Are no permissions defined on the root by design in Windows 7?
I noticed that when I created a new sub-folder off of the root of my C drive, that I received a lock symbol and no inherited folder permissions. I looked at the root and under the folder permissions, nothing is listed. The security box says this... "No permissions have been assigned for this object. Warning: this is a potential security risk because anyone who can access this object can take ownership of it. The objects owner should assign permissions as soon as possible." Is this by design or is something wrong? This is a clean Win 7 x64 RTM install. Thank you.
August 25th, 2009 5:21pm

Hi, The root directory is a protected area from Windows Vista for security. It's by design. Thank you for your understanding.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 27th, 2009 9:41am

Ok, I understand that. It gets very grumpy about placing files in the root. But what about sub-folders off of the root, say C:\Temp\, what permissions does this folder inherit? I don't want to have to make all my sub-directories off my Documents folders as they are redirected to the server in our corporate environment. Thanks
August 31st, 2009 4:55pm

I have a Windows Vista system and a Windows 7 system.I can write to the root on the Vista system but not on the 7 system.My user account is set as Administrator in 7.My user account is set as Administrator in Vista.Why the difference?I need to write to the root in 7 to make some existing applications work. What can I do to get permission to write to C:\ in 7?Thanks for any help you can offer.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
October 29th, 2009 9:42pm

Don, although you have identical user names in both systems, you do not have the same identity. Windows assign a *unique* SID (Security ID) when you define a user account and it is that SID by which you are identified when you want access to a file or directory. When you look at the security settings for the directory you'll probably see an entry like "unknown account S-1-5-21-...long-chain_of numbers_here". That is what the current windows (whichever is up, Vista or 7) knows about the account of the other one, although you assigned the same userid. You will have to give your current userid in Windows 7 the appropriate access rights, too. Till
October 31st, 2009 5:26pm

Till,Thank you for your answer.My Vista account is on another system, I was just mentioning it to show that I have root directory access on it but on on 7.My user account on 7 shows that I have Administrator privledges, but am not able to write to c:\Are their different levels of Adiministrator orperhaps a more fine tuned set of privledges?What particular acces rights will I have to give myself?Don
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
November 4th, 2009 12:37am

Hi all.I have the same problem here on my Win7 Machine. My user domain- account on 7 shows that I have Administrator privledges, but am not able to write to c:\I also have Domain-Admin rights.Pls help.......Regards
December 22nd, 2009 6:34pm

It is by design, a good design as the root should not be used for this.Unless you enable the administrator account and login as administrator you are limited.Using a limited account for day to day use is always a good idea.This is what the world said it wanted, a more secure windows..well we got it in win 7.Your best course of action would be to change the way you do things not try and change the windows works.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
December 22nd, 2009 6:45pm

To get full access to the root directory on Windows 7:1. Start Explorer using "Run as Administrator".2. Add your own user account with "Full Access" rights to the root folder.Then you can create files and all other.
February 5th, 2010 12:40pm

Dear Mr Genious I have a big library of Matlab programs that needs access to the hard drive for writting files. I have just installed the windows 7, am logged in as an administrator and can myself create files and directories on the c drive. However when I try to save a workspace through matlab at the root directory it says it doesnt have permission. Please come dawn from the big ivory tower and help me deal with this. s
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 11th, 2010 8:41pm

That is just retarded and makes everything more difficult. If you want to protect people from themselves, just put a switch in the control panel. Most people won't bother. That way, people who still want to write to C:\, WHATEVER THE REASON, can do so. I think you should allow me to mess up my OS if I want to. This is just another reason to not use windows, throw it on the pile... I'm about to start a family and I'm seriously thinking about starting my kids on a Linux OS. Screw Windows, who needs it, it just makes life harder.
July 11th, 2010 11:58pm

Lot's of fail in this thread for sure... SOunds like the OP's machine is broken.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 3rd, 2010 7:05pm

Say it as it is; how right is that!
September 30th, 2010 9:25am

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics