How to reset default file permissions for these directories?

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  1. Posts : 1,091
    Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10, Linux, Android, FreeBSD Unix
       #1

    How to reset default file permissions for these directories?


    The other day, I was trying to fix Windows Default Apps not working by adding "ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES" to the following directories as indicated here:
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2798317

    However, it seems to have messed up the permissions as what I did was take ownership and then added both myself and "ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES".

    My question is, how do I reset the permissions of the following folders and their sub folders and sub files to the defaults:

    C:\Program Files
    C:\Windows
    C:\Users

    Does this command below do it?
    icacls * /T /Q /C /RESET

    My other question is will it fix the folders to the default inheritance if I enabled inheritance to child folders/files for a folder that was by default disabled or if I disabled inheritance to the child folders/files for a folder that is by default enabled?

    Other than the above, Am I correct that I will have to manually change the permission for each users folder under C:\Users so they own and have full control of that folder.
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  2. Posts : 5,442
    Windows 11 Home
       #2

    You could try Windows Repair Free to reset file permissions.
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  3. Posts : 1,091
    Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10, Linux, Android, FreeBSD Unix
    Thread Starter
       #3

    I downloaded that earlier and opened it, except it requires running in safe mode. The problem is the system might not boot to safe mode's login screen until I fix the permissions as it will be stuck at the light blue screen with the spinning circle for 2 hours before it will show the login screen. Apparently, a in-place repair upgrade install of Windows will not fix the permissions.
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  4. Posts : 27,162
    Win11 Pro, Win10 Pro N, Win10 Home, Windows 8.1 Pro, Ubuntu
       #4

    Almighty1 said:
    I downloaded that earlier and opened it, except it requires running in safe mode. The problem is the system might not boot to safe mode's login screen until I fix the permissions as it will be stuck at the light blue screen with the spinning circle for 2 hours before it will show the login screen. Apparently, a in-place repair upgrade install of Windows will not fix the permissions.
    It's only strongly recommended to run in safe mode. All you have to do is turn off your anti virus and run for your specific problem. This with running safe mode is a new recommendation from them. I have been using the tool for years now.
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  5. Posts : 1,091
    Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10, Linux, Android, FreeBSD Unix
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Cliff S said:
    It's only strongly recommended to run in safe mode. All you have to do is turn off your anti virus and run for your specific problem. This with running safe mode is a new recommendation from them. I have been using the tool for years now.
    Can't turn off anti-virus as Norton products have this problem where the disable part is greyed out listed under Hot Issues #4:
    HOT ISSUES FIXES - NIS/NAV/N360 22.5 | Norton Community

    In any case, I always thought AV's don't run under safe mode even if it was enabled.

    I'm still confused on the reset file permissions in the tool as it seems to indicate, it will add to the permissions, will it set the user/groups/owner back to default as well?

    As this is what it says:
    Reset File Permissions:


    The repair will grant administrators, system, users and everyone full rights to every file on the selected drives.


    This will only ADD the permissions, it will not remove current permissions or the owner of a file.


    When certain files lose their proper permissions, then lots of problems can happen, such as not being able to install windows updates, program errors, services failing and so on.


    WARNING: This repair can take a very significant amount of time to complete, depending on the speed of your CPU & the number of files on the drive.


    ******
    For Windows 7, 8, 8.1 & 10
    ******
    The program will set the default permissions instead of the full admin privileges that are done on XP.


    This way proper permissions are put back and your machine stays secure.


    ******
    Last edited by Almighty1; 25 Oct 2015 at 09:15.
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  6. Posts : 27,162
    Win11 Pro, Win10 Pro N, Win10 Home, Windows 8.1 Pro, Ubuntu
       #6

    Almighty1 said:
    Can't turn off anti-virus as Norton products have this problem where the disable part is greyed out listed under Hot Issues #4:
    HOT ISSUES FIXES - NIS/NAV/N360 22.5 | Norton Community

    In any case, I always thought AV's don't run under safe mode even if it was enabled.

    I'm still confused on the reset file permissions in the tool as it seems to indicate, it will add to the permissions, will it set the user/groups/owner back to default as well?

