Messed Up Using "Take Ownership", Now Profile Settings Won't Load

Beaupedia said:

I'm fairly certain what I use takes ownership of all folders and files. Now I'm noticing when I login that it's not bringing up my avatar and it acts like I don't own Documents, etc. I don't know what the heck is going on now.

I agree, I wish I had a backup program that did that. I use Backblaze to back up all my files online, but I don't have anything that copies the OS that way, would love suggestions for the future for once I get this resolved.

What would you suggest I try now? I am so grateful for your help.

Well as I mentioned above... I would try System Restore. It MAY be able to restore to a time before you took ownership.
Normally, we recommend an In-Place Upgrade to repair Windows problems. But that probably won't work on the USER folders.

Beaupedia said:

I fixed it not showing my avatar, it popped up there was a problem verifying my account or something, but it still acts like I don't own Documents, etc.

- - - Updated - - -

Alright, trying a System Restore now.

IF System Restore doesn't work... then I would try the In-Place upgrade.
It might return the User folders to their proper settings... ??
It takes about 40 minutes total, on my computer, anyway.

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade



Here is the short version of the In-place upgrade tutorial...

DISABLE non-Microsoft:
a) antivirus software
b) firewall software
c) drive encryption software

Make a full OS backup with a program like Macrium Reflect (free)
Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

Go here and get the Media Creation Tool and save it to your desktop.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10

RUN the Media Creation Tool and use it to: Create an ISO image... save IT to your desktop.
This will be the latest version of the ISO image.




Right click the ISO image and choose: MOUNT
Open File Explorer and you will see a new drive letter. It will look like a DVD optical drive.
Double click the new drive letter to open it.
Find setup.exe and double click it to start the in-place upgrade.

Choose the Keep personal files and apps option.

After it's all done... to UNmount the ISO image, right click the new drive letter and choose: EJECT.


The ONLY thing you will lose is some of your personalizations. Your programs and data will be intact.

Beaupedia said:

Running the System Restore now, will see. I really feel like if I could just fix the permissions it'd be fine but I don't know if the entirety of AppData is supposed to be owned by my username or by Administrators or what. And why did I suddenly stop having access to my Documents.

Like in the pic I posted... AppData is supposed to be owned by "user name".
The 3 folders in AppData are like so...

Local and Roaming are owned by "user name", LocalLow is owned by SYSTEM.
The main folders IN LocalLow is owned by "user name".

Beaupedia said:

Thank you! Are all the folders and files under Local and Roaming also owned by my user? And everything under LocalLow owned by SYSTEM?

What happened with System Restore?

Documents is accessible by "user name".
My Documents is access denied, even though it is owned by "user name".

Beaupedia said:

It's still running. Taking a while.

Ah HA!

Ten Forums tutorials to the rescue.

Add Reset Permissions to Context Menu in Windows

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove a Reset Permissions context menu to reset effective permissions of files and folders back to their default inherited permissions in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

Although they are sometimes hard to find, there seems to be a tutorial for everything on Ten Forums.