Is there ANY Way to Save a Tiny File to a Restricted Folder?

HELLO !
As you all know, there are some folders in Win10 in which MS disallows any edit (Example:: Normally, you Can't Save a file to folder "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps").

I have a ZERO-byte (Empty) file that I have (for Many Hours) been trying to figure out a way (with ZERO success) to save to the above-named folder. The reason this would be very helpful to me is because I have a Dynamite File-Search Program that permits me to Exclude Any Folder -- BUT! its Exclusion-Engine requires the existence of just a single filename (but Not folder-name) so it can identify the folder(s) the user wants excluded.

So, I have placed this ZERO-byte file in a dozen Folders, but I continue to get false hits from the Restricted folders that contain HUGE numbers of files simply because MS forbids even a NO-byte addition.

Does anybody know of ANY way I can get a Zero-byte file into a Folder like C:\Program Files\WindowsApps?
{I might also point out that IF that WindowsApp folder had natively contained A Single File, that would have sufficed.}

Thank You For Your Help!!

- Chuck

topgundcp said:

For something like this, I would use any LINUX DISTRO....

Actually, booting anything other than your normal Windows 10 will be enough to gain access. The Windows 10 recovery environment will do. If you are comfortable using a command prompt you can create a file in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps from the Command Prompt in Advanced Startup. Use...

echo > YourFileName

...to create a small file called YourFileName in the current directory.

Boot to Advanced Startup Options in Windows 10

Open Command Prompt at Boot in Windows 10

WOW!

Thank you VERY MUCH TopGunDCP And Bree.

VERY HELPFUL INDEED! !

- Chuck

1. Create your 0-byte file somewhere accessible.
2. Download PSexec (PsExec - Windows Sysinternals | Microsoft Docs) and unzip somewhere.
3. In an admin CMD window run psexec -i -s cmd
4. A new CMD window will open with SYSTEM privileges. You can now copy the 0-byte file to your desired destination.

Note that you'd still have to run your search program as admin since only Admin, SYSTEM, and TrustedInstaller can list the contents of WindowsApps.

Chuck Is this any help?
How to Get Access to WindowsApps Folder in Windows 10

Thank You PolarNettles ! :)

Stitch194 said:

Chuck Is this any help?
How to Get Access to WindowsApps Folder in Windows 10

As inconvenient as it is, I would leave TrustedInstaller as the owner of WindowsApps. You don't want to find out the hard way that TrustedInstaller no longer has the neccessary permissions to update or install apps.

Thank you, Stitch!
Unfortunately, After 2016, MS seems to have changed access to that folder's permissions: When I follow those instructions & get to the Change Permissions Screen, they are all grayed out. Seems that ol' MS has become increasingly domineering with each ""update"".