Windows 10: Account Unknown Under File Permissions

Recently, in troubleshooting another issue, the support tech created a new local admin user "TEST" on my machine. I don't believe any file permissions were manually assigned. That did not address the problem, and they deleted the user. When I go to a file or directory and do Properties, Security, I see "Account UnknownS....". I try to remove that and get: You can't remove Account UnknownS..... because this object is inheriting permissions from its parent. To remove Account Unknown you must prevent this object from inheriting permissions. Turn off the option for inheriting permissio

:)

 

Account Unknown has full Security permissions on my own User - huh?

Hello glnz,

You will see "Account Unknown" for an account that is not currently available. This could be from an account you deleted that had permissions, or from an account on another computer that is not connected.

Either way, it's safe to remove any listed "Account Unknown" entries in permissions if you are sure it's for an account that will no longer need permissions for the item.

 

Unknown account removal

In a 'permissions' dialog an attempt to remove an UNKNOWN ACCOUNT prompts that inheritance first must be disabled. Two options are offered...

1) Convert inherited permissions to explicit permissions on this object
2) Remove all inherited permissions from the object

Which should be chosen, and will other accounts be affected? Or, would it be prudent to ignore the unknown account?

This is an "Sxxx" account and does not appear in the USERS account list, nor with other normal registry accounts.

 

Individual Folder/File Account Permissions

First...I know this question has been asked many times since 2017.

I've read every forum thread I could find on this topic, but concluded that no one, who has asked a similar question,

has been given a satisfactory answer/solution yet.

I will attempt to be detailed as I can.

There are many, but not all, folders and individual files on my Windows 10 system that have an "Account Unknown" listed in each of their user permissions security properties.

This "Account Unknown" has full access to the folder or the individual file that it is listed in the security properties.

Not all of my folders and individual files have this, but many video, mp3, documents, pictures etc...do have this in their file security properties.

I have folders and also individual files in my Downloads folder, C:\ drive, as well my user folders and also individual files,

many of which are folders or individual files that I have personally made.

Also,...

(1) There is no other general system user account by the "Account Unknown" name that I can delete from my computer.

(2) I can't change the permissions, in the individual folder or file, for the "Account Unknown" user permissions.

They will NOT highlight to allow a change.

(3) I can't simply delete the "Account Unknown" from the user permissions list, or disable inheritance of the folder or file.

If I do that, then I can't do anything with the folder or file either, can't play the video or mp3 file, can't open the document,

can't even open the folder that they are located, or delete it from my system.

All I can do then is to go back in and acquire inheritance myself of the folder or file, which I originally had when I made the folder or file.

This process does get rid of the "Account Unknown" user permissions in the folder or individual file, but...

I have 100s of folders and individual files that have this "Account Unknown" user permissions listed in their security properties,

I'm NOT going to change user inheritance for all of them simply to get rid of the "Account Unknown" user permissions in the folder or individual file security properties.

• To be clear...If I right click on many of my folders or individual files, video folder, some individual video files, mp3 folder, some individual mp3 files, some documents, downloads folder, individual program folders or files, picture folders, some individual
  picture files,...then open the folder or file properties, click security tab...there is an "Account Unknown" listed in that folder or file permissions list, and it has folder or file inheritance.
• I don't have a general system user account named "Account Unknown" on my computer.

FYI...I am running the OneDrive app that came with the Windows 10 system.

I have NOT re-installed my OS, formatted, partitioned, or changed the original OS in any way other than allowing it regularly update as it requests.

I have made a few restore points and a backup of the OS to my 1TB Western Digital external hard-drive.

I have changed my general system user name once, but the affected folders and files were already there, and only some of them have the "Account Unknown" listed now.

My wife and I both are user admins with no other users for the system.

I have NO viruses recognized by the installed Windows Security.

The computer runs fine and fast as always, and I haven't noticed anything unusual, except once when I looked at my restore points,

there was a restore point, that I didn't make, named "Probe".

This restore point showed up after I installed the game named "Probe" made by the "Imersatz GmbH" company.

All other restore points, even after installing a program, are either my manual restore points,

or are always named either Windows Update or Scheduled System Restore.

This is a game similar to the old Stratego game that I've had for along time. Never had any problems with the "Probe" game in the past, but I'm wondering if the game made the restore point, which would bother me, and possibly mean it has user access.

My questions?...

Why is there an "Account Unknown" listed for any of the folders or files at all?

Did the Windows 10 system make it, if so, then why didn't it make it for every folder or file, and why would it do that?

Does it have something to do with the OneDrive app? If so then why and how? Because the OneDrive app does NOT have access to my download folder, where many of the "Account Unknown" user permissions are listed in the folders and files security properties.

Have I been hacked?

What is Microsoft Windows solution for this since it has been happening since at least 2017?

Thank you for your time and any help regarding this issue.

I'll check back later.