Fix Problems Related to Permissions

The unthinkable has happened to your PC—either you have botched your attempts to tweak the permissions for a particular file or folder, or Windows has run into permissions issues all on its own. So, what can you do to resolve the problem? You should start by seeing whether an official Microsoft troubleshooter can help— download and run it from https: // support . microsoft . com/en-us/help/17590/. This tool attempts to automatically diagnose (and crucially fix) problems that are due to issues with permissions, which means that everything from problems emptying the Recycle Bin and moving or renaming files, to keyboard shortcut issues in File Explorer is covered.

Another handy tool that can help resolve—albeit in a rather crude way—permissions-based issues is the Windows Repair Tool. Download the tool (a portable version is available should you not wish to install it) from www.tweaking.com, then switch to the “Repairs” tab. Click “Open Repairs,” uncheck “All Repairs,” then examine the first two repairs: one fixes issues with the Registry, while “Reset File Permissions” allows you to attempt fixes on selected drives. The tool sets things back to their defaults, so your PC remains secure and hopefully fully functional after the repair completes. It can take some time to complete, so be prepared to wait a while.

One final tool to look at is NTFS Permissions Tools ( www.

dbcstudio.net). This provides an alternative means of browsing and editing permissions. You’re provided with a File Explorerlike view of your drives, with your access rights and the folder or file’s owner marked. There are buttons for changing access levels and the owner, plus an Advanced section similar to that found in Windows. Also check out the options available when you right-click a folder, including one that lets you copy and paste permissions settings between items.