Windows 7 Write protected sub-folders below the Program Files folder

[AndyS01]

I recently reformatted my hard disk and re-installed Windows 7, and when I try to edit any files in the subdirectories off any on the directories in the C:\Program Files directory, I get 'protected' errors. I found that I could not create files or edit files anywhere below these directories.




It turns out that everything in the Program Files folder and below is write protected. I tried changing one of the subfolder's properties and marked everything as Not Read-only, but I still couldn't create/edit files there.


I was running Windows 7 before the hard disk crapped out, and I was able to modify the au3.propertied file with no problem.


I know that Microsoft wants to put all data files in the C:\User\... directories, but the program I'm trying to change is AutoIt (SciTE), and I don't think here's a way to change the location of the properties files.


Can anyone suggest a way out of this?


Andy


Sorry ... sorry ... sorry ....
I Googled in the Windows 7 support site and found a link to a video telling how to work around this. You have to change permissions of the parent folder and all files/folders below it.

Here's a link to the video:
Link Removed

Sorry, I jumped the gun here.

Andy

 

[johhnymarshal]

I recently reformatted my hard disk and re-installed Windows 7, and when I try to edit any files in the subdirectories off any on the directories in the C:\Program Files directory, I get 'protected' errors. I found that I could not create files or edit files anywhere below these directories.




It turns out that everything in the Program Files folder and below is write protected. I tried changing one of the subfolder's properties and marked everything as Not Read-only, but I still couldn't create/edit files there.


I was running Windows 7 before the hard disk crapped out, and I was able to modify the au3.propertied file with no problem.


I know that Microsoft wants to put all data files in the C:\User\... directories, but the program I'm trying to change is AutoIt (SciTE), and I don't think here's a way to change the location of the properties files.


Can anyone suggest a way out of this?


Andy


Sorry ... sorry ... sorry ....
I Googled in the Windows 7 support site and found a link to a video telling how to work around this. You have to change permissions of the parent folder and all files/folders below it.

Here's a link to the video:
Link Removed

Sorry, I jumped the gun here.

Andy

You cannot do any change in C:/Program files or C:/Windows, as these are system files and folders are they are in running phase while the system is turned on. You should not try any action on c: drive, as it may cause you to Win 7 crash.

 

[AndyS01]

You cannot do any change in C:/Program files or C:/Windows, as these are system files and folders are they are in running phase while the system is turned on. You should not try any action on c: drive, as it may cause you to Win 7 crash.

While that is true, there are several programs that still do it (like AutoIt, Notepad++, etc.). I changed ownership of AutoIt's folders and it all works OK.

As to your statement "as it may cause you to Win 7 crash". Where did you get that information? I Googled it and could not find any reference to Win 7 crashing because something was written to the Program Files folder.

 

[johhnymarshal]

While that is true, there are several programs that still do it (like AutoIt, Notepad++, etc.). I changed ownership of AutoIt's folders and it all works OK.

As to your statement "as it may cause you to Win 7 crash". Where did you get that information? I Googled it and could not find any reference to Win 7 crashing because something was written to the Program Files folder.

I said the same for only C:/Windows, but not for C:/Program Files.

 

[zvit]

As to your statement "as it may cause you to Win 7 crash". Where did you get that information? I Googled it and could not find any reference to Win 7 crashing because something was written to the Program Files folder.

It may work but you will be getting pop-ups and errors all over the place since the registry will go haywire trying to find files that don't exists. It would be worse than a Windows crash.

Link Removed - Invalid URL