Vista - HOW DO I CHANGE PRIVILEGES AND WORK WITH SYSTEM FILES?

My CD-ROM drivers suddenly decided they were not going to work anymore. So,
after trying everything else I could think of (unsuccessfully), I decided to
try and copy the drivers off my dad's computer, since the machines are
identical. However, I can't do this, because I every time I try to
copy/move/delete the drivers, I'm told I "need permission", apparently from
some higher source. I only have one user account on my computer, that of
"Greg" which is in the Admin group. However, I don't have full control of all
my files in system directories, and don't have the ability to give them to
myself. In the "edit permissions" section of the files, when I check "full
control" and try to apply, it says "unable to save permission changes Access
is denied". The file isn't read only. Other than the fact that it's in a
system folder, I can't see why it can't be changed. This is the same problem
I experience whenever I try to do anything with a file or folder in any
system directory (windows, Program Files, ect.).
So, I guess, basically what I'm asking is this:
How do I go about giving myself full control, or the permission to change my
system files?
Or has Vista completely locked you out of being able to fix your computer,
if it can't figure out how to fix it's self? Cus that's what it's feeling
like to me.
Thanks for any help,
~GREG~
P.S. Also, if anyone has any other thoughts on how to fix my CD ROMs, I get
the message "Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The
driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)". To my knowledge, nothing has
changed on my computer, and these "corrupted or missing" drivers are what
windows thinks are the best ones, and are the only ones it will let me
install.

~GREG~ wrote:
> My CD-ROM drivers suddenly decided they were not going to work anymore. So,
> after trying everything else I could think of (unsuccessfully), I decided to
> try and copy the drivers off my dad's computer, since the machines are
> identical. However, I can't do this, because I every time I try to
> copy/move/delete the drivers, I'm told I "need permission", apparently from
> some higher source. I only have one user account on my computer, that of
> "Greg" which is in the Admin group. However, I don't have full control of all
> my files in system directories, and don't have the ability to give them to
> myself. In the "edit permissions" section of the files, when I check "full
> control" and try to apply, it says "unable to save permission changes Access
> is denied". The file isn't read only. Other than the fact that it's in a
> system folder, I can't see why it can't be changed. This is the same problem
> I experience whenever I try to do anything with a file or folder in any
> system directory (windows, Program Files, ect.).
> So, I guess, basically what I'm asking is this:
> How do I go about giving myself full control, or the permission to change my
> system files?
> Or has Vista completely locked you out of being able to fix your computer,
> if it can't figure out how to fix it's self? Cus that's what it's feeling
> like to me.
> Thanks for any help,
> ~GREG~
> P.S. Also, if anyone has any other thoughts on how to fix my CD ROMs, I get
> the message "Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The
> driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)". To my knowledge, nothing has
> changed on my computer, and these "corrupted or missing" drivers are what
> windows thinks are the best ones, and are the only ones it will let me
> install.
Personally, I would abandon your attempts to copy the driver files as
you describe above. That's just not a good idea.

Remove the CD drive from Device Manager, reboot and let Windows
re-install the driver. Or, go the the CD drive vendor web site to
download drivers. If new driver doesn't help, try moving the CD drive to
a different PC to see if the problem follows the CD drive or not. It
just might be a bad CD drive.

Tim

> Remove the CD drive from Device Manager, reboot and let Windows
> re-install the driver.
I guess I should have been more specific as to what I'd already tried, but I
thought my post was going to be long enough as it is. This is what I've done
so far:
Within Device Manager:
-Uninstalling the driver. It just reinstalls the same ones again. An
interesting note, is that two of the three drivers aren't digitally signed.
However, on my dad's computer they are. (one of my drivers is different, and
one of them looks the same as his, it just isn't signed)
-Updating the driver. It says the best ones are already installed.
-Brows my computer for drivers. I have a file that I put the ones from my
dad's computer in. It again says the best ones are already installed.
Then, of course, I can't force it to take the drivers, because I can't do
anything within my Windows directory.
However, I haven't gone directly to the manufacturer. But, since I can't get
Windows to even consider taking other drivers as it is, I'm not real hopeful.
Unless, I suppose, if the drivers I may find have an installer. I also might
try poppin' the drive in another computer. Will Vista (or XP) automatically
install ALL new drives on it's own? Even still, I find it hard to believe
that BOTH of my ROMs died at the SAME time. Especially when they're only a
couple months old!
Thank you, though, anyway.
~GREG~

Well, I went on to HP's tech support, and they got my drives back online (I
forgot how great their online tech chat was). But, my question still remains:
Is there any way to move/delete/replace system files? Or files in system
directories? Because lots of programs install to the Program Files directory.
And lots of them automatically save to the directory where they are
installed. However, Vista won't allow that. And, actually, it WILL save
there, you just can't see or access the file in explorer. Is there any way to
get around this?
--
~GREG~

~GREG~ wrote:
>> Remove the CD drive from Device Manager, reboot and let Windows
>> re-install the driver.
> I guess I should have been more specific as to what I'd already tried, but I
> thought my post was going to be long enough as it is. This is what I've done
> so far:
> Within Device Manager:
> -Uninstalling the driver. It just reinstalls the same ones again. An
> interesting note, is that two of the three drivers aren't digitally signed.
> However, on my dad's computer they are. (one of my drivers is different, and
> one of them looks the same as his, it just isn't signed)
> -Updating the driver. It says the best ones are already installed.
> -Brows my computer for drivers. I have a file that I put the ones from my
> dad's computer in. It again says the best ones are already installed.
> Then, of course, I can't force it to take the drivers, because I can't do
> anything within my Windows directory.
> However, I haven't gone directly to the manufacturer. But, since I can't get
> Windows to even consider taking other drivers as it is, I'm not real hopeful.
> Unless, I suppose, if the drivers I may find have an installer. I also might
> try poppin' the drive in another computer. Will Vista (or XP) automatically
> install ALL new drives on it's own? Even still, I find it hard to believe
> that BOTH of my ROMs died at the SAME time. Especially when they're only a
> couple months old!
> Thank you, though, anyway.
> ~GREG~
You have *two* cd drives? Sorry...I re-read your post several times and
did not realize that you had two drives (you did speak of "drivers" but
it's common to refer to a device driver as "drivers").

But to answer one of your questions...yes, Vista (and XP) will notice
both drives and install drivers for them both automatically (assuming
the OS has drivers already built into the OS).

Given that, I doubt, as you do, that you have two bad cd drives. It
might be the "upper - lower filters" problem. Check this out:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929461/en-us

Tim

> You have *two* cd drives? Sorry...I re-read your post several times and
> did not realize that you had two drives

That's because I didn't say it. They both use the same drivers, so I either
figured it didn't matter, or just couldn't be bothered to put an "s" on the
end of ROM.
In any case, HP tech support had me play around in regedit, and that fixed it.
My main question in the first post still stands, however. Anyone know if
there's a way around that?
Oh, btw, thanks for the suggestions Tim.
--
~GREG~