# i need help copying and pasting inside windows 10 app folders and subfolders



## stoggs1 (Sep 15, 2016)

Hey guys, ok I have an issue I have just spent the last two hours trying to figure out.  Basically I am trying to copy and paste inside a specific windows 10 app folder under program files, but everytime i try do so windows states you need permission to perform this action even though I am the administrator and I have changed the advanced security options to allow me to modify windows 10 app folders under the advanced settings.


In all of my google searching I havent found any solution so far so if anyone here knows to how to do this I would greatly appreciate it and thank you.


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## P4-630 (Sep 15, 2016)

"You shall not use any cheat related apps/ trainers on windows 10"


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## stoggs1 (Sep 15, 2016)

thats not what im trying to do.  Im just want to copy some files from the apps folder but windows wont let me.


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## Sasqui (Sep 15, 2016)

stoggs1 said:


> thats not what im trying to do.  Im just want to copy some files from the apps folder but windows wont let me.



Does this help?

https://www.maketecheasier.com/access-windowsapps-folder-windows-10/


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## stoggs1 (Sep 15, 2016)

Its does a little bit, but i have given admin rights to have full access to all the folders in windows apps in program files including the folder im trying to modify and the only account on my pc is mine and im the admin.

However i did not change the 
*Replace owner on sub containers and objects *because i didnt see that option when i was changing those settings.

Il try again when i get home tonight im at work right now thank you for your help.


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## qubit (Sep 15, 2016)

Always check the _effective_ permissions against your account. If you're not showing as the owner and every permissions check box ticked, then you'll see problems like this.

I'm interested to see how you get on.


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## Sasqui (Sep 15, 2016)

stoggs1 said:


> Replace owner on sub containers and objects



I've never heard of that one either   ...apparently user level control policies abound.


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## DeathtoGnomes (Sep 15, 2016)

MS made it really difficult for users to get permission to several folders, you have to take ownership first then add full control then change effective permissions. I think. Oh and you need to jump thru the flaming hoops like a good little doggy. 

It really is a chore to disable Cortana. It's doable.


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## stoggs1 (Sep 15, 2016)

qubit said:


> Always check the _effective_ permissions against your account. If you're not showing as the owner and every permissions check box ticked, then you'll see problems like this.
> 
> I'm interested to see how you get on.


Where is the setting for that?  And il definitely let you know how it goes.  

This one of the biggest pains in the ass i have dealt with within windows, but i like a challenge.



Sasqui said:


> I've never heard of that one either   ...apparently user level control policies abound.


Ok but that setting was on the page you linked me to go to.

Maybe its a new setting in win 10.


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## Sasqui (Sep 15, 2016)

stoggs1 said:


> Ok but that setting was on the page you linked me to go to.
> 
> Maybe its a new setting in win 10.



Yes, I've never seen it before myself.  Let us know how it pans out.


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## qubit (Sep 15, 2016)

stoggs1 said:


> Where is the setting for that?  And il definitely let you know how it goes.
> 
> This one of the biggest pains in the ass i have dealt with within windows, but i like a challenge.



See first screenshot below.

- Open file properties (left hand window)
- Click Advanced
- Advanced Security Settings opens (right hand window)
- Click on the Effective Access tab
- Click Select a user and enter your username in the dialog box, then click OK
- Click on View effective access

Check permissions, see second screenshot. Full Control should be ticked and by definition all the other tickboxes as well. You should be the owner too.

Note that I've had cases where even with this complete level of access I could sometimes not access a file or folder properly no matter what I did, especially with system folders or app installation folders.


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## Kursah (Sep 15, 2016)

I've had this issue before with earlier versions of 10 after upgrading, mostly with other HDD's. Resetting ownership permissions and rebooting generally resolved it though.

It can definitely be annoying and the permissions change isn't necessarily going to resolve during the current live session, so after making ownership changes, do consider performing a log off/log on or reboot.

http://www.tenforums.com/general-su...ays-i-dont-have-permission-save-anything.html


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## qubit (Sep 15, 2016)

Kursah said:


> It can definitely be annoying and the permissions change isn't necessarily going to resolve during the current live session, so after making ownership changes, do consider performing a log off/log on or reboot.


You'd think you wouldn't need to log off/on after a simple thing like this, but you're right, you sometimes do. 

I remember the times when I had the most trouble with taking ownership of files and folders. When I had a HDD connected as a slave with another (usually old and borked) Windows install on it that I wanted to get data off and generally have a nose around with. Those pesky OS folders containing the core of the Windows installation just wouldn't submit to my ownership properly no matter what I did. Why, I have no idea and it was infuriating. There was no encrytion on it, either.


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## newtekie1 (Sep 15, 2016)

Just throwing it out there, but I've seen the permission error get thrown when trying to delete something that is in use.  Windows is stupid like that sometimes...


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## stoggs1 (Sep 16, 2016)

Ok guys, il give this all a try later tonight or tomorrow and let you all know how it goe. Thanks for all the help


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## stoggs1 (Sep 16, 2016)

ok I have made some progress.  I am able to modify and copy and paste to the windows apps main folder but not the app I want to access.  I get the error message destination folder access denied whenever to try.  Well I am done for tonight.  if anyone else has an idea feel free to share and thank you all again for the help.


