Windows 10: Don't have permissions to write in Program Files

Hi!A few days ago, this problem appeared. Not a new install of the OS. I tried installing a program, but the installer was denied access to Program Files. I tried running the installer in as administrator, and that didn't work either. I then checked the properties of Program Files and several other programs in the C: drive and installers didn't have permissions in any of the ones I checked. Furthermore, I am not allowed to edit the permissions, despite being administrator and the only user on the computer:I tried running the command ICACLS * /T /Q /C /RESET in the command prompt run as admini

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windows 10 program files permissions

Hi,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



I understand that you are facing issues with permissions for Program Files folder on your PC, and I certainly appreciate your efforts in trying to resolve the issue by following certain troubleshooting steps.



Let’s try a couple of troubleshooting steps and see if that helps.



Method 1:



Try resetting the permissions using icacls command and see if that helps.

1. Press Windows + S key together to open Search.
   
2. Now type CMD and select Run as administrator.
   
3. Accept the UAC prompts.
   
4. Type in the following command and hit Enter:
   ICACLS * /reset /t /c /q
   
5. Restart the PC
   

Method 2:



Enable built-in administrator and check if the folder has necessary permissions. Kindly follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Now press Windows + S key together to open Search.
   
2. Now type CMD and select Run as administrator.
   
3. Accept the UAC prompts.
   
4. Type in the following commands one by one and hit Enter:
   net user administrator /active:yes
   

If everything is working fine in built-in administrator, then create a new user account using built-in administrator and check if the PC is working fine. Refer the article Create a local user or administrator account in Windows 10



Let us know how it goes.



Regards,

Prakhar Khare

Microsoft Community – Moderator

 

Joining Windows Insider Program removed file write permissions

I didn't like the white title bars that came as standard with Windows 10 and while trying to find out how the change them I read that the Windows 10 insider preview build 10532 had this feature. So I joined the Windows Insider Program to get this build asap.

As part of joining the program I had to sign in to my Microsoft account. When Windows 10 build 10532 was downloaded and installed and the PC rebooted, I could change the colour of title bars, but I couldn't save any files, and I could only open saved documents
as "read only".

I am sure this is something to do with signing in to my Microsoft account to access the Windows Insider Program. I don't recall al the steps, but it seems that Windows now doesn't recognise my previous user permissions. I know how to change the permissions
on a folder or file using the context menu, and this is what I see when I do it:



As you can see, the "Write" permission for "HomeUsers" is not ticked. I can change this and then write to the file or folder, but this is a bit tedious.

What I don't understand how to do is to give myself - which I assume means "HomeUsers" because there is only one login ID set up on this PC - global write permissions.

As I said, there is only one user on this PC, that's me. I have looked at my user account in settings and it is set as Administrator. That's the only account I can see. So I don't understand why this problem with permissions exists.

Thanks for any help.

Kind regards - David

 

Joining Windows Insider Program removed file write permissions

My separate question asked at Using Windows account instead of local account removed file write
permissions received an answer that seems to have resolved the problem. These are the steps I took:

• Log in with Microsoft account.
• Open the properties of the main user profile folder where the files are located (such as Documents, Pictures, etc.).
  
• Go to the Security tab and click Advanced.
• Check the box at the bottom of this window. It is labeled "Replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object" and then click Ok.
  

This didn't go entirely smoothly because after processing a number of folders and files I received an error message on a file "Failed to enumerate objects in the container. Access is denied." I tried pressing the "Continue" option and it did a few more files
and then returned the same error, and then I pressed "Continue" again a few dozen times and the process eventually finished. I don't know why I should get the "Access is denied" message when I am signed in as Administrator. This is a very frustrating aspect
of Windows security.

Anyway, it seems to have done the trick and I haven't had any problems since. What happened to the files that returned the error message I don't know, maybe I just haven't tried to work with any of them since.

Kind regards - David