You dont currently have permission to access this folder error

Question

I bought a new SATA Hard drive and installed a fresh copy of Windows 7 on it. I also installed my old one beside the new SATA HD.

Now I want to access my images / musics and videos but I get this error:

You dont currently have permission to access this folder, click continue to permanently get access to this folder

and when I click continue, I get this new error:

You have been denied permission to access this folder

when I go to the securiy tabs, my username (which is also the administrator on the pc) is not there - My new HDD is called C: and the old one is E: - I tried this link and run the CMD - but the CMD directory is:

C:\Windows\System32>

and my drive is E:.

Answer 1

Now I want to access my images / musics and videos

Open an elevated command prompt.

Assuming the drive in question is e:

To set any user as owner:

icacls "e:\" /setowner "user name" /T /C

To set administrators group as owner:

icacls "e:\" /setowner "Administrators" /T /C

Source Take Ownership of a File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key in Windows 8

Answer 2

The old disk was created by a user account that does not exist on the new computer. Therefore the disk files are owned by a user that for the new computer is non-existent and non-accessible.

You can follow the steps below:

1. Start a Command Prompt (cmd) as an administrator

2. Take ownership of the files by entering:

   takeown /f E:\ /r
   

3. Give yourself full rights :

   cacls E:\ /T /G username:F
   

The above commands have their origin in earlier versions of Windows. The more modern utility is icacls. Below are some examples:

icacls /?
icacls folder/file /setowner username /t /c /q
icacls folder/file /grant username:F /t

The switches that were used for the last example:

username:F = Full Control to user
/t = Apply recursively to existing files and sub-folders

One more option of interest if the folder contains junctions:

/l = Performs the operation on a symbolic link versus its destination.

References:

• Takeown command
• CACLS command
• icacls command

Answer 3

This is a lot of conversation over a very simple process. I would give you command line options, but recursive junction points can be a problem. So, the most straight forward way to do this is with native Windows tools.

These are Windows 10 instructions. I have added Windows 7 notes.

1. Open File Explorer and right-click the E: drive. Choose Properties
2. Click the Security tab and then click the Advanced button.
3. Next to where it shows the Owner click Change. (Windows 7: Click the Owner tab, click Edit, then click Other users or groups.)
4. In the Select User or Group window, type Administrator and click Check Names. If you did it correctly Administrator will be underlined. Click OK.
5. Check the box Replace owner on subcontainers and objects
6. Click Apply

WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. WAIT some more. When done, click OK and close the Advanced Security Settings for Local Disk E: window.

Now:

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 above.
2. Under the Permission entries window, click the Add button.
3. Next to Principal click Select a principal. (Windows 7: Click Change Permissions, then click Add.)
4. In the Select User or Group window type Everyone and click Check Names. If you did it properly, Everyone will be underlined. Click OK.
5. In the Basic permissions area, check the box next to Full control and click OK.
6. Check the box next to Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object
7. Click Apply.

WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. Wait some more. When it's done, click OK to close the Advanced Security Settings for Local Disk (E:) window.

NOTE: If you receive any security warnings prompting asking you to allow changes, click Yes or Allow.

You now have full access of every file on the E: drive.

Answer 4

Variation of problem I experienced:

I had windows 7 installed but it was giving me issues so i re installed the same windows (windows 7 ultimate) on top of the old and suddenly a whole drive was not allowing me access and when i was hit with all the prompts i was going through the security tabs to find out what was going on, it was coming up saying the owner of the file is unknown, i would then set my admin as owner and then i was able to get into the file but the movie inside was coming up saying it was again incorrect user.

Fix used:

First of all I right click on the hard drive itself then:

1. properties
2. Security
3. in group or username I selected edit (if you already have a Everyone user skip to .6)
4. add
5. in enter the object name Type: Everyone then press check names then OK
6. highlight the everyone user and tick the allow all box then apply
7. reselect the user Everyone and select advanced

8. select owner tab at top
   
   if yours is like mine it will say something like current owner is unknown (not a direct quote)

9. select edit at the bottom

10. select admin then select the tick box Replace Owner on sub containers and objects (very important you tick) select apply.

This will then go through all the files and sub files and change owner to yourself.

Answer 5

Make yourself admin Open Elevated CMD window and fix your username not being in Admin group

net localgroup administrators YOURUSERNAME /add

Then Change drive letter (E:) to your drive letter and run the below

TAKEOWN /F E:\ /R /D Y

Or my favorite

ICACLS "E:\*" /reset /T

Answer 6

All previous answer is perfect, but the easiest method is to use 3rd party program called "take ownership".

Just install and on the desired folder right click and select Take ownership