Read Only attribute unremovable ??

Desktop and laptop both on XP Pro SP3.

I have Cad and other software on a laptop, and I sometimes use a desktop as
a file
server. Common peer networking situation, never had a problem before. I've
used software on one machine open files on the other (both directions),
hundreds of times over several years.

On the desktop, did some cleanout of old files and backing up stuff
(ordinary copying) to an external drive
(done this dozens of times on this machine). Now I have a problem with the
Read Only attribute on folders. Never set it before, doesn't appear on
individual files, just folders.
When I try to open desktop files from the laptop, I get a message telling me
"The file is not available for write access. Open read only?"
When I go to the desktop and look at Share properties on the highest level
folder, "Allow network users to change..." is checked.
If I Rt-click-Properties from Win Explorer on that same folder, the Read
Only box is checked/colored in. It will allow the box to be cleared, and
when Apply is clicked, a Confirm window comes up. "Apply Changes to
subfolders, files, ..." is checked. When I click OK, the Applying
Attributes process runs through bunches of subfolder names, etc for about 30
seconds and the Read Only box is clear. I then OK out of the folder
properties.

At this point in win explorer, I can immediately go right back to properties
on the top level folder, and Read Only shows as selected again, and the
original problem is still evident.

I was thinking it might be something with the Cad software, but I just tried
an Excel file and had the same problem. Also tried turning off the firewall
on the desktop, no help.

Any ideas on how the Read Only is being set, and how to get rid of it?

"bill a" wrote in
:

Desktop and laptop both on XP Pro SP3.

I have Cad and other software on a laptop, and I sometimes use a
desktop as a file
server. Common peer networking situation, never had a problem
before. I've used software on one machine open files on the other
(both directions), hundreds of times over several years.

On the desktop, did some cleanout of old files and backing up
stuff (ordinary copying) to an external drive
(done this dozens of times on this machine). Now I have a problem
with the Read Only attribute on folders. Never set it before,
doesn't appear on individual files, just folders.
When I try to open desktop files from the laptop, I get a message
telling me "The file is not available for write access. Open read
only?" When I go to the desktop and look at Share properties on
the highest level folder, "Allow network users to change..." is
checked. If I Rt-click-Properties from Win Explorer on that same
folder, the Read Only box is checked/colored in. It will allow
the box to be cleared, and when Apply is clicked, a Confirm window
comes up. "Apply Changes to subfolders, files, ..." is checked.
When I click OK, the Applying Attributes process runs through
bunches of subfolder names, etc for about 30 seconds and the Read
Only box is clear. I then OK out of the folder properties.

At this point in win explorer, I can immediately go right back to
properties on the top level folder, and Read Only shows as
selected again, and the original problem is still evident.

I was thinking it might be something with the Cad software, but I
just tried an Excel file and had the same problem. Also tried
turning off the firewall on the desktop, no help.

Any ideas on how the Read Only is being set, and how to get rid of
it?

The answer is that the "Read-only" bit you see on a folder is not
really a Read-only bit.

Microsoft explains all this in the following article:
"You cannot view or change the Read-only or the System attributes of
folders in Windows Server 2003, in Windows XP, in Windows Vista or in
Windows 7"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326549

You say you have XP Pro. The important factor is whether you have
"Simple File Sharing" enabled or not. If it's not enabled, then it's
easiest to have matching username/passwords set on all machines. If
it is enabled, then access to shared folders is through the "Guest"
account. Make sure the Guest account is _active_ and given at least
Read access to the folders that you are sharing.

HTH,
John

"bill a" wrote in
:

Desktop and laptop both on XP Pro SP3.

I have Cad and other software on a laptop, and I sometimes use a
desktop as a file
server. Common peer networking situation, never had a problem
before. I've used software on one machine open files on the other
(both directions), hundreds of times over several years.

On the desktop, did some cleanout of old files and backing up
stuff (ordinary copying) to an external drive
(done this dozens of times on this machine). Now I have a problem
with the Read Only attribute on folders. Never set it before,
doesn't appear on individual files, just folders.
When I try to open desktop files from the laptop, I get a message
telling me "The file is not available for write access. Open read
only?" When I go to the desktop and look at Share properties on
the highest level folder, "Allow network users to change..." is
checked. If I Rt-click-Properties from Win Explorer on that same
folder, the Read Only box is checked/colored in. It will allow
the box to be cleared, and when Apply is clicked, a Confirm window
comes up. "Apply Changes to subfolders, files, ..." is checked.
When I click OK, the Applying Attributes process runs through
bunches of subfolder names, etc for about 30 seconds and the Read
Only box is clear. I then OK out of the folder properties.

At this point in win explorer, I can immediately go right back to
properties on the top level folder, and Read Only shows as
selected again, and the original problem is still evident.

I was thinking it might be something with the Cad software, but I
just tried an Excel file and had the same problem. Also tried
turning off the firewall on the desktop, no help.

Any ideas on how the Read Only is being set, and how to get rid of
it?

The answer is that the "Read-only" bit you see on a folder is not
really a Read-only bit.

Microsoft explains all this in the following article:
"You cannot view or change the Read-only or the System attributes of
folders in Windows Server 2003, in Windows XP, in Windows Vista or in
Windows 7"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326549

You say you have XP Pro. The important factor is whether you have
"Simple File Sharing" enabled or not. If it's not enabled, then it's
easiest to have matching username/passwords set on all machines. If
it is enabled, then access to shared folders is through the "Guest"
account. Make sure the Guest account is _active_ and given at least
Read access to the folders that you are sharing.

HTH,
John