Context Menu - Take Ownership

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, files, and drives in Vista and Windows 7.

Application files, (EX: EXE, CMD, MSI) will still have Run as administrator instead of Take Ownership in the context menu.

When you use take ownership on a folder, it will take ownership of all the files and subfolders inside the 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.

EXAMPLE: Before and After Context Menus

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STEP ONE

Add or Remove Take Ownership

1. To Add Take Ownership​

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A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.​

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Add_Take_Ownership.reg​

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B) Go to step 3.​

2. To Remove Take Ownership​

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A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.​

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Remove_Take_Ownership.reg​

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

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4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.​

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5. Click on Run, Continue (UAC-Vista) or Yes (UAC-Windows 7), Yes, and OK when prompted.​

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6. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.​

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   Tip

After you have taking ownership of the file, you may still need to "Allow" your user account "Full Control" of the file before you will have full permission to access it. See steps 11 to 22 in the tutorial below for how.

   Tip

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Take Ownership of file - Vista Forums​

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STEP TWO

How to Use Take Ownership

1. Right click on a folder, file, or drive.​

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

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   Warning

Do not take ownership of the drive that you have Windows installed on. If you do, you will end up having to reinstall Windows.

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

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3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​

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

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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 user name listed as the owner.​

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   Tip

After you have taking ownership of the file, you may still need to "Allow" your user account "Full Control" of the file before you will have full permission to access it. See steps 11 to 22 in the tutorial below for how.

   Tip

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Take Ownership of file - Vista Forums​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Expand the Context (Shortcuts) Menu in Vista
• How to Customize the Context Menu for the Start Menu in Vista
• How to Customize the Send To Context Menu in Vista
• How to Customize the Recycle Bin Context Menu in Vista
• How to Add Encrypt and Decrypt to the Context Menu in Vista
• How to Add and Remove a New Menu Item in Vista
• How to Add COPY TO FOLDER and MOVE TO FOLDER to the Context Menu in Vista
• How to Take Ownership of a Item in Vista
• How to Restore the Search Context Menu Item after Installing the Vista SP1
• How to Add Flip 3D to the Context Menu in Vista
• How to Restore or Remove New from the Context Menu in Vista
• How to Enable or Disable the Context Menu in Vista
• How to Restore or Remove the Security Tab in Vista
• How to Remove or Show Drives in the Vista and Windows 7 "Send To" Context Menu
• How to Add View and Print File Directory to the Context Menu in Vista
• How to Add or Remove Copy as Path from the Vista Context Menu
• How to Add or Remove Send To from the Vista Context Menu
• How to Add or Remove Turn Aero On or Off from the Vista Context Menu
• How to Add System Properties to Computer Context Menu in Vista
• How to Restore TrustedInstaller as Owner of a File in Vista
• How to Restore or Remove "Restore Previous Versions" from the Vista Context Menu
• How to Add Empty Folder and Subfolders to the Vista Context Menu

 

[Brink]

Are you using an administrator account ?

 

[Doomgiver007]

Absolutely. I even got a screenshot of what it looks like when I right click.

 

[Brink]

Strange. Are you experiencing any other context menu anomalies or othes not working?

Have you checked to verify that the reg file is merged? You might merge it again to make sure.

Does Take Ownership appear when you right click on another non application file in any other location?

 

[Doomgiver007]

The context menu works fine and nothing out of the ordinary except this concerning "Take Ownership." I made sure I downloaded the right 'Take Ownership' file, there was no error there.

"Take Ownership" does not appear on any other context menu whatsoever. Almost as if it doesn't exist.

 

[Brink]

Since you are having problems with the Security tab as well, you should run a sfc /scannow command to see if it can find and fix any bad system files.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

The only other thing I can think of is that some other added context menu item is interfering with it.

 

[Doomgiver007]

Now Vista is getting on my nerves. When I try to run the command, it's telling me "You must be an administrator running a console session in order to use the sfc utility." That's impossible, I AM an administrator, I even checked my permissions and everything.

And I never messed around with the context menu in any other shape, way, or form, so it can't be that.

 

[Brink]

Did you right click on CMD and click Run as Administrator as outlined in step 3?

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

By default an administrator account acts just like a standard account until a program asks for administrator rights to run, or you do something that needs administrator rights. You will then just need to click Continue to allow the program or action, where in a standard account you have to enter the administrator password instead.

 

[Doomgiver007]

Whoa. Sorry. I missed that. But I suddenly fixed the problem. For some reason... all I had to do was hold shift + right click. You ever heard of this before? But I'm glad this problem is resolved.

 

[Brink]

Yes, I heard of that before, but you should not of had to do that with this Take Ownership. How strange.

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted out and working now.

Thank you for the feedback,
Shawn

 

[Mr Stinson]

it didnt work at all for me..what im trying to do is delete 3 VID keys in registry edit because there not allowing my computer to accept new devices..

 

[Brink]

Hi Mr Stinson, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Did you also take ownership of all the individual subkeys of the main VID key?

Shawn

 

[gt4me_08]

hi...this worked great. Just wondering if there's anyway to give ownership back once I've done what I need to do.

 

[Brink]

Hi gt4me_08,

Yes, there is. You would just go back and do the manual steps in this tutorial below instead, but select the previous Owner instead of your user account. It would probably be either System or TrustedInstaller. If you are not sure, then let me know the name and path of the file, and I'll see what it is on my system.

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


If the owner was TrustedInstaller, then this will show you how to.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/159360-trustedinstaller-restore-owner.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Mr Stinson]

I did everything the tutorials said and nothing worked it still gives me the error about not having permission

 

[Brink]

Mr Stinson,

Are these VID keys associated with a program or driver that can be uninstall instead to remove them from the registry that way?

Have you tried deleting them while in Safe Mode?

I'm not sure what else to try to delete them. You might also post this question with all these details in the General Discussion forum to see what other suggestions you may get. Hopefully a solution will get posted for you.

 

[comernick]

hey its not workin for me

i got windows vista Home premium 64-bit

i run the reg try the menu and nuttin happins
:huh:

 

[Brink]

Hi Comernick,

Do you mean that Take Ownership is not in the context menu? If so, try holding the Shift key down and then right click.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[jeyessh]

Thanx Buddy!
Been looking for this for a long tym!
many files were inaccessable due to this!
Btw Your Forum rox:D

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Jeyessh.

Thank you,
Shawn

 

[K Roy Chowdhury]

can not move, delete, rename a file in vista business 32 bit version.
can not even see the file property.
can any one help.
thanks