Why don't I have the right to create a text file in my root directory?

When I right-click in a window showing my C:\ directory in Windows 7 and try to create a new text file, I get an error message: "A required privilege is not held by the client." Why is this and how can I change it?

Tommy Herbert

Posted 2009-10-13T19:34:43.413

Reputation: 143

Can you do it from an elevated notepad? Explorer.exe is not elevated. – Phoshi – 2009-10-13T19:36:22.130

Yes I can. My question is, why has my root directory been made less accessible in this way? – Tommy Herbert – 2009-10-13T19:39:11.937

8Because if you can access your root, so can IAmAVirus.exe! It's a good thing, honest. – Phoshi – 2009-10-13T19:41:02.743

Answers

The C: drive is protected from modification by normal users. Unless your an administrator or can elevate another process to administrator, you won't be able to write to C: drive except in your C:/Users/ folder.

More Info

IF you right click C: in the Computer view, go to security, you'll notice that you won't have Write permissions. You get Read/Execute, List Files, and Read.

Justin Drury

Posted 2009-10-13T19:34:43.413

Reputation: 236

I am an administrator - this is my own laptop. Is there no way to lift the protection? – Tommy Herbert – 2009-10-13T19:42:01.620

You can try to add Full Access as a permission for your account. But it is not recommended. If you need to store a file somewhere, the best place is on another drive, or in your users folder. – Justin Drury – 2009-10-13T19:44:07.217

You need to add Full Access to your account on C:. Since Vista, this directory is protected, as it's one of the favorite places for viruses. In any case, too many irreplaceable system files reside there. – harrymc – 2009-10-13T19:49:40.153

I understand Phoshi's point that a virus could pose as a user, but I've experimentally granted myself Write permission in C:\. I still can't create a text file from Explorer, though. – Tommy Herbert – 2009-10-13T19:52:12.613

You need full access to create a file, iirc. – Justin Drury – 2009-10-13T19:55:33.480

I think I did have it, but I'll give up now. Thanks for your advice. – Tommy Herbert – 2009-10-13T20:01:18.180

yep, write only lets you write to existing files for... I'm sure a very good reason, but I don't know what is it. – Phoshi – 2009-10-13T20:05:58.340

I'm sorry that you're unable to give yourself access the the C: drive. It was secured by Microsoft so that viruses have a harder time of burying themselves into the OS on a regular user account. As for recommended solutions, if you have another drive, put the file there, or place it in your My Documents folder. – Justin Drury – 2009-10-13T20:13:23.413

To fix it, just turn off the User Account Control (UAC). In Windows 8, do not turn off the UAC via control panel, it must go through the registry.

Press keys “Windows Key + R”, type regedit
Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\EnableLUA
Update the EnableLUA value to 0 (turn if off)
Restart Windows.

Rohit kadam

Posted 2009-10-13T19:34:43.413

Reputation: 1