access folder on external drive

Frank C · Feb 20, 2010

Hi,
I am using Robocopy to backup photos and music files to a local network connected 1TB Western Digital drive.
The initial backup worked for both tasks.
This is the command line in the .bat
Robocopy C:\Users\Owner\Music\recordings\ \\externaldrive\public\BackUp-Music\recordings\ /S /COPY:DT /MIR /Log:MusicBkupLog.txt
Now, the subsequent backup for my music folders fails on a specific folder with error:
ERROR 5 (0x00000005) Deleting Extra File \\externaldrive\public\BackUp-Music\recordings\AmbroseNew\A Fine Romance-Browne.mp3
Access is denied.
The process stops there. Subsequent folders are not backed up.
The ownership for that folder looks suspect:
nobody (Unix User\nobody)
Other folders that work have owner as:
administrator (EXTERNALDRIVE\admin)
I can not change the offending folder's owner.
I have tried the following as administrator:
Properties > Security > Advanced > Owner > Edit > change owner to
I get access denied.
And with DOS from an administrator command prompt:
takeown /f S:\BackUp-Music\Recordings\AmbroseNew
RMDIR /S S:\BackUp-Music\Recordings\AmbroseNew
I get access denied.
I can access the directory so my path must be correct:
dir S:\BackUp-Music\Recordings\AmbroseNew
How can I change ownership or delete the offending folder?
Thanks
Frank C
Vista Ultimate 64 bit SP2

Frank C · Feb 20, 2010

Copy in Robocopy should be /copy:dt
Robocopy C:\Users\Owner\Music\recordings\ \\externaldrive\public\BackUp-Music\recordings\ /S /COPY:DT /MIR /Log:MusicBkupLog.txt

richc46 · Feb 20, 2010

Welcome to the forum.

To take ownership and give needed permission, read this:

How to Take Ownership and Grant Permissions in Windows Vista » My Digital Life

richc46 · Feb 20, 2010

In addition, take a look at this excellent explanation from our own tutorial library:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67717-take-ownership-file.html

Frank C · Feb 20, 2010

Thanks richc46,
In step 8 "To take ownership of the object, click on the Edit button. Give permission to UAC. Then highlight the user name in the “Change owner to” box that you want to assign as the owner for the object. Click “OK” to finish the process." There was no opportunity to give permission to UAC. When I tried to change owner to
Frank(FRANKSPC\Frank)
it failed "Unable to set new owner on AmbroseNew Access denied"

richc46 · Feb 20, 2010

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Follow the instructions for ownership in my second post. It is from our tutrorial, used by many on this forum. So, it has been tested and proved to be effective.

If you do find that it works, please report back, I will stop using the link that I gave you in the first post.

Frank C · Feb 20, 2010

I will await your post,
I appreciate your assistance. I have been working on this problem for three days with no progress toward a solution.

richc46 · Feb 20, 2010

Did you follow the instructions in the Windows 7 Tutorial (my second post)?

If, yes, what happened?

Frank C · Feb 20, 2010

Is that "Take ownership of file"

richc46 · Feb 20, 2010

Yes it is Frank, if that did not work you have a special situation. Strange that you originally had permission, but then lost it..

Frank C · Feb 20, 2010

Here is the captured screen from the "Run as Administrator CMD:
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>takeown /f S:\BackUp-Music\Recordings\AmbroseNew
ERROR: Access is denied.

C:\Windows\system32>

richc46 · Feb 20, 2010

I did not forget about you, will research and report any additional information.

Frank C · Feb 20, 2010

Thanks,
I will check back about 11:30 PM EST. It is 10:32 here now.

richc46 · Feb 20, 2010

I found this post from the forum. Make sure that you read the bottom of the post, there are links for similar posts.

http://www.vistax64.com/vista-security/103790-access-denied.html

richc46 · Feb 20, 2010

Steps you can try

Safe mode, see if you can gain access in safe mode.

The hidden administrator

Vista and Win 7 have a secret or hidden adminstrator, able to perform more functions than the adminstrator that is normally used.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/507-built-administrator-account-enable-disable.html?filter[2]=User Accounts

Frank C · Feb 20, 2010

Thank you for all of your help. I will go over those links tomorrow. I did look at unlocker but some Cnet reviews were not very good so I was afraid of it.

richc46 · Feb 20, 2010

Folder Is Not Accessible – Access Denied | Technize.com

Try turning off your A/V.

Frank C · Feb 21, 2010

Thanks again.
The steps in technize did not work for me
The first process ended with "The program can not open the required dialog box because it can not determine wheather the computer named EXTERNALDRIVE is joined to a domain. Close this message and try again."
External drive is NOT a computer it is an external drive on the local network.
The second process - trying to assign properties from the superior folder -recordings- to the child folders and files died with access denied part way through.
The third process resulted in access denied
The Technize instructions appear to be for XP and not Vista.
The business about External Drive and domain bothers me. Yet, I can access all other folders on the external drive and I can run DOS dir and see all the folders and files on the external drive.
Regards
Frank

Frank C · Feb 21, 2010

Richc46
As a work around, I moved the offending folder AmbroseNew out of the target path.
I renamed the source folder to Ambrose to let it create a new Ambrose folder on the extenal disk.
Robocopy did that and ran until it encountered individual files in the next folder that had the bad owner.
Thus is very frusterating.
The bad files and folder seem to have the owner - nobody (Unix User\nobody)
The good files and folders have owner as - administrator (EXTERNALDRIVE\admin) or Frank (FRANKSPC\Frank)
I do appreciate all of the help that you extended.
I think I may try UNLOCKER

richc46 · Feb 21, 2010

If you decide to use unlocker, make a system restore point, first. I have never used unlocker, but others have and were satisifed.

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