Windows 7 reports read only files which aren't

Hello

I am in the process of setting up a new laptop running Windows 7 Ultimate.

I have administrator rights.

I have joined my company Domain on a server running Small Business Server 2003, and I am experiencing 2 problems which may be related.

The domain name is “woodroyd.local” when I join with that name Windows Explorer can’t access files on the network and I can’t map network drives. The laptop can see and print to a network printer.

If I then re-join the domain using just the name “Woodroyd” then I can access network files and map network drives. Strangely if I then look at the Computer name/domain changes dialog the domain is still listed as “woodroyd.local”

Things work OK for a while but eventually after a number or reboots Explorer access to the network drives fail. Then the only way to restore full access is to re join with the name “Woodroyd.” Mapped drives continue to work as does Outlook whether or not Windows Explorer can access the network.

The second part of the problem is that network files (when I can access them) load onto the laptop but when I come to save them the computer reports them as read only. This is true of Word and Excel documents and my client record keeping programme (coded as an Access front end with data files on the server) fails at start up reporting the data files as read only.

None of these problems are seen from another laptop which has been in service for about a year running XP SP3 and which is using “Woodroyd.local” to join the domain.

I have checked the files and certainly none of them are read only and they can be accessed from other computers. When they fail on the new laptop, they are not in use elsewhere. Files loaded onto the new laptop over the network from the laptop running XP using Windows Explorer save without a problem to the source laptop but will not save to a folder on the server: the generated error is disk full or damaged etc.

 

Active Directory automatically adds the .local suffix when naming, so you don't need to add that in the actual name.

 

Thanks lbmest

I thought that was the case but I'm not a network expert.

But I am going mad rather quickly.

Because the problem still exists and searching for a solution using Google suggests that this problem is common but there appears to be no straight forward answers.

I have tried taking ownership of the mapped drive and tried changing the attributes of folders and files on the mapped drive.

The ultimate solution will be that I will ditch Windows 7 and install XP. All the other computers joined to the domain are running XP with no problems.

Please - someone - help

 

Check your Effective Permissions tab.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771586.aspx

You may have to change permissions on the user as opposed to the folder or add the user to a group with the permissions needed.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Add-a-user-account-to-a-group

 

Thanks,

In effective permissions "Everyone" has full control. Should this be enough?

Just to be certain...
I have performed this operation from the laptop using a mapped drive as the topmost folder. Should it work from there or should I do this actually on the server?

I will go to the office and do the same operation on the server anyway!

 

On the server, I have gone through the routine of giving every class of user full control of drive D which contains our company data.

Except I can’t force the same level of permission on CREATOR OWNER. Is this usual?

Back to the laptop and nothing has changed. I am still being told that the files are read only.

I can't believe that this is a bug in Windows 7.

XP on other computers is still working perfectly.

Any more ideas? - Anyone?

 

I'm scratching my head on this. If someone else wants to step in, feel free.

How are you connecting to the network with the new laptop - wired or wireless?
If wireless, can you try by wire to see if that makes a difference?
(My thinking after reading this thread - http://social.answers.microsoft.com...k/thread/0a9f94cd-2967-42eb-afbc-09dcc99e2d50 )

Can you check on the server in Active Directory, what groups this user is a member of?
Perhaps adding the user to the Domain Administrator group would give the required permissions. This is not really a good idea but may point in the right direction if a different group will have the sufficient permissions.

 

Thanks for your input, ibmest.

I thought I had already posted this so I am sorry for prolonging your deliberations...

The solution (that I found during Monday morning) was too simple - probably that why it was not spotted earlier.

I was attempting to access files on the server via MAPPED DRIVES.

The permissions on the server were initially restricting access but after correcting the permissions at folder and file level on the server, I still had the problem.

BUT

By deleting the mapped drive and re establishing it everything works perfectly.

I was not aware of the fact that mapped drives continue to use the permissions set when they are first mapped, so my efforts to change permissions although correct did not take effect until the drive was re mapped.

I hope this helps somebody with the same problem.

 

Glad you got it sorted and it usually is the simple things that cause the problem.