asked on

Taking Ownership

Is there a way to take ownership of many home directories? When trying to give permissions using CACLS.EXE, it gives access denied. Also, taking ownership (one at a time) thru NT is to long of a process.

3rsrichard

When you select a folder, hit 'Properties', 'Security' and take ownership it asks you if you want all the files.

booselnc

ASKER

Yes, this works, but, then all users lose their permissions. Which mean I would have to add them back in (to many for that). So let me rephrase the question. Without taking ownership of many home directories, how do I grant the administrator full rights to these directories. CACLS.EXE just keeps returning "Access Denied", even though I am the Administrator.

bchew

Have you tried the /c option when you run cacls? If so, try running cacls /e /c, adding "Full Control" for yourself, administrator, domain admins group or local admins group, whichever is appropiate FIRST. Then run cacls with the options and permissions you wanted. Finally run cacls /e once more to remove the permissions you set for the administrators.

Bert.

booselnc

ASKER

CACLS e:\users\1995 /e /t /c /g administrator:f
This command gives me ownership and full rights to the folder named "1995". Also, I have full access to one level of home directories. But, all the files and sub-folders within these folders returns Access Denied. Even when I specify the folders or files (using wild cards) in the CACLS command line, returns Access Deny.

bchew

Does this TechNet article apply?

PSS ID Number: Q175048
Article last modified on 04-10-1999

WinNT:4.0

winnt

======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When using CACLS to modify file access control lists (ACLs), the program
terminates prematurely on Access Denied errors, even if the /c switch
(instructing the program to continue on Access Denied errors) is used.

CAUSE
=====

CACLS may be run in one of two modes: Display mode or Modify mode. The logic for
continuing on Access Denied errors was only implemented for CACLS running in
Display mode.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or
Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information,
please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

The hotfix adds logic for continuing on Access Denied errors in Modify mode, in
addition to Display mode.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT
Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows
NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
Service Pack 4.

======================================================================
Keywords : NT4SP4Fix ntsecurity kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00.sp4 NTSrvWkst ntutil
Version : WinNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Hardware : x86
Issue type : kbbug
Solution Type : kbfix
=============================================================================
Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.

booselnc

ASKER

We are currently running on Service Pack 5. Also, the program does not
terminates prematurely on Access Denied errors, it continues thru all the sub-folders and files returning errors for all.

dsazama

Install the latest resource kit for windows NT4 (should be supplement 4) and use XCACLS instead of CACLS... this allows you to take ownership through an edit (although I haven't personally done it)

Hope this is the answer you were looking for!

booselnc

ASKER

I tried XCACLS as suggested, and it is returning the same results as CACLS. XCACLS goes thru the motions of working, but I still get Access Denied when I try to access the sub-folders.
I'm beginning to think that CACLS and XCACLS are flawed.

dsazama

Hmmm... If those are flawed, try downloading the free demo version of Super CACLS from this web site and giving it a shot

http://www.trustedsystems.com/SCACLSMain.htm

They claim it will do ownership changes and it is "fully functional" for a limited period of time

Good Luck!

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dsazama

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booselnc

ASKER

I down loaded the Super CACLS demo, and I am having some moderate success. The demo has limitations. So I guess I will just have to buy the product to find out if it does what I need. I was hoping for a Microsoft fix. Thanks for the help.