Regular users of Windows XP have probably never noticed that some system files cannot be accessed, edited or removed. Instead those who use Windows Vista and Windows 7, most likely will have received, for some operations on protected files, the message " Access Denied ".
This happens both for system files and for other files that you do not own (because of another user registered on the computer).
In Vista and Windows 7 the protection has become more stringent and some files cannot be deleted, modified or renamed .
For example, just go between programs and try to delete or rename the files in the Windows Mail folder, which on Windows 7 are useless and are a remnant of the old Outlook Express now dead.
The message on Windows 7 requires the authorization of TrustedInstaller because otherwise access to the file is denied.
Changing the C: \ WINDOWS \ system32 \ drivers \ etc \ HOSTS file can also be denied.
For XP there could be problems if you migrate the system from one PC to another.
It being understood that this security setting serves to prevent irreversible damage to the operating system, it may happen, in some cases, that it is necessary to modify one of these protected files or folders.
The standard method for assigning permissions to a file is to go to its properties, to the Security tab and assign rights to the user.
If you do not have the file or a folder, you cannot change the permissions either.
In another article, how to fix the Access Denied error and manage permissions while here we see how to quickly take possession of a Windows file or folder.
On Windows 7 and Vista you have to " take possession " of the file to be able to do what you want, modify, delete or rename it.
Taking possession or " Take Ownership " means, roughly speaking, telling the computer that that file is mine.
As you can see, the Windows 7 or Vista system files have the delete and rename keys marked with a shield indicating protection.
To take ownership of a file you can download a program called Rizone Take Ownership which adds an item to the contextual menu that appears when you press the right mouse button on a file which, if pressed, allows you to take possession of the file and edit it or delete it.
In practice it allows you to have full access rights to any file or folder and to change the permissions on the fly even for multiple files together.
Another program for getting full access to a file is WinOwnership .
All you need is to drag a file over the application and press Apply.
It is possible to undo the changes at any time by returning the ownership of the file to Trusted Installer.
In a nutshell, this tool offers quick acquisition of file properties for each file on Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8, both 32-bit and 64-bit.
This "Ownership" operation can also be obtained without downloading any program but simply adding some keys to the registry .
By downloading this zip file and extracting it, you will notice two .reg files, one to bring up the "Full Access" button on the context menu of the right button and the other to remove it.
If you click on InstallOwnership button, clicking with the right mouse button on a file appears a new entry called " Full access ".
From that moment that file or folder can be deleted, moved, renamed or modified.
In any case, modifying the system files is not recommended unless you know what you are doing (maybe for some tricks like putting Outlook Express back in Windows 7) otherwise the PC may not work anymore and Windows will have to be reinstalled.
All this is different from the case in which a file cannot be deleted because in use, in that case, other Windows tools must be used.
In another article, the guide to editing permissions of files and folders on Windows
