Windows 10 "You don't currently have permission to access this folder" (USB drive)

[Cooker]

Just joined. New one for me:: "You don't currently have permission to access this folder" but its not a file problem, it's the USB drive. Tried to change permissions - Administrator has a Red X in permissions. Ch'd to 'Everyone', etc .. doesnt matter. this is weird. Suspect latest autodownload from MSFT? Help please!

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Are saying that it will not let you access the flash drive at all, or can you see the files on it in Windows File Explorer.
If it does let you see the files does it refuse to access all files?

Do you have another computer that you can plug the drive in to see if it will work?
Does another flash drive work OK in your computer?

The main thing that we need to know is does this only happen on one specific USB drive, or does it treat all USB drives the same?

Mike

 

[Cooker]

Hi Mike!

I cannot access ANY flash drive in the port on the new laptop. Yes I have a second laptop, and they see the data on the drives. The USB port worked last week when I set up the new laptop. Now it won't allow access. I can do a screenprint if you want to see the error..

 

[Cooker]

Frustrating to see in the 3rd pic that Admin is being blocked

 

[Neemobeer]

Is this Windows 10 home or pro?

 

[Cooker]

W10. home

 

[Neemobeer]

You show a picture of share permissions, are you trying to access this remotely or local and can we see the local ntfs permissions.

 

[Cooker]

Accessing local - right in front of me, its that local...
The pic called 'error1' is what pops up when i click the F: drive from File Explorer.
The pic caller 'error2' is what I get when I click the 'continue' button shown in 'error1'.
The RIGHT side of 'error3' is the next step and the LEFT side of same pic is when i go into 'Permissions'.

Don't know what to do after that.

See attached permissions in 'error4' attachment per your request.

THANKS..

 

[Cooker]

Additionally, I even went into Device Manager and deleted everything under 'Universal Serial Bus Controllers' and rebooted to let Windows rebuild the port configs. They all reappeared, all ports work, but accessing any of the flash drives still proves fruitless.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi again.

This is a long shot, but try changing the drive letter in Disk Manager to something different then it is currently, say from F to G.
I actually found a post in another forum that said that this solved the problem for them.

Otherwise the solutions I've found are the things that you have already tried, like deleting all the devices and letting Windows reinstall them.
Something that usually will resolve issues like this for me.

Mike

 

[jerryg50]

Just joined. New one for me:: "You don't currently have permission to access this folder" but its not a file problem, it's the USB drive. Tried to change permissions - Administrator has a Red X in permissions. Ch'd to 'Everyone', etc .. doesnt matter. this is weird. Suspect latest autodownload from MSFT? Help please!

You should have mentioned the OS you are using. I assume Win10. Did you google how to set the policy settings for access of thumb dirve? It would be interesting to know if it can access an external USB hard drive.

Another thought is the access denied can be from a compatibility with the drive format. Copy off the data of the thumb drive on the working laptop. On the new one format the thumb drive default settings to see if this works.

If this does not work, check out below...

Start with the link below. The link is telling how to prevent access to USB drives. Do the opposite. The instructions will show you how to get to the policy settings to allow permission in case they are opposite to what you require.


How to Disable USB Drives using Group Policy | Windows OS Hub

 

[Cooker]

Mike, I changed drive letter to X ... did not make a difference.

Jerry, I have 5 different flash drives - all work on another laptop but I still cannot access ANY of them on the new one. I was able to, last week. I made NO changes up tho the point when it failed, this morning. I have a cordless mouse and keyboard and those USB plug-ins work just fine in the questionable ports.

This has got to be a security permissions prob. I have been through all that BUT i may be doing it all wrong or missing one thing. Once again , earlier I went into Device Manager and deleted everything under 'Universal Serial Bus Controllers' and rebooted to let Windows rebuild the port configs. They all reappeared, all ports work, but accessing any of the flash drives still proves fruitless.

NOTE that "Administrator" has a red X on it. I will again attach a screen shot of that.

Thanks so far, guys. Really appreciate your efforts and input. Merry Christmas all ..

 

[jerryg50]

Just joined. New one for me:: "You don't currently have permission to access this folder" but its not a file problem, it's the USB drive. Tried to change permissions - Administrator has a Red X in permissions. Ch'd to 'Everyone', etc .. doesnt matter. this is weird. Suspect latest autodownload from MSFT? Help please!

