Locked Folders in Windows 7

Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are locked.
"Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I found that it
was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I have viewed it
numerous times before today. Why and what can I do to "Unlock"???

Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an "Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an "Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Shenan Stanley wrote:
Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an "Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

This was a clean install a long time ago and I have been into the
"Documents and Settings" folder many - many times; up until today. When
I tried to open the folder I got a error message that stated "Documents
and Settings is not accessible" "Access is denied"
Tried to change the security settings via the properties feature of
Documents and settings; basically the same error message.

Going into Windows explorer; it shows an icon of a folder with a lock on
it next to "Documents and Settings". There are 5 other folders with the
same lock displayed; however; 4 of those I am able to open; the 5th;
"System Volume Information" also gives me the same error message..

Shenan Stanley wrote:
Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an "Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

This was a clean install a long time ago and I have been into the
"Documents and Settings" folder many - many times; up until today. When
I tried to open the folder I got a error message that stated "Documents
and Settings is not accessible" "Access is denied"
Tried to change the security settings via the properties feature of
Documents and settings; basically the same error message.

Going into Windows explorer; it shows an icon of a folder with a lock on
it next to "Documents and Settings". There are 5 other folders with the
same lock displayed; however; 4 of those I am able to open; the 5th;
"System Volume Information" also gives me the same error message..

Managed to solve the problem Booted into safe mood and tried to change
the security settings of the folder. At first it wouldn't let me; but
after playing around with it, I was able to get the "Advance" feature of
the security settings box to work. Than I was able to "Unlock" the
folders in question.

Why did this happen and how is what I would like to know!

theslaz wrote:
Shenan Stanley wrote:
Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an
"Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

This was a clean install a long time ago and I have been into the
"Documents and Settings" folder many - many times; up until today. When
I tried to open the folder I got a error message that stated "Documents
and Settings is not accessible" "Access is denied"
Tried to change the security settings via the properties feature of
Documents and settings; basically the same error message.

Going into Windows explorer; it shows an icon of a folder with a lock on
it next to "Documents and Settings". There are 5 other folders with the
same lock displayed; however; 4 of those I am able to open; the 5th;
"System Volume Information" also gives me the same error message..

Managed to solve the problem Booted into safe mood and tried to change
the security settings of the folder. At first it wouldn't let me; but
after playing around with it, I was able to get the "Advance" feature of
the security settings box to work. Than I was able to "Unlock" the
folders in question.

Why did this happen and how is what I would like to know!

theslaz wrote:
Shenan Stanley wrote:
Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an
"Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

This was a clean install a long time ago and I have been into the
"Documents and Settings" folder many - many times; up until today. When
I tried to open the folder I got a error message that stated "Documents
and Settings is not accessible" "Access is denied"
Tried to change the security settings via the properties feature of
Documents and settings; basically the same error message.

Going into Windows explorer; it shows an icon of a folder with a lock on
it next to "Documents and Settings". There are 5 other folders with the
same lock displayed; however; 4 of those I am able to open; the 5th;
"System Volume Information" also gives me the same error message..

The fact that you can't get into this 'folder' is by design. In fact it's
not a folder, it's a junction which redirects you to c:\users.

If you remove the security from these junctions (Everyoneeny List Contents)
you will have some nasty problems like backup programs getting into endless
loops. Don't.

You should access your files via c:\users, which is the 'real' folder.

"theslaz" wrote:

Managed to solve the problem Booted into safe mood and tried to change
the security settings of the folder. At first it wouldn't let me; but
after playing around with it, I was able to get the "Advance" feature of
the security settings box to work. Than I was able to "Unlock" the
folders in question.

Why did this happen and how is what I would like to know!

theslaz wrote:
Shenan Stanley wrote:
Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an
"Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

This was a clean install a long time ago and I have been into the
"Documents and Settings" folder many - many times; up until today. When
I tried to open the folder I got a error message that stated "Documents
and Settings is not accessible" "Access is denied"
Tried to change the security settings via the properties feature of
Documents and settings; basically the same error message.

Going into Windows explorer; it shows an icon of a folder with a lock on
it next to "Documents and Settings". There are 5 other folders with the
same lock displayed; however; 4 of those I am able to open; the 5th;
"System Volume Information" also gives me the same error message..

.

The fact that you can't get into this 'folder' is by design. In fact it's
not a folder, it's a junction which redirects you to c:\users.

If you remove the security from these junctions (Everyoneeny List Contents)
you will have some nasty problems like backup programs getting into endless
loops. Don't.

