to pull the plug <grin>. 2)- Once the procedure is complete, the way to display "Take Ownership" on the menu is to hold down the shift key and then right click on the file.

Basically, your advice worked.

If you will bear with me I'd like to explain why I wanted access to the Windows Directory in the first place. The task I wanted to complete did NOT work. My first project was to get Cardfile.exe to work. This is a little database program that originally came with Windows 3.1. It has worked for me for the last 16 years, which means there is a lot of data in it and I have learned to depend on it.

My task was to go into the Win.ini file and type in the reference for Cardfile. Cardfile does not have an install program. This cost me hours of trying out different stuff including getting your advice and the advice of my friend. If things like this are why Vista is so hated, I can understand. But I can't tell a Vista problem from a 64 bit problem.

Searching Google for a solution revealed that I am not alone in this. In fact there are 32 bit versions of Cardfile that do not seem to work with 64 bit Vista. The impression I got is that there isn't anything for 64 bit, unless, of course, you know of something. Do you ????

[CorMit]

In short, No, I can't think of anything that would allow the Cardfile.exe to work .. unless you try right clicking on it and going to compatability and then choosing to run it in compatability for ... windows XP SP2 or which ever version of windows you want prior to vista .. and then try launching it they way you would in the other versions of the OS ...

and I didn't give you any Warnings for that Reg Edit .. because honestly, I haven't used it .. but i knew it would not hurt your computer because all that it does is automatically runs the ICACLS command then the  TAKE OWN command ... i would have posted the actual commands but then you would of had to type in the location of the file/folder you wanted to take ownership of .. and well that can take a long time and if you want to run it on another file in the future you need to know the command, where as now you just need to choose the take ownership of the content menu ..

sorry JosephP

[JosephP]

Hi CorMit

Please don't be sorry. I have other reasons for wanting to access the Windows Directory. You were a great help and your advice is now tested and credible by me. Thank you so much, again.

[jerryz]

All I want to do is change the directory that my scans go to. (easier to find)  The entire site at HP is poorly designed, I spent an hour and I know I am in the wrong place.  I have a F4440 and want to chang the destination directory.  Sounds simple, right???