Vista cannot delete read-only files

[Matthew]

I've noticed this and have seen a couple of posts but it seems most people
don't "interpret" the post as intended.

I have Vista 32bit. I am an administrator. If a file has the "read-only"
attribute checked, I can NOT delete the file. Vista complains that I need
"privileges in order to delete the file" and asks me to "try again". I have
full permissions on the file, and I am the owner of the file. The issue
stems from the fact that it's marked "read only".

If I remove the read-only attribute, I can delete it fine!

What gives here? In XP, if you attempted to delete a read only file, it
would prompt you telling you the file was read-only and asked if you were
sure you wanted to delete it. Vista flat out implies I have no permissions
to the file, which is untrue.

I sometimes have network directories that contain thousands, maybe millions
of files in them. Changing attributes on that many files, prior to deleting
them poses significant problems.

Is this a bug in Vista?

[Earle Horton]

My guess is that some corporate account complained about an incompetent
employee who was able to delete a whole directory tree of "read only" files,
thus losing thousands of man hours of work. This is the "solution". Do you
know how to write batch files or do Folder, Properties in the GUI? While it
is recursively changing the attributes of the directory tree, this will give
you time to think about what you are about to it.

I believe that turning off UAC may help also.

Earle

"Matthew" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've noticed this and have seen a couple of posts but it seems most people
> don't "interpret" the post as intended.
>
> I have Vista 32bit. I am an administrator. If a file has the "read-only"
> attribute checked, I can NOT delete the file. Vista complains that I need
> "privileges in order to delete the file" and asks me to "try again". I
> have
> full permissions on the file, and I am the owner of the file. The issue
> stems from the fact that it's marked "read only".
>
> If I remove the read-only attribute, I can delete it fine!
>
> What gives here? In XP, if you attempted to delete a read only file, it
> would prompt you telling you the file was read-only and asked if you were
> sure you wanted to delete it. Vista flat out implies I have no
> permissions
> to the file, which is untrue.
>
> I sometimes have network directories that contain thousands, maybe
> millions
> of files in them. Changing attributes on that many files, prior to
> deleting
> them poses significant problems.
>
> Is this a bug in Vista?

[Nonny]

On Mon, 5 May 2008 16:52:19 -0600, "Earle Horton"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I believe that turning off UAC may help also.

"may help"??????????

It's the most significant way a user who knows what he/she is doing to
increase the enjoyment factor when using Vista.

[Earle Horton]

"Nonny" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 5 May 2008 16:52:19 -0600, "Earle Horton"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I believe that turning off UAC may help also.
>
> "may help"??????????
>
> It's the most significant way a user who knows what he/she is doing to
> increase the enjoyment factor when using Vista.

It's called "understatement". It's a form of sarcasm.

Heh.

Earle

[Matthew]

Thanks for the replies. I've had my fair run-ins with UAC and have found
several work arounds for some common issues. I would have never thought this
could be UAC related due to the "message" Vista kindly provides to me.

I'll try to see if it's related to UAC. I hate turning it off because I
force myself to use it. Call me crazy. I like the false sense of security
it gives me haha.

I'll reply back if/when I know it's UAC related.

On a side note, I wouldn't have a problem if it turns out to be UAC related.
My problem would then ultimately stem from the fact that if this was a
security related feature, then the system SHOULD TELL ME THAT vs. "hey you
don't have permissions" which lead me to waste an hour trying to take
ownership/reassign permissions *sigh*. Sorry for caps, but needed the
emphasis.

"Earle Horton" wrote:

> "Nonny" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On Mon, 5 May 2008 16:52:19 -0600, "Earle Horton"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >>I believe that turning off UAC may help also.
> >
> > "may help"??????????
> >
> > It's the most significant way a user who knows what he/she is doing to
> > increase the enjoyment factor when using Vista.
>
> It's called "understatement". It's a form of sarcasm.
>
> Heh.
>
> Earle
>

[Matthew]

Hahaha, well, you'll never believe this, but I can now no longer replicate
the issue. Go figure, when I want to test it, it hides *sigh*. I'm not
crazy!

I just created a test file and marked it as read only. It let me delete it
with no problem, even with UAC on. I give up with Vista, I swear.

While doing this test I noticed another *issue* lol. Normally I permanently
delete files (bypassing the recycle bin). I happened to do a normal delete
on one of the test files I was doing and went into the recycle bin to see if
I could delete it from there. I could.

I had a bunch of other things in the recycle bin too... some shortcuts, some
folders, etc.

I highlighted them all and chose to delete. Some deleted but then I got a
prompt stating I didn't have rights to delete this particular folder and
prompted me to try again. I tried again, but failed, and reprompt. I looked
at the properties of that folder and it was read only with no ability to
change it.

So I tried the command to "empty recycle bin". A few more files deleted
before the prompt citing I could not delete that folder and to try again. No
matter how many times I clicked "try again" it wouldn't go. I had 3 folders
left to delete. While prompted to try again, I checked the box to "apply to
all" and clicked skip. When I did that, every folder in the recycle bin
deleted! haha.

Me: "Delete these files/folders."
System: "You can't, sorry. Feel free to try again loser."
Me: "Please try again"
System: "Like I said, Stupid, you can't delete these".
Me: "Ok skip these and delete the rest that you can."
System: "OK fine I'll delete em all! Sheesh."


At any rate if I find myself in a situation where I can't delete a read-only
file again, I'll do more testing with the UAC and pay close attention to
where the file resides.