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## Jetster (Sep 16, 2016)

Sometime program files aren't located where they appear to be. Which would explain why you cant move them


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## stoggs1 (Sep 16, 2016)

Im not trying to move anything just trying to copy some files into the app folder but the throws that error message destination folder access denied.


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## Kursah (Sep 16, 2016)

Can you give us the specific locations you are copying from and to?
Can you take screenshots of what's going on?
Can you take screenshots of the ownership of the directory you're experiencing issues with?

If you're not comfortable sharing that information, I do understand...but I feel like what was suggested before should've resolved it. Have you tried modifying ownership at the hard drive level? Did you log off/log on or reboot after changing ownership permissions?

Possibly check Event Viewer security and system logs as well, might be something else...but likely you are getting closer to resolving this just don't have all the permissions adjusted accordingly. But maybe more specific details about your issue, where things are located that you're having issues with, etc. will assist us better in telling you what needs to be done to accomplish what you're seeking to resolve.


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## stoggs1 (Sep 17, 2016)

Im trying to copy over a file so i can use my gamepad with a game thats installed in that location but i need to copy the files to use the gamepad.  I sort of found a workaround.  I copied the entire folder of the game to a different location on my harddrive and was able to copy the files that way but i had to redownload the game which is annoying, but luckily the files I copied didnt get deleted or over ridden.

the game is still downloading so i havent been able to test it just yet so finger crossed everything works correctly, if not il provide screenshots and update everyone.


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## slozomby (Sep 17, 2016)

stoggs1 said:


> Im trying to copy over a file so i can use my gamepad with a game thats installed in that location but i need to copy the files to use the gamepad.  I sort of found a workaround.  I copied the entire folder of the game to a different location on my harddrive and was able to copy the files that way but i had to redownload the game which is annoying, but luckily the files I copied didnt get deleted or over ridden.
> 
> the game is still downloading so i havent been able to test it just yet so finger crossed everything works correctly, if not il provide screenshots and update everyone.



this is the best solution. giving you're user account rights to the "program files" folder is an unnecessary security risk.

that being said the best way of getting files into program files is open a command prompt as administrator. and copy the files from the command prompt. dragging and dropping the files generally doesn't invoke the UAC prompt to escalate your privileges.

even though your account is an administrator, UAC will stomp all over permissions when it is trying to protect you from yourself.


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## DeathtoGnomes (Sep 18, 2016)

@qubit Sometimes, depending on fold you have to disable inheritance, if the OP's fold is nested deep, more than likely it still has inherited permissions.

There is also Powershell to change permissions, althought I am still learning, there are scripts out there.


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## qubit (Sep 18, 2016)

DeathtoGnomes said:


> @qubit Sometimes, depending on fold you have to disable inheritance, if the OP's fold is nested deep, more than likely it still has inherited permissions.
> 
> There is also Powershell to change permissions, althought I am still learning, there are scripts out there.


Thing is disabling inheritance could be impractical as there may be hundreds of folders and thousands of files, depending where on the HDD you start from. Typically, if I'm looking around that old defunct Windows install on a slave HDD that I'm gonna wipe afterwards, I'll start from the root and let inheritance change the permissions on every single file and folder. Doesn't always work perfectly though and it's not clear why. Even rebooting the PC doesn't always help.


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## DeathtoGnomes (Sep 19, 2016)

qubit said:


> Thing is disabling inheritance could be impractical as there may be hundreds of folders and thousands of files, depending where on the HDD you start from. Typically, if I'm looking around that old defunct Windows install on a slave HDD that I'm gonna wipe afterwards, I'll start from the root and let inheritance change the permissions on every single file and folder. Doesn't always work perfectly though and it's not clear why. Even rebooting the PC doesn't always help.



It depends what you need to accomplish, I dont recommend it lightly, its something to change only when absolutely necessary. Besides, it affects windows security,  if you should have a virus or a hacker they could have access to something they normally wouldnt. 

Now if I really wanted a windows app removed, I use Powershell, but even then M$ reinstalls the app on the next update whether you want it or not.


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## qubit (Sep 19, 2016)

DeathtoGnomes said:


> It depends what you need to accomplish, I dont recommend it lightly, its something to change only when absolutely necessary. Besides, it affects windows security,  if you should have a virus or a hacker they could have access to something they normally wouldnt.
> 
> Now if I really wanted a windows app removed, I use Powershell, but even then M$ reinstalls the app on the next update whether you want it or not.


Yes, it would affect security, but I'm talking about doing this to a Windows install that I'm going to scrap which is sitting on a slave drive (or another partition) not the active Windows installation so this isn't an issue.


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## DeathtoGnomes (Sep 20, 2016)

qubit said:


> Yes, it would affect security, but I'm talking about doing this to a Windows install that I'm going to scrap which is sitting on a slave drive (or another partition) not the active Windows installation so this isn't an issue.



Ok still not sure what you want to do but, afaik, not all sub-folders, or parent folders, will have the same permission groups, i.e., not all will have TrustedInstaller  or CREATOR OWNER attached. The Inheritance setting is per group, meaning, each individual group has an inheritance setting, one setting does not apply to all groups. (I think i said that right, lol)  

I suppose, just a thought, that you could effