Windows 7 access denied on brand new files

[eph3x]

First- Thank you in advance for any input you have, and sorry if this seems like a re-post, but I can't seem to find anyone who is having quite the same problem or a solution that seems to work.

Basically it is denying me access to brand new files. EX I shot some texture photos today, applied some batch processing in bridge CS4, setting file names and basic metadata/keywords etc. Opened a couple in photoshop, (also CS4-11.0.1 64 bit, though the problem also happens in Photoshop 32bit as well) and when saving windows says first- "cannot save the file name is invalid" (the file name is 20090616_Concrete_Txtr_0006) after a second attempt, it says "you cannot save the file access is denied. To gain access go to properties, advanced, change ownership" or something to that effect. The photo shows up in explorer, but windows photo viewer cannot open it- it says the photo "has either been deleted or is in a location that isn't available. Photoshop cannot open it, it says "You don't have permission to open this file. Contact the owner or an administrator to obtain permission"

However, I cannot get it to let me take ownership through the properties-security-advanced-owner-edit. It says
"Unable to set new owner. Access is denied." I cannot get it to let me take ownership through the command line (run as administrator) either- (also, I am logged in as admin, I am the only user on the computer)

takeown /f C:\filepath\filename fails saying that it cannot find the path specified, even though i'm just copying and pasting the filepath and name from explorer.

This file is by far the most denied, but I'm having similar issues with many others. I'm having to do save as, change the file name and save a new one. I try to delete the old ones, but they don't disappear until I restart the computer. Also, virtually all of my folders are set to "read only" for some reason. Trying to take this off and apply it to all files and subfolders does nothing. I go right back into properties after unchecking read only and applying it and there it is, checked again.

please help!!

system info:

Windows 7 x64 v 6.1.7100
Lenovo D20 workstation
intel xeon x5550 2.66 ghz ht quad core
8 gb DDR3 ram
ATI Firepro v7750
Marvell 64xx/63xx SAS storage controller
McAfee VirusScan Enterprise + Antispyware 8.5.0i

I am also having a similar issue on a Dell laptop, though not as bad

Windows 7 x86 v 6.1.7100
Dell d820
intel cenrino 1.83 ghz dual core
2 gb ram (unsure of type)
Nvidia quadro nvs 110M
McAfee VirusScan Enterprise + Antispyware 8.5.0i

thank you

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're encountering a complex issue with file access and permissions on your Windows 7 systems. The symptoms you described, such as being unable to save files due to permissions errors, not being able to take ownership of files, inability to change folder attributes like "read-only," and files not deleting until a restart, indicate a possible system-level problem. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve these issues on your Windows 7 systems: 1. Check User Account Control (UAC) Settings: - Ensure that the User Account Control settings are not too restrictive. You can adjust this in Control Panel > User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings. 2. Run as Administrator: - Try running applications like Photoshop and Command Prompt as an administrator by right-clicking on them and selecting "Run as administrator." 3. Reset File and Folder Permissions: - Use the command prompt to reset permissions for your user account on the problematic files and folders. Use the following commands:

 takeown /f "C:\path\to\file" cacls "C:\path\to\file" /G username:F

4. Check Disk for Errors: - Run a disk check to ensure there are no underlying disk errors causing these permission issues. You can do this by right-clicking on the drive in File Explorer, selecting Properties, going to the Tools tab, and clicking on "Check now" under Error-checking. 5. Check for Malware: - Although you have McAfee installed, perform a full system scan to check for any malware that might be affecting file permissions. 6. Temporarily Disable McAfee: - Temporarily disable McAfee to see if it is causing any interference with file access. Sometimes security software can conflict with file operations. 7. Check for Windows Updates: - Ensure that your system is up to date with the latest Windows updates. Some updates can address permissions-related issues. 8. Create a New User Account: - As a troubleshooting step, create a new user account with administrative privileges and see if the issue persists there. This can help isolate if the problem is user-specific. 9. Backup Important Data: - As a precaution, make sure to back up any important files in case further troubleshooting causes data loss. 10. Consider Upgrading Windows: - Windows 7 reached its end of support in January 2020. Consider upgrading to a newer version of Windows for better security and ongoing support. Given the complexity of the issue, it might require a combination of these steps to diagnose and resolve the problem. If none of these steps work, there might be underlying system corruption that could require more in-depth troubleshooting.