I messed up File Permissions, Junctions and “Application Data” Folders

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How do I fix messed up File Permissions, Broken Junctions and Replicated “Application Data” Folders?

I am one of the many that unwillingly jumped from XP3 to W764Pro. First reaction of course was “Hey! It’s MY computer you idiots! Why don’t I have access?” I sure fixed that by taking ownership of everything in the Program Data folder. And probably other folders I don’t remember doing.

I vaguely remember copying from the then last nested Application Data folder to C:Program Data I supposed I figured I’d test it out before I deleted that particular Application Data folder. Of course the darn thing replicated itself every time I ran a program.

I was able to fix most of the C:Program DataApplication DataApplication DataApplication Dataad nauseum problem by running Junction Box ( http://sourceforge.net/projects/junctionbox/ )

I am still left with:

C:Program Datafoobar
C:Program DataApplication Datafoobar
C:Program DataApplication DataApplication Datafoobar

Things were running okay until I recently tried to install a new version of some tried and true programs. One was Quicken 2012. Holy Moly Rocky! Permissions denied everywhere! I tried Run as Administrator and running from the Administrator account. Installing it from the Administrator account went so-so. No shortcuts created, data was in Administrator folder and I was unable to run it from MyUser account even by drilling down to the exec file. On Quicken’s site there is a batch file for XP3 and also info for W7 about changing ownership for certain directories but the directories are wrong and even knowing what they should be their instructions do not work. I did manage to get back to Quicken 2011 by brute force. I must have Quicken installed to manage my dear old Mom’s financial stuff. She thinks I’m a financial genius and is the only person who can do as good a job as my dead Dad did. Boy, do I have her fooled!

Here’s what I have to maybe help fix my problem.

System Repair DVD

System Recovery DVDs(3) from when system was new (Without SP1)

Windows 7 Pro 64 SP1-U(Media Refresh) DVD created from Digital River X17-59186.iso File dates are April 12th, 2011. There is a newer one from October 12th, 2011 with all security updates but I’m not going to be the first to try that one.

I do have System Image backups and clones – but not back far enough.

There you have it folks. I’m hoping your reponses will be at the worst something like Fred Langa’s “Win7′s no-reformat, nondestructive reinstall” and at the best a batch file to reset owners and permissions.

TIA for any sort of help,

aC

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I wonder if a Repair Install would fix the problems. I would also do a search for Junction Points and read the info (I suspect you have already done this but if not do so) reading about the Libraries may also save some frustration in the future. I believe the iso you downloaded (4/12/2011) and burned is just the SP1 upgrade. I would download (I and many others did and it works very well) the Win 7 iso that includes SP1 from Digital River. Burn this to DVD and use it for the repair install. After you get everything working again you can do all the remaining upgrades from WU.

I think foobar might be a an add on Toolbar.

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I’m hoping your reponses will be at the worst something like Fred Langa’s “Win7′s no-reformat, nondestructive reinstall” and at the best a batch file to reset owners and permissions.

TIA for any sort of help,

aC,
Hello… This does not sound so bad … “take a step back” and let’s see if we can figure this out (before the re-install)
1. How did you “Take ownership”? EX: Right click and select “Properties”, or some third party program?
2. What happens when you try to “install” any program? EX: what error message?
3. When you look at program “Data” and right click Properties>Security….who is the owner now?

The times that i tried to “take ownership” of say my entire C: drive (or something that i shouldn’t have)…Windows freaked out, and then set itself as the owner after re-booting… :cheers: Regards Fred

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Before doing a repair install, see if you have a System Restore point prior to the permissions change. I think you have a better chance of sucess with Sytem Rore on this issue than a System Repair install.

Jerry

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Hi all, I’m still collecting information before I do anything. I knew I probably did not give you all the info needed so thanks for asking. One thing I forgot to say was I screwed up ownership and junctions back in March of 2010. A few months later I noticed my used disk space was increasing faster than I thought it should. I found the replicating Application Data subfolder problem which was somewhere around 15 deep by then. I ran Junction Box numerous times. It got rid of all but one of the replicated Application DataApplication Data subdirectories. I have not had a problem with anything since… until now.

Ted: You are correct, I have done extensive reading on junctions, hard links, soft links and libs. Despite all the examples given by everyone everywhere I have yet to find a use for Libraries. But that’s a discussion reserved for another day, another time, another place.

Sorry I didn’t mention I actually have 3 Digital River DVDs with W7 ISOs that include SP1. I concur that the most reasonable one to use would be the first one.
X17-24281.ISO File dates 11/21/2010 Size 3.09GB
X17-59186.ISO File Dates 04/12/2011 Size 3.09GB Only difference is it contains a Hotfix for non-ascii characters in the computer name. I don’t need that Hotfix to reinstall.
The third one was unleashed on the public in early October 2011 with all security updates up to that point. I do have it but am not going to use it. I can’t remember the first 2 digits.

Plain Fred: As far as I know I did a right click “Take ownership” I can’t find any programs or directory changes that would lead me to believe it was a third party program. I just tried an install of another program to make sure it was still the same error. Yep. Same error. Same owners.

Error 1303. The installer has insufficient privileges to access this directory: C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsMacriumReflect. The installation cannot continue. Log on as administrator or contact your system administrator. (Been there, done that, read the book, saw the movie.)

