Vista Tutorial - Context Menu - Take Ownership

**Brink** · **STEP ONE:**

How to Add Take Ownership to the Context Menu in Vista

Information

This will add Take Ownership to the Context (right click) menu for all folders and files in Vista. The Application files, (EX: EXE, CMD, MSI) will still have Run as administrator in addition to Take Ownership now. When you use Take Ownership on a folder, it will take ownership of all the files and subfolders within that folder to.

Tip

To manually take ownership of items in Vista, see: How to Take Ownership of a Item in Vista
To restore TrustedInstaller as the owner for a protected system resource, see: How to Restore TrustedInstaller as Owner of a File in Vista

WARNING

This Take Ownership context menu item needs to be used while logged on to an administrator account for it work.

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Before and After Context Menus

STEP ONE:
Add or Remove Take Ownership

1. To Add Take Ownership -
A) Click on the download button below to download the
Add_Take_Ownership.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Remove Take Ownership -
A) Click on the download button below to download the
Remove_Take_Ownership.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click on Merge.

5. Click on the Run button in the Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).

STEP TWO:
How to Use Take Ownership

1. Right click on a folder or file.
NOTE: When you use Take Ownership on a folder, it will take ownership of all the files and subfolders within that folder to.

2. Click on Take Ownership. (See Example at top)

3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

4. You will see a command window pop-up and then go away when it's finished. (See example screenshot below)

5. The folder or file has been taken ownership of.
NOTE:
A) You can verify from METHOD TWO step 7 here: How to Take Ownership of a Item in Vista
B) It will have your username listed as the owner.

That's it,
Shawn

Not liking Vista · 12-12-2007

That was amazing! Thank you.

**Brink** · 12-12-2007

Your welcome Not liking Vista.

Welcome to the forum.

Shawn

**salpap** · 12-14-2007

i used windows manager but its good to know how to do it another way.

**Brink** · 12-14-2007

Hi Salpap,

Yeah, this can come in handy if you need to take ownership alot, or need to take ownership of a bunch of sub folders and files.

Shawn

**Clark1221** · 03-27-2008

Does this work for individual files, or just folders?

Example.....I have a back-up (file) of my favorites on a CD/RW disk, and when I wanted to overwrite it with a more recent version, Vista wouldn't let me do it, even with Admin privs.

**Brink** · 03-27-2008

Hi Clark,

It works for either one.

Shawn

**Thales** · 04-07-2008

Quote: Originally Posted by Brink

Hi Clark,

It works for either one.

Shawn

I'm trying to run an application, and have tried all that I can think of to get permission for it to run a dll, but it continues to tell me I don't have permission. It's my machine, for crying out loud. I'm supposed to not have to ask for permission.

Anyway, I tried the "takeownership" thing, and it tells me I have ownership. When I look at the permissions, it says I have full acess, yet I still can't run the dll.

This is not a system file or directory, it's just a graphics program by Ogre.

Why can't I get permission? This is confusing!

Thanks for any feedback.

**Brink** · 04-07-2008

Hi Thales,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Is the program by Ogre compatible with Vista?

You may need to right click the program and use "Run as Administrator" on it to open the .dll file.

Shawn

**Thales** · 04-07-2008

Quote: Originally Posted by Brink

Hi Thales,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Is the program by Ogre compatible with Vista?

You may need to right click the program and use "Run as Administrator" on it to open the .dll file.

Shawn

Thanks, Shawn.

"Run as Adminstrator" did the trick!

Great!

12-12-2007
Not liking Vista Newbie Join Date: Dec 2007 Vista Home Premium 1 posts	Re: Context Menu - Take Ownership That was amazing! Thank you.
My System Specs

12-12-2007
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Context Menu - Take Ownership Your welcome Not liking Vista. Welcome to the forum. Shawn
My System Specs

12-14-2007
salpap Member Join Date: Oct 2007 multi, vistas x32, vistas x64, windows xp x32 7 posts	Re: Context Menu - Take Ownership i used windows manager but its good to know how to do it another way.
My System Specs

12-14-2007
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Context Menu - Take Ownership Hi Salpap, Yeah, this can come in handy if you need to take ownership alot, or need to take ownership of a bunch of sub folders and files. Shawn
My System Specs

03-27-2008
Clark1221 Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2007 Vista 15 posts	Re: Context Menu - Take Ownership Does this work for individual files, or just folders? Example.....I have a back-up (file) of my favorites on a CD/RW disk, and when I wanted to overwrite it with a more recent version, Vista wouldn't let me do it, even with Admin privs.
My System Specs

04-07-2008
Thales Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Vista Home Premium 5 posts	Re: Context Menu - Take Ownership Quote: Originally Posted by Brink Hi Clark, It works for either one. Shawn I'm trying to run an application, and have tried all that I can think of to get permission for it to run a dll, but it continues to tell me I don't have permission. It's my machine, for crying out loud. I'm supposed to not have to ask for permission. Anyway, I tried the "takeownership" thing, and it tells me I have ownership. When I look at the permissions, it says I have full acess, yet I still can't run the dll. This is not a system file or directory, it's just a graphics program by Ogre. Why can't I get permission? This is confusing! Thanks for any feedback.
My System Specs

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