    As this is what it says:
    Reset File Permissions:


    The repair will grant administrators, system, users and everyone full rights to every file on the selected drives.


    This will only ADD the permissions, it will not remove current permissions or the owner of a file.


    When certain files lose their proper permissions, then lots of problems can happen, such as not being able to install windows updates, program errors, services failing and so on.


    WARNING: This repair can take a very significant amount of time to complete, depending on the speed of your CPU & the number of files on the drive.


    ******
    For Windows 7, 8, 8.1 & 10
    ******
    The program will set the default permissions instead of the full admin privileges that are done on XP.


    This way proper permissions are put back and your machine stays secure.


    ******
    I was saying you can run it normally without going to safe mode. But the AV must be turned off, and your's won't let you.... hmmmm, I'm glad I stay with defender. Only the highlighted is what is done now, it was changed one or two versions ago, for system security reasons(plus users who didn't know what they were doing were breaking their systems when they had total control of their system.

    Also he's decided this program should "Repair" Windows, not "Tweak" it.
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  7. Posts : 1,091
    Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10, Linux, Android, FreeBSD Unix
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Cliff S said:
    I was saying you can run it normally without going to safe mode. But the AV must be turned off, and your's won't let you.... hmmmm, I'm glad I stay with defender. Only the highlighted is what is done now, it was changed one or two versions ago, for system security reasons(plus users who didn't know what they were doing were breaking their systems when they had total control of their system.

    Also he's decided this program should "Repair" Windows, not "Tweak" it.
    To be honest, when someone mentioned the program in responses to others a few weeks ago, I thought it was advertising for the program but until you responded with your quality reputation, I didn't know to try it or not. LOL. In any case, my Norton was actually installed in Win7 as the update provided Win10 compatibility but it worked fine until a few weeks ago when it permanently was greyed out, normally a reboot will fix it but with the newer update of them trying to fix the problem, it made the problem permanent. After I fix the file permissions, hopefully it knows about the ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES for those folders, I'm going to do another in-place upgrade reinstall just to make sure Windows actually install correctly as it seems Windows doesn't change the permissions when it installs as I was wondering why the boot up was taking so long and going to Settings and trying to add a user would also be on Just a moment with the circle spinning for hours, I tried icacls * /T /Q /C /RESET while in the C:\Windows folder and that fixed it, now it opens up instantly like it's supposed to. I was wondering is there anything I can do because Default Apps including Store does not work even doing the in-place upgrade reinstall as basically what happens is C:\Program Files\WindowsApps does not have ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES as part of the permissions, if I added that and then did the Get-AppxPackage -allusers | foreach {Add-AppxPackage -register "$($_.InstallLocation)\appxmanifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode}, all the apps would work, it won't work if I run the command without adding ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES first.
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  8. Posts : 27,162
    Win11 Pro, Win10 Pro N, Win10 Home, Windows 8.1 Pro, Ubuntu
       #8

    After the repair install have you checked your time zone setting and permissions & location settings in privacy settings in the settings app?
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  9. Posts : 1,091
    Windows XP/7/8/8.1/10, Linux, Android, FreeBSD Unix
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Cliff S said:
    After the repair install have you checked your time zone setting and permissions & location settings in privacy settings in the settings app?
    Yes, and it's correctly set. The problem is more the All Application Packages which needs to be added to that folder first as this is the 5th repair install I did in the last week due to the Start Menu stop working, All Application Packages was manually added on September 12, 2015 reinstall and the original August 11, 2015 upgrade from Win7 but with those, the Get-AppxPackage -allusers | foreach {Add-AppxPackage -register "$($_.InstallLocation)\appxmanifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode} didn't work, I had to use Add-AppxPackage -register "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\*\appxmanifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode
    where * is the name of the app directory, only the apps in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps would not work as everything in C:\Windows\SystemApps works fine.
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  10. Posts : 27,162
    Win11 Pro, Win10 Pro N, Win10 Home, Windows 8.1 Pro, Ubuntu
       #10
      My Computers


 

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