Windows 10: windows 10 marks directories as "read only" and i am unable to change

It sounds like you certainly have bigger issues.

Did you run the Permissions fix from SafeMode with WRT? I wonder if it can;t do some fixes from Normal Mode


Maybe a HP system restore is in Order after all ? you live and learn as they say ..... install macrium reflect free ( new version out today) and make an image ASAP after the reinstall and schedule it for ever 2 days after that saving 12 backups to your Ext.Drive so you can go back 3 weeks to rescur things if needed....

 

that turning "Read-Only" is a big MYSTERIOUS situation. Why should the System behave like that? Incredible!
But be very careful with what you do, trying to get access to it.
I lost 1TB data on a external HDD trying to fix a misbehavior of the OS. The OS was trying make me believe there was a Hardware Failure on the HDD. The same HDD is working perfectly , I have used it often last Weeks and there is NO failure at all, so there is something else going on. Be advised.

If it is an External HDD, try other PC.

 

Try the Inplace Upgrade is next I guess , if that doesn't help then a Full reinstall maybe needed...


KB

 

what is the difference between this and a factory reset?

 

Factory will make it like the day your purchased it............ (the Hp laptop?) was it with Win10 or Win8.1?

assuming you mean HP's "recovery" option ie f2 or f12 I think ?

Upgrade , replaces windows Files and saves yours if you choose that Option.... Your ISO/Win MCT USB installer needs to be the same version of higher to work though as an Inplace upgrade AFAIK though

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade - Windows 10 Forums

 

You can change the owner back to TrustedInstaller. You'll need to use its full name NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller. See:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3...dows-10-a.html

 

Hi. It sounds to me like you may still have remnants of the infection(s). Here's what I would do:

Make a Macrium image of your OS drive, then also image your data drive. Use the Macrium Rescue media to boot your system and make the images. Save the images to a new, clean drive.

Put the permission(s) back, which you changed.

Run the following programs in this order:

RKILL
TDSSKiller (check all boxes and let it reboot so it can scan properly)
RKILL (again, because everything RKILL does is undone by a reboot)
ADWCleaner (scan, then clean; it will reboot as well)
Malwarebytes Antimalware full custom scan of all drives
JRT

I would then do a repair install using an in-place upgrade, as previously suggested by Kbird. Select to keep apps and files.
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade - Windows 10 Forums

If all is successful, delete the images you first made, and make new ones of the repaired system and data.

p.s. Everything I have suggested here is free.

 

HP was with Windows 10, and I had downloaded the anniversary module. will an in-place upgrade work? I did check for Windows restore points, but didn't find any. However, HP installed some of its own updates, and said it created restore points. Maybe if I tried that (especially if an in place upgrade isn't possible).. it could go back to some point before I knew this was doing this. however, I don't know when directories started becoming read only. I just know when I noticed it.

probably cannot restore points on the external drive. if I restore the system by the upgrade or another way, yet virus (if that is the case) was removed from the external drive.. can I likely override the read only on the external drive once this is fixed?

 

I am not sure I can make an image of those drives and back up to a new drive? do you mean a new hard drive? I only have this system and the external drive. no virus is detected on either and I ran kapersky, a couple different add-ons for mcafee (to find Trojans), and mcafee is not finding anything currently. it seems it might have before, but says it cleaned something. malware bytes found nothing.

right now, I have put permissions back, but if I did some system restore, it might restore to before all this (that is what I think, but I don't know since I don't know when it started doing read only).. if it was from an infection. perhaps it would go back to before infection, but I don't know. maybe it just would reactivate infection.

 

Not sure about external but that is something to deal with after you fix the Computer.

By default in win10 Restore Point are OFF ( no idea why) so you may not have any/many? and not the external is likely not included as it doesn't sound like you had enabled Restore Points .....Unless HP turn it on in their Version of Win 10 ? Possible I guess....

No guarantees with the Inplace Upgrade but then again it only takes an Hour or so and shouldn't do any harm either , there is just no way to know if a trojan or rootkit or something else is hiding somewhere ..... I suspect whatever it was was partly stopped by your virus detection before it got to the point of showing you a Ransom Screen or something ,but MacAffee etc can't fix the issues either , especially since we have no clue as to what was stopped.

Simrick's list is my standard too....

Try Eset's online Scanner too

Hitman Pro

 

but if I use eset, do I need to purchase something in order to see results? what about hitman pro? I do not have a new clean drive. the external drive was the new clean drive.

 

ESET Online Scanner is free.
You can see step-by-step instructions on how to run and manipulate it in this post at our sister forum, sevenforums.com. Be sure to login/create an account, so you can see all the screenshots:
BSOD after boot up, during login or right after, (bad spool header?) Solved - Page 3 - Windows 7 Help Forums

HitmanPro offers a free 30-day trial, so no, you don't have to buy anything.

 

Thanks Simrick....

Let Eset Online Run overnight ...it can take sometime.....

Hitman gives you a free trial and at least 1 free Clean.... thankfully I have not needed it personally in some time....

and Josh ......Simrick means you create an Account on Seven Forums if you want to see the PICS there , only 2 show) , not at ESET ONLINE.


KB.

 

Yes, thanks! *Wink

 

Eset is stuck. last i checked, it seemed halfway finished with scanning the main drive. but now after checking, it seems frozen (whether on the main drive or external i don't know) finding 5 threats), and showing everything highlighted in black, but text is hidden.. no option to stop scan, but scan seems frozen. also, the icon of eset keeps showing itself in other places in the taskbar. i looked online and eset's forum showed this happened to another user with windows 10 anniversary edition. black bars and stuck during the scan.. what do i do? i am afraid that maybe a virus is detected and since mcafee is disabled and this one probably froze, nothing is protected.