Word documents appear read-only in Windows 7

[Abdullah30]

I have installed Windows 7 today. I have several Word documents on an external hard drive. I keep on writing on them, and today also I wrote something in XP before installing Windows 7. Now suddenly all the Word documents appear read-only in Windows 7. I can not write anything and save because of read-only.

When I copy the document and put it on the desktop in Windows 7 it is suddenly not read-only anymore, then I can write in it and save without problems. What is this nonsense? It is not appropriate to copy all documents to the desktop. I should have these on an external hard drive.

How can I fix read-only related issue?

[Bull50]

Simply check if you (i.e. your login) are a member of the editors group of the file as follows:

Right-click on the drive in My Computer, select Properties, select the Security tab, Advanced button, Owner tab, Change button, check yourself in the list, highlight the selection box below, then press OK on all windows, Try again.

Basically this is a feature of NTFS (file system on your hard drive). It is used to block access to files if desired. Your files are not owned by a user on another PC, thus you must take them over. You can also add user group "everyone" with full access to eliminate the problem.

[Abdullah30]

I have tried this several times, but it does not works. If I do so as you told me to do, then it will take several days/hours for me to review all the files because I am talking about several hundred gbs of data on my external drive. Am I doing something wrong? Tried to only do this in 1 folder, but the read only was there yet.

[Bull50]

It will not take as long as Windows estimates that it will. Let it stand for. You can also remove the read-only flag on the General tab.

This does not give the same results though. There are two different things. When I think of it may be it is only what you need to do.

[Abdullah30]

Have you tested this yourself with success or have you only read about this? I have tried this many times now, different methods but nothing works. Now I think Windows 7 has been so good to do so that I will not get into Windows 7 anymore because of update failure. BTW do you have any tips for that problem?