I would be curious, if you were to try to format a USB drive to see if it allows for this. Also, did you try to turn off any anti-virus software. I have see some anti-virus software deny users to access USB drives.


Taken from the MS Help Forum:
Unable to view contents on USB drive - I do not have permission


To assign permissions to the system:

1. Open Windows Explorer. To do this, click Start, click Programs, and then click Windows Explorer.
2. Expand My Computer.
3. Right-click the system drive (this is typically drive C), and then click Properties.
4. Click the Security tab, and then click Advanced to open the Access Control Settings for Local Disk dialog box.
5. Click the Owner tab, click to select the Replace Owner on Sub containers and Objects check box, and then click Apply.
   
   If you receive the following error message, click Continue: An error has occurred applying security information to %systemdrive%\Pagefile.sys
6. If you receive the following error message, click Yes: You do not have permission to read the contents of directory %systemdrive%\System Volume Information - Do you want to replace the directory permission - All permission will be replaced granting you Full Control
7. Click OK to close the dialog box.
8. Click Add.
9. Add the following users, and then grant them the Full Control NTFS permission:
   • Administrator
   • System
   • Creator Owner
10. After you have added these NTFS permissions, click Advanced, click to select the Reset permission on all child objects and enable propagation of inheritable permissions check box, and then click Apply.
11. If you receive the following error message, click Continue: An error has occurred applying security information to %systemdrive%\Pagefile.sys
12. After you have reset NTFS permissions, click OK.

 

[Neemobeer]

Try just turning off the share permissions. They are not needed to access the flash drive locally and also most restrictive wins between ntfs and share permissions.

Also looking again at picture 3, that is the adminstrator user, not the adminstrators group. That account is disabled by default which is why it has a red X

 

[MikeHawthorne]

I was going to suggest trying to format it as well to NTFS since you can copy anything on it to another computer, but since you you have multiple drives that do not work that kind of rules out it being something on the drive itself that's causing the problem.

I really don't know if changlng it to NTFS could make a difference or not.

It must be an error in permissions somehow, but it could be a glitch and not just an incorrect setting.

Since you can access the computer to back up anything that you need to, and since it worked okay a week or so ago, if nothing else helps I'd just try resetting the computer to factory state and start over.

It should only take an hour or so, and should almost certainly solve the problem unless it's a hardware thing, which seems pretty unlikely.

I'd also recommnd creating a system image when you get your software installed.
I use EaseUS Todo it is easy to use and always works for me.

Mike

 

[Cooker]

It's definitely a permissions error. See attached. I've tried several of the suggestions submitted. NTFS, FAT32, FAT. Thanks so far, including the last one which must have been for Windows 8.

I am at wit's end and hate getting stumped. I don't want to reset to factory state, but I will go back to a control point set a few days ago. Will do that later this morning in case someone has another suggestion. Thanks all .. see attached. Dont know how to get by THAT one...

 

[Neemobeer]

Again that is the ADMINISTRATOR USER it is a disabled account and it is not the account you are using. If you type whoami at a command prompt you will see your account name.

As an afterthought can you see if you can get there from a command prompt?
Just type the drive letter followed by : so example F: <enter>

 

[Cooker]

whoami tells me I am STEVE
from a cmd prompt, (i renamed the drive "X" in an earlier attempt), I can NOT get to it ... "Access is denied."
Interesting! I also inserted a CD disk into the "E" drive and I can access that just fine...
So somehow, "X" has been disabled or denied from accessing. No idea how or why or when. We (you) are on to something, now ...

 

[Neemobeer]

When you went into device manager, did you go View > Show Hidden devices before removing items? If not do that, then under universal serial bus right click each "USB Mass Storage Device' and select uninstall. Reboot or right click the computer name in device manager and do a scan. Reseat the usb drive

Also check the permissions on the following two files in C:\Windows\INF
usbstor.inf and usbstor.pnf makes sure the COMPUTERNAME\users group has read access.

 

[Cooker]

Really appreciate your efforts. THAT didn't work. When I rediscovered the USB controllers and reseated the flash drive, it called it "F" instead of old name of "X". No big deal. And under Security Tab->Sharing->Advanced Sharing->Permissions I had to I also had to re-enable "All Users" for all 'ALLOW' boxes. BTW, "Everyone" is the only username listed. I figure it encompasses all users, undeniable, except for ADMIN functions.

Below are the steps I ran through. I know you are fully aware of them but though I'd post anyway. Thx again