Win7 file Security and Ownership

[ardi]

I've had horrible results trying to get ownership and control over files. I'm the only user/admin yet sometimes I cannot change ownership of files brought from a flash drive. One error I get is "cannot determine current owner." So I can't use or delete files I've just imported.

Really, what I'm looking for is a very good resource to study. I know it's out there, and someone knows what to do when the thing does not respond as described. What is the nuclear option to get control of files?

[MagicAndre1981]

Use the tool TakeControl from XPero.

[gunsmokingman]

Or you could try this script to take ownership of the file

Save As OwnTheFile.vbs

Dim Act : Set Act = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Dim  Obj  
For Each Obj in Wscript.Arguments    
  Act.Run("takeown /f " & Obj),0,True    
  Act.Run("icacls " & Obj & " /grant administrators:F"),0,True   
Next

[MagicAndre1981]

your script only works on english Windows version.

[MrJinje]

Attachment in post three is a multi-lingual right click shell extension version.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant *S-1-5-32-544:F"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant *S-1-5-32-544:F"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant *S-1-5-32-544:F /t"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant *S-1-5-32-544:F /t"

S-1-5-32-544 is the well-known sid of the "Administrators" local group. So this should work as well.

Dim Act : Set Act = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Dim  Obj  
For Each Obj in Wscript.Arguments    
  Act.Run("takeown /f " & Obj),0,True    
  Act.Run("icacls " & Obj & " /grant *S-1-5-32-544:F"),0,True   
Next

Edited February 22, 2010 by MrJinje