Windows 10: Error: "Could not open source file"; strange file permission owner as owner

Hello,


I use backup software that copies my files to an external HD and saves them in their native format. I.e., it just copies them.


Recently, the software reports some 125 failures with the information "Could not open source file error 5 - access is denied." The files are mostly my work product, namely, JPG, PDF, MP4, MRK, GIF, PNG. No system files.


I'm forced to "go get" my administrator priviliges to get read permissions to view the properties and when I do I see "permission entries" for these principals: SYSTEM, Administrators, and a strange "S-1-5-21-1233518494-4214042063-702540388-1000".


Do you have any idea why I'm suddenly getting this error and how I can fix this please?


Thank you.


Richard O.

:)

 

File Owner problems

Thanks for the response, but this did not seem to work. I selected the take ownership option on the file I wanted, but still ran into all the same problems. I am listed as the owner when I dive into the advanced options, but I still get the message that
I don't have permission to open the file when I try to open it.

 

you don't have permission to open this file contact the file owner or an administrator

Hi,

This could be due to one of the following reasons:

• You don’t have permission to access the file,
• The file you are trying to access is corrupt,
• If you are using any third party security software, it may be blocking the file.

In most of the cases, this issue occurs when the user doesn’t have sufficient permissions to access the file. So I would suggest you to take ownership of the file and then check if the issue persists. Refer to these steps:

• Right-click the program
  that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.
  
• Click the Security tab, and then click OK
  on the Security message (if one appears).
• Click Advanced, and then click change. Enter your password if prompted.
• Type in your username and press
  enter.
• If you want to take ownership of the contents of the folder, select
  the Replace owner on sub containers and objects check box.
• Click OK and close all the windows.
• Follow step a and b, click
  on advanced.
• Under "permissions" tab, select your user account
  and click on "change permissions"
• Check the "Replace all child object permission entries from this object." option and click
  Ok.
• All permissions will be replaced if you click Yes.

Please get back to us with an update on this issue, we will be happy to help.

Thank you

 

Excel changes the owner of file during save


I just duplicated the problem with a brand new Excel file that had nothing to do with the old XP machine ...

• Signed in as the original owner who is in the administrator group
• Created a new Excel file in the same folder as above
• Edited the file with Excel as the original owner ... saved
• Checked ownership and permissions. Everything looks OK, including the inherited permissions from the folder
• Signed off
• Signed on as a second user who is not in the Administrator group
• Edited the the file with Excel as the second user ... saved the file with changes
• Signed off
• Signed on as the original owner
• Checked ownership and permissions. The ownership of the file has changed to the second user.

The original and second users are the exact same users described in the post above. Uggghhh ...

Clueless in Houston ...