Resetting Permission

Somehow I've lost Permission to access files on my external hard drive, so I'm resetting Permission on each file individually. Is there a way to reset Permissions on multiple files at the same time? Running Windows 7 Home Premium, SP 1

 

Here is a reg key that adds "take ownership" to the right click menu.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

If you do that, then Open My Computer and right click your external hard drive, it take ownership appears, select it. I haven't tested this but from reading, it seems like all the read only permissions will be gone.

 

Permissions get complicated very quickly, make sure you have admin rights.
If you are a GEEK you might use the DOS command ICACLS
https://superuser.com/questions/222256/change-windows-7-file-permissions-from-command-prompt

If that did not make sense to you, ignore it.
For more user friendly advice read
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...missions/b09c0415-3607-4979-9ce7-c87be95229e6

OOPs, sorry Plodr, was working on this at the same time you were

 

I appreciate your help. FYI, for some reason, some of the files were not converted, but most were. Thanks a lot, you save me a lot of work.

 

What did you use so others reading this thread might try the same thing?

 

I used the link you suggested:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

Then followed your instructions.

 

Thanks for posting back. At least it partially worked which is better than having to reset permissions one file at a time.

 

This is a little late but I just found it on Majorgeeks - NTFS Permissions Tools.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/ntfs_permissions_tools.html

 

Thanks, I'll download and keep on hand in case the problem reappears.