You should access your files via c:\users, which is the 'real' folder.

"theslaz" wrote:

Managed to solve the problem Booted into safe mood and tried to change
the security settings of the folder. At first it wouldn't let me; but
after playing around with it, I was able to get the "Advance" feature of
the security settings box to work. Than I was able to "Unlock" the
folders in question.

Why did this happen and how is what I would like to know!

theslaz wrote:
Shenan Stanley wrote:
Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an
"Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

This was a clean install a long time ago and I have been into the
"Documents and Settings" folder many - many times; up until today. When
I tried to open the folder I got a error message that stated "Documents
and Settings is not accessible" "Access is denied"
Tried to change the security settings via the properties feature of
Documents and settings; basically the same error message.

Going into Windows explorer; it shows an icon of a folder with a lock on
it next to "Documents and Settings". There are 5 other folders with the
same lock displayed; however; 4 of those I am able to open; the 5th;
"System Volume Information" also gives me the same error message..

.

To build on this I would like to be able to look at the size of the folder
and figure out how much of my 120GB SSD this folder is eating since by sizing
up the "unlocked" folders it says I've only used 30GB.... When overall size
says I've used 110GB? Is there a way to accomplish this?

"Anteaus" wrote:


The fact that you can't get into this 'folder' is by design. In fact it's
not a folder, it's a junction which redirects you to c:\users.

If you remove the security from these junctions (Everyoneeny List Contents)
you will have some nasty problems like backup programs getting into endless
loops. Don't.

You should access your files via c:\users, which is the 'real' folder.

"theslaz" wrote:

Managed to solve the problem Booted into safe mood and tried to change
the security settings of the folder. At first it wouldn't let me; but
after playing around with it, I was able to get the "Advance" feature of
the security settings box to work. Than I was able to "Unlock" the
folders in question.

Why did this happen and how is what I would like to know!

theslaz wrote:
Shenan Stanley wrote:
Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an
"Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

This was a clean install a long time ago and I have been into the
"Documents and Settings" folder many - many times; up until today. When
I tried to open the folder I got a error message that stated "Documents
and Settings is not accessible" "Access is denied"
Tried to change the security settings via the properties feature of
Documents and settings; basically the same error message.

Going into Windows explorer; it shows an icon of a folder with a lock on
it next to "Documents and Settings". There are 5 other folders with the
same lock displayed; however; 4 of those I am able to open; the 5th;
"System Volume Information" also gives me the same error message..

.

To build on this I would like to be able to look at the size of the folder
and figure out how much of my 120GB SSD this folder is eating since by sizing
up the "unlocked" folders it says I've only used 30GB.... When overall size
says I've used 110GB? Is there a way to accomplish this?

"Anteaus" wrote:


The fact that you can't get into this 'folder' is by design. In fact it's
not a folder, it's a junction which redirects you to c:\users.

If you remove the security from these junctions (Everyoneeny List Contents)
you will have some nasty problems like backup programs getting into endless
loops. Don't.

You should access your files via c:\users, which is the 'real' folder.

"theslaz" wrote:

Managed to solve the problem Booted into safe mood and tried to change
the security settings of the folder. At first it wouldn't let me; but
after playing around with it, I was able to get the "Advance" feature of
the security settings box to work. Than I was able to "Unlock" the
folders in question.

Why did this happen and how is what I would like to know!

theslaz wrote:
Shenan Stanley wrote:
Theslaz wrote:
Running Windows 7 Ultra. All of a sudden some of my folders are
locked. "Documents and Settings" is the one that I tried when I
found that it was locked. This folder was not locked before; as I
have viewed it numerous times before today. Why and what can I do
to "Unlock"???

You mean Windows 7 Ultimate Edition? (Don't believe there is an
"Ultra"...)

Can you be much more descriptive with what you mean by 'locked'?

Was this a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate - or an update?
If the latter - from what OS?

This was a clean install a long time ago and I have been into the
"Documents and Settings" folder many - many times; up until today. When
I tried to open the folder I got a error message that stated "Documents
and Settings is not accessible" "Access is denied"
Tried to change the security settings via the properties feature of
Documents and settings; basically the same error message.

Going into Windows explorer; it shows an icon of a folder with a lock on
it next to "Documents and Settings". There are 5 other folders with the
same lock displayed; however; 4 of those I am able to open; the 5th;
"System Volume Information" also gives me the same error message..

.