At that point is backs out everthing except an empty directory in the Start Menu:
C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsMacrium
Owners are:
Administrators (Crappy-PCAdministrators) for C:ProgramData
Crappy (Crappy-PCCrappy) for: C:ProgramDataMicrosoft
Administrators (Crappy-PCAdministrators) for C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindows
Administrators (Crappy-PCAdministrators) for C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart Menu
Crappy (Crappy-PCCrappy) for C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms
SYSTEM for: C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsMacrium

Yes, Crappy is the name of my PC. That’s how I felt when my old one bit the dust. Everything had been replaced at least once so I figured it was time for a new one. I wish my PC had freaked out when I took ownership. It was almost as soon as I bought this sucker and I wish it had gotten really mad at me.

Jerry: Oh, how I wish I had a system restore point prior to this mess. Heck, I didn’t have one old enough by the time I figured out I had a mess. Great idea anyway.

Guess I’ll move along for now and read my email. Hey! There’s another person that has $65 million for me! It must be my lucky day!!!

Thanks for all your ideas,

aC

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Plain Fred: As far as I know I did a right click “Take ownership” I can’t find any programs or directory changes that would lead me to believe it was a third party program. I just tried an install of another program to make sure it was still the same error. Yep. Same error. Same owners.

Error 1303. The installer has insufficient privileges to access this directory: C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsMacriumReflect. The installation cannot continue. Log on as administrator or contact your system administrator. (Been there, done that, read the book, saw the movie.)

aC,
Hello…I have some ideas…
1. When you “take ownership” using a “right click” on the folder and go to Properties> Security>Advanced and set yourself as the owner …when you click OK it will take you back to the first screen. (Properties)
2. You then have to give yourself (owner) “Full control” by left clicking on the “group or user names” …and then “Ticking” the check boxes. Sometimes they appear greyed out …but you still can check them, Then “Apply” You need to do this on the folder where the program stalls.
3. You can do this “in reverse” to give the “System” or “Trusted installer” back ownership.:cheers: Regards Fred

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JPFred: So far so good. I was able to successfully install my test install (Macrium Reflect.) Seems to run okay. I changed the stalled path back to SYSTEM and seems okay with that permission. I even booted a few times just for giggles. I did an uninstall of CutePDF and ran into the same problem when I reinstalled. Fixed it the same way. You seemed to have come up with a workaround for me. I can live with that for now.

Changing the owner back to SYSTEM was no problem. I have seen TrustedInstaller as the owner of other directories. How does one do that? On second thought maybe I’m better off not knowing!

Thanks,

aC

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Changing the owner back to SYSTEM was no problem. I have seen TrustedInstaller as the owner of other directories. How does one do that? On second thought maybe I’m better off not knowing!

aC,
Hello… Yes you are correct sometimes you (me) get into all kind of PC problems by what we don’t know ..or worse …what we think that we do know….That’s why….. if i can borrow a phrase from Dr. Who “Backup, Backup ,Backup!” But i see that your already “playing” with Macrium Reflect” Just want to pass along some advice Macrium Reflect 4.2.3638 was the last version that worked out of the gate without some kind of problems (for my OS’s) You can still get it at “FileHippo”:cheers: Regards Fred

PS: Make sure that you “Burn ” The recovery disk from Macrium. Then test it to make sure that it will boot up your OS…The new version “5” doesn’t work for me.

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I use Macrium Reflect (paid version.) I was using release 4, and paid to upgrade to release 5.

It didn’t work for me either; so I reverted back to using release 4.

I would follow Just Plain Fred’s advice.

Dick

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I first noticed that “Application Data” folder being copied on and on, but since Win-7 is not my main OS, I didn’t think anything more about it, let alone trying to address it as a problem and then trying to correct it.

I first saw the ‘condition’ when I ran a program that cleans out unnecessary files. It started going through these incredibly long paths and it would just go on and on and on and on….. well, you get the idea. I thought it was just an error in the cleanup program and the way it was reading the Win-7 directories. I didn’t realize then that those very long paths actually existed. Who would’a thunk it?

Was that actually something that Windows itself did, or was it caused by some other program?

I’ll be watching this thread with interest, for a fix if there is one.

thanks guys!
😎

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In my case the never ending copy was caused by me deciding I deserved to take ownership of the Programdata directory and its subdirectories. I am fairly certain that all the information in that directory is supposed to to be gotten at via the Libraries in W7. Post #1 (mine) explains how I stopped it and Post #6 (Just Plain Fred’s) explains how to work around it. I have not found a true fix anywhere.

I really appreciate the info on Macrium. I’m glad I decided to give it a whirl or who knows when the ownership problem would have finally reared its ugly head. As far as backups go… They are running me out of house and home. Everything is also offsite. Physically offsite, not online offsite. I have full backups, incremental backups, differential backups, system image backups, clone backups, red backups, green backups, data file only backups and lions and tigers and bears. It’s a holdover from my mainframe days. Unfortunately I no longer keep them for more than a year. (Except for tax related data – that’s 7 years)

Backups I have… just not before my greediness of thinking that everything on my computer is actually mine.

I am going to burn a recovery disk using Macrium and test it. I am still using my regularly scheduled backup program.

aC

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