Windows Vista Forums

Cannot take ownership of file

  1. #1


    Peter Guest

    Cannot take ownership of file

    Background: I am running Windows Vista Business SP1, with UAC turned off.

    Problem: I have approximately 8Gb of video files that I moved to an
    external hard disk to free up space. The files moved successfully, but a
    copy remains on my main hard disk - and I would like to delete the copy.
    However, these files are inaccessable. I cannot delete them or take
    ownership of them (and I am a local administrator).

    I'm familiar with the standard method of taking ownership in Windows
    Explorer, and I simply get an access denied error. I cannot see the current
    security defined on the files as I do not have permission to access these
    files. Running takeown from a command prompt also gives me an access is
    denied error.

    Security on the files copied to the external hard disk is correct.

    I note that other people are having similar problems, e.g.:
    http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/...6205&SiteID=17 ,
    however in my case these are not files copied from another system.



    What appears to have haapened is that the move operation did not complete
    successfully and I am left with orphaned unmanagable files that are taking up
    considerable hard disk space.

    Any advice appreciated.

    Thank you,

    Peter

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  2. #2


    Peter Guest

    RE: Cannot take ownership of file

    Update: Problems solved, somehow. I tried to reboot to safe mode to see if
    that would give me more options. The laptop seemed to hang up trying to load
    drivers getting into safe mode, and eventually gave up and rebooted into
    normal mode. Once that had happened, I was able to access and clear the
    files from my hard disk. Who knows why? The "shut up and reboot" solution,
    I guess.

    "Peter" wrote:

    > Background: I am running Windows Vista Business SP1, with UAC turned off.
    >
    > Problem: I have approximately 8Gb of video files that I moved to an
    > external hard disk to free up space. The files moved successfully, but a
    > copy remains on my main hard disk - and I would like to delete the copy.
    > However, these files are inaccessable. I cannot delete them or take
    > ownership of them (and I am a local administrator).
    >
    > I'm familiar with the standard method of taking ownership in Windows
    > Explorer, and I simply get an access denied error. I cannot see the current
    > security defined on the files as I do not have permission to access these
    > files. Running takeown from a command prompt also gives me an access is
    > denied error.
    >
    > Security on the files copied to the external hard disk is correct.
    >
    > I note that other people are having similar problems, e.g.:
    > http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/...6205&SiteID=17 ,
    > however in my case these are not files copied from another system.
    >
    > What appears to have haapened is that the move operation did not complete
    > successfully and I am left with orphaned unmanagable files that are taking up
    > considerable hard disk space.
    >
    > Any advice appreciated.
    >
    > Thank you,
    >
    > Peter

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  3. #3


    JABowders Guest

    RE: Cannot take ownership of file

    Peter,

    I too have seen that case, where only afeter rebooting can I finish what I
    started to do, the UAC still seams to have some control over the operation of
    the OS even with it turned OFF.

    I contuine to look for ways of gaining control of the Vista OS instead of
    the OS controling my actions with it.


    James A. Bowders

    "Peter" wrote:

    > Update: Problems solved, somehow. I tried to reboot to safe mode to see if
    > that would give me more options. The laptop seemed to hang up trying to load
    > drivers getting into safe mode, and eventually gave up and rebooted into
    > normal mode. Once that had happened, I was able to access and clear the
    > files from my hard disk. Who knows why? The "shut up and reboot" solution,
    > I guess.
    >
    > "Peter" wrote:
    >

    > > Background: I am running Windows Vista Business SP1, with UAC turned off.
    > >
    > > Problem: I have approximately 8Gb of video files that I moved to an
    > > external hard disk to free up space. The files moved successfully, but a
    > > copy remains on my main hard disk - and I would like to delete the copy.
    > > However, these files are inaccessable. I cannot delete them or take
    > > ownership of them (and I am a local administrator).
    > >
    > > I'm familiar with the standard method of taking ownership in Windows
    > > Explorer, and I simply get an access denied error. I cannot see the current
    > > security defined on the files as I do not have permission to access these
    > > files. Running takeown from a command prompt also gives me an access is
    > > denied error.
    > >
    > > Security on the files copied to the external hard disk is correct.
    > >
    > > I note that other people are having similar problems, e.g.:
    > > http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/...6205&SiteID=17 ,
    > > however in my case these are not files copied from another system.
    > >
    > > What appears to have haapened is that the move operation did not complete
    > > successfully and I am left with orphaned unmanagable files that are taking up
    > > considerable hard disk space.
    > >
    > > Any advice appreciated.
    > >
    > > Thank you,
    > >
    > > Peter

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  4. #4


    meerkat Guest

    Re: Cannot take ownership of file


    "JABowders" <JABowders@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:8BDBD42F-187E-4827-8EFB-D0136B1A207D@xxxxxx

    > Peter,
    >
    > I too have seen that case, where only afeter rebooting can I finish what I
    > started to do, the UAC still seams to have some control over the operation
    > of
    > the OS even with it turned OFF.
    >
    > I contuine to look for ways of gaining control of the Vista OS instead of
    > the OS controling my actions with it.
    >
    Hi James.
    If you want to take Ultimate control of your OS, go have a read here.
    I`ve already done this, but I do hide behind a router !.
    http://www.computerperformance.co.uk...r_activate.htm



      My System SpecsSystem Spec

Cannot take ownership of file

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