Cannot Take Ownership

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

We've had thousands of folders and files created in a common area (by a malevolent student).

 

Ordinarily I would just delete them, but I can't. I've tried to set the server administrator as owner, but am getting access denied errors.

 

What other options are there if I cannot take ownership?

 

TIA

[Steve21]

Hi folks,

 

We've had thousands of folders and files created in a common area (by a malevolent student).

 

Ordinarily I would just delete them, but I can't. I've tried to set the server administrator as owner, but am getting access denied errors.

 

What other options are there if I cannot take ownership?

 

TIA

 

Well shortest fix, reset his password and delete on his account?

 

But in terms of taking ownership not sure there is much higher than server admin, unless you're not using domain admin and have local server admin?

 

Steve

[Gongalong]

For extra confusion, this area is set with special permissions so students can create but not delete, so even with his account I cannot delete the data.

 

Yes, I've tried taking ownership with the domain admin account. I've never come across something before where I cannot take ownership with this account!

[CyberNerd]

linux boot cd

[Gongalong]

Unfortunately it's a VM...

[CyberNerd]

Unfortunately it's a VM...

 

What O/S?. you still may be able to mount the partition

[Gongalong]

2008 R2. It's a key file server though so I'm somewhat wary of doing anything outside of the OS.

[AngryTechnician]

Are you trying to take ownership on the server or on another machine via the shared path? If the latter, try logging in to the server and doing it there.

[FN-GM]

Try this in the command prompt on the server.

 

takeown /f "C:\folder" /a /r

[Gongalong]

Are you trying to take ownership on the server or on another machine via the shared path? If the latter, try logging in to the server and doing it there.

This is directly on the server, while logged in as domain admin.

Try this in the command prompt on the server.

 

takeown /f "C:\folder" /a /r

This gives many "INFO: Access is denied." errors wrt the various files that I can't seem to take ownership of.

[Cache]

It's not the old 100's of folders deep problem is it?

 

If the folder tree is that big, try mapping a network drive halfway down the tree and deleting from there - I can't remember if the usual error is access denied or just an error occured.

[SYNACK]

Have you run a chkdisk to make sure it's not a corrupted set of file perms

[Gongalong]

I wondered if it was due to something having grabbed the files, as there is a process that is supposed to clear this area on a nightly basis. I rebooted the server, and it let me delete the files, so problem solved.

 

Thanks to all those who replied.

[Gongalong]

Aaagh! I have this again with the same server. Will try rebooting it tonight.

 

Tempted to give this a try, as it's proven excellent with Windows 7 UNLOCKER 1.9.1 BY CEDRICK 'NITCH' COLLOMB

[Oaktech]

Unlocker is installed as standard on all our servers! It's Verrry useful!

[Gongalong]

Does it play nicely with 2008 R2? I was slightly wary of installing it because it adds itself into the shortcut menu.

[Oaktech]

We only have 1 2008 r2 DC at the moment (come the 23rd we will have lots though) and it has worked just fine on that.

[strawberry7]

I can add in with unlocker, excellent program. I use it on 2008 R2 without trouble. Last night I used it where Sophos could not delete a virus and unlocker killed it in a second!

[Gongalong]

I rebooted the server again in this second case, and again was able to delete after the reboot. Gah! Windows! Annoying!

[strawberry7]

Extremely annoying! I had a situation yesterday where a teacher was trying to move folders on a windows 7 machine and it said that the folders were in use by another program. Which was rubbish as even after a reboot it was doing the same thing. I used unlocked and it moved the folders immediately lol.

[snantel]

To delete files / folder locked by the system.

1.- Locate the folder c:\users\xxx

2.- Try to take ownership of the folder and subfolder : (it will probably failed)

3.- If not failing, give you full rights to the folders and subfolder and delete it.

4.- But since it’s failing, we need to find witch windows process lock the files.

5.- Start Microsoft SysInternal\procexp.exe

6.- Go to find, find handle

7.- Do a search c:\users\xxx

8.- Take not of the PID number that is locking the files (second column)

9.- Go back and Kill process or Kill process tree if it’s a tree.

10.- Go back to the folder and take the owner ship of the folder and subfolder c:\users\xxxx

11.- Give you full rights of the folder and subfolder c:\users\xxx

12.- Delete the c:\users\xxx folder

13.- Log back the user, he will have a fresh new profiles.

 

How to take owner ship and give you full rights of a folders and subfolders

1.- Locate your c:\users\xxx folder

2.- Right mouse on it | properties | Security | Advanced | Owner | Edit | Choose your ad account | Replace Owner on subcontainers and objects | Apply

3.- Go back to Permissions tab | change permissions | add your ad account | Full control | Replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object

4.- Now delete your c:\users\xxx folder.