How-To: Take Ownership of Files in Vista

Mak 2.0

Mod...WAFFLES!?!?
Staff member
Alright since it seems that so many people have questions about how to do this i will give you a nice complete guide on how to take ownership of a file in Vista. First you have to select the file you want to take ownship of. From there right click and select properties. You get this screen:



From here select the security tab. The screen will look like this:



Click the Advanced button. It will bring this screen up:



Now click the Owner Tab. The screen will look like this:



From here you click Edit to get this screen:



Now you select the User Account you want to give the permission to. Then click Apply. A message will pop up telling you that if you have just taken ownership you have to close and reopen the objects properties before you can view or change properties again. Clikc okay and get back to the Computer screen. You should now have full authority to do what you wish with that file. I hope this helps.
 
Nice job, Mak!!

I really should get the Guides section of the Wiki up.....

Great work :smile:

(rated 5/5 :wink:)
 
Thanks Guru. You are more than welcme to use this in the Wiki or to sticky this itself. I would be honored. :wink:
 
^ i learned about ownership in linux (remember guru my problems lol )

ownership in vista is easier

although i had some problems with a certain HD that BSoD'd on everything
 
Herby, a good friend of mine from Neowin.net, published a quick workaround for Vista's ownership issues in his "Vista - Tips, Tricks, and Tweaks" article:

Herby said:
Take Ownership Context Menu Item

TakeOwn.reg adds a Take Ownership Context Menu Item to all files and folders. It opens an Elevated Command Prompt which recovers full access to the selected file / directory, sub directories and their content.
You can access the Context Menu Item by holding down Shift + right-click on a file or folder.

    

If you want to access the Take Ownership Context Menu Item on an exe file, you must merge "RunAsAdmin_Exe-.reg"; this reg file removes the "Run as Administrator" Context Menu Item from all exe files (they both use the runas key). Merge "RunAsAdmin_Exe+.reg" if you want to restore the "Run as Administrator" Context Menu Item.

Install: Merge TakeOwn+.reg
Uninstall: Merge TakeOwn-.reg

> TakeOwn.zip ( 1,99 KB )
 
Back
Top