Most folders and some file attributes are always “read-only”

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I've done everything exactly how a few website said what to do so you take ownership and full control over a folder or file, and I even had someone at Microsoft help me. Except I can't make it so I am the owner of my own files. I've changed the settings via the Security tab > Advanced, and even tried using Windows PowerShell (Admin) and the Command Prompt.

Back story. Not sure when this started, but the most recent severe problems were a motherboard and CPU failure so I had to buy used ones. The motherboard came from China, so I had to send a screenshot of a few notifications to a friend in China to translate it for me.

The “read-only” attribute is active on several folders, but that can only be discovered if at least 2 folders are selected at the same time as when you view the properties for them. It's even like that on some old folders on a thumb drive, and there isn't a security tab on any file or folder on that USB storage device!

 

[AnnieGeek]

Let’s try a couple of different things:

1. Right-click the file or folder, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Security tab.

3. Click a user name or group under Group or user names.

The permissions for the selected user or group are shown in the lower portion of the properties dialog box.

To view or to remove the Read-only or the System attributes of folders in Windows Vista or Windows 7

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER..

2. To view the syntax for the Attrib command, type attrib /? at the command prompt.

To remove the Read-only attribute and to set the System attribute, use the following command:

attrib -r +s drive:\<path>\<foldername>

For example, to remove the Read-only attribute and to set the System attribute for the C:\Test folder, use the following command:

attrib -r +s c:\test

Be aware that some programs may not operate correctly with folders for which the System attribute and the Read-only attribute are set. Therefore, use the following command to remove these attributes:

attrib -r -s drive:\<path>\<foldername>

For example, to remove both the Read-only and the System attributes from the C:\Test folder, use the following command:

attrib -r -s c:\test

If the Run command is not listed on the Start menu, do the following:

Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Run.

Hope this will be helpful.

 

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Let’s try a couple of different things:

1. Right-click the file or folder, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Security tab.

3. Click a user name or group under Group or user names.

The permissions for the selected user or group are shown in the lower portion of the properties dialog box.

To view or to remove the Read-only or the System attributes of folders in Windows Vista or Windows 7

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER..

2. To view the syntax for the Attrib command, type attrib /? at the command prompt.

To remove the Read-only attribute and to set the System attribute, use the following command:

attrib -r +s drive:\<path>\<foldername>

For example, to remove the Read-only attribute and to set the System attribute for the C:\Test folder, use the following command:

attrib -r +s c:\test

Be aware that some programs may not operate correctly with folders for which the System attribute and the Read-only attribute are set. Therefore, use the following command to remove these attributes:

attrib -r -s drive:\<path>\<foldername>

For example, to remove both the Read-only and the System attributes from the C:\Test folder, use the following command:

attrib -r -s c:\test

If the Run command is not listed on the Start menu, do the following:

Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Run.

Hope this will be helpful.

I already did the first 1, 2, 3... That's what the screenshots are of. This website is windows10forums, but you're telling me "To view or to remove the Read-only or the System attributes of folders in Windows Vista or Windows 7"?

A few of the files and folders had the name of the owner like this example, with the unique numbers changed: "S-1-1-11-1234567890-1234567890-1234567890-1001". I'm sure they're somehow linked with the older CPU or motherboard, I'm not sure what creates them.

For reference, I know about that from the CCleaner program, and it's the name of a folder in the recycle bin that a desktop.ini file was in when I added C:\$RECYCLE.BIN to the list of custom files and folders to include. Which is how I found out that there were a lot of files I deleted several years ago and even emptied the recycle bin. So I did a secure file deletion to completely remove them. That way if I have a hard drive failure I can easily recover files with a file recovery program.

 

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I found an ancient screenshot I took when my computer's OS was Windows 7!

The current desktop.ini file in the recycle bin is not the one in this screenshot! I'm sure that's the name of the owner of a folder or file I saw. The dates for this screenshot are from 6/16/2015.