"Matthew" wrote:

> I've noticed this and have seen a couple of posts but it seems most people
> don't "interpret" the post as intended.
>
> I have Vista 32bit. I am an administrator. If a file has the "read-only"
> attribute checked, I can NOT delete the file. Vista complains that I need
> "privileges in order to delete the file" and asks me to "try again". I have
> full permissions on the file, and I am the owner of the file. The issue
> stems from the fact that it's marked "read only".
>
> If I remove the read-only attribute, I can delete it fine!
>
> What gives here? In XP, if you attempted to delete a read only file, it
> would prompt you telling you the file was read-only and asked if you were
> sure you wanted to delete it. Vista flat out implies I have no permissions
> to the file, which is untrue.
>
> I sometimes have network directories that contain thousands, maybe millions
> of files in them. Changing attributes on that many files, prior to deleting
> them poses significant problems.
>
> Is this a bug in Vista?

[hellhound5005]

OK.. maybe someone here can help me out... i made this folder in 32 bit vista home premium with the name of alt+255 and an invisible file icon, was using it to hide titty pics (pardon the expression, but its true) i deleted the files inside and decided that i needed to delete the folder.... here comes the problem... its been checked read-only so i try to un-check it... still wont delete, go back into properties and its still checked "read-only".... anyone have some advise for getting rid of this said folder? Ive attached some screen shots.. but there is nothing telling me that i don't have permissions or anything... I'm not to familiar with vista but i tried to force delete it with the CMD prompt like i would with a corrupt file in XP.... did i mess up somewhere?

[D. Eth]

"hellhound5005" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> OK.. maybe someone here can help me out... i made this folder in 32 bit
> vista home premium with the name of alt+255 and an invisible file icon,
> was using it to hide titty pics (pardon the expression, but its true) i
> deleted the files inside and decided that i needed to delete the
> folder.... here comes the problem... its been checked read-only so i try
> to un-check it... still wont delete, go back into properties and its
> still checked "read-only".... anyone have some advise for getting rid of
> this said folder? Ive attached some screen shots.. but there is nothing
> telling me that i don't have permissions or anything... I'm not to
> familiar with vista but i tried to force delete it with the CMD prompt
> like i would with a corrupt file in XP.... did i mess up somewhere?
>
>
> +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
> |Filename: Untitled2.jpg |
> |Download: http://forums.techarena.in/attachment.php?attachmentid=7286|
> +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
>
> --
> hellhound5005
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> hellhound5005's Profile:
> http://forums.techarena.in/members/hellhound5005.htm
> View this thread: Vista cannot delete read-only files
>
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>


Empty the recycle bin.
It's not on the Desktop as it should be.

In the future, hide them in a compressed folder, then rename the folder to
an unknown extension.

--
Ens causa sui
Fit caedes omnibus locis

[Ian D]

"hellhound5005" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> OK.. maybe someone here can help me out... i made this folder in 32 bit
> vista home premium with the name of alt+255 and an invisible file icon,
> was using it to hide titty pics (pardon the expression, but its true) i
> deleted the files inside and decided that i needed to delete the
> folder.... here comes the problem... its been checked read-only so i try
> to un-check it... still wont delete, go back into properties and its
> still checked "read-only".... anyone have some advise for getting rid of
> this said folder? Ive attached some screen shots.. but there is nothing
> telling me that i don't have permissions or anything... I'm not to
> familiar with vista but i tried to force delete it with the CMD prompt
> like i would with a corrupt file in XP.... did i mess up somewhere?
>
>
> +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
> |Filename: Untitled2.jpg |
> |Download: http://forums.techarena.in/attachment.php?attachmentid=7286|
> +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
>
> --
> hellhound5005
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> hellhound5005's Profile:
> http://forums.techarena.in/members/hellhound5005.htm
> View this thread: Vista cannot delete read-only files
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>

File folders are always Read Only in Vista and XP. The
first thing I would with the invisible folder, is rename
it and give it a default icon so it's easier to work with.
Maybe then you will be able to delete it in the CMD
window.

[Ian D]

"hellhound5005" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> OK.. maybe someone here can help me out... i made this folder in 32 bit
> vista home premium with the name of alt+255 and an invisible file icon,
> was using it to hide titty pics (pardon the expression, but its true) i
> deleted the files inside and decided that i needed to delete the
> folder.... here comes the problem... its been checked read-only so i try
> to un-check it... still wont delete, go back into properties and its
> still checked "read-only".... anyone have some advise for getting rid of
> this said folder? Ive attached some screen shots.. but there is nothing
> telling me that i don't have permissions or anything... I'm not to
> familiar with vista but i tried to force delete it with the CMD prompt
> like i would with a corrupt file in XP.... did i mess up somewhere?
>
>
> +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
> |Filename: Untitled2.jpg |
> |Download: http://forums.techarena.in/attachment.php?attachmentid=7286|
> +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
>
> --
> hellhound5005
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> hellhound5005's Profile:
> http://forums.techarena.in/members/hellhound5005.htm
> View this thread: Vista cannot delete read-only files
>
> http://forums.techarena.in

Once you get this sorted out, download and install
TrueCrypt. It's free. With TrueCrypt you can create
a file that contains an encrypted virtual drive of any
size you want. When you want to access the files
or add new ones, you mount the virtual drive, which
only takes a few seconds. The user manual with
TrueCrypt is very thorough.

[hellhound5005]

ive tried renaming and it goes back to the alt symbol... its like as soon as i hit ok to change the properties it reverts back to its previous state... and ive tried specifying in cmd prompt the alt symbol to no avail

[hellhound5005]

:/ still can't delete the damn thing its beyond annoying if any one coils possibly tell me how to get rid of this god forsaken thing I would much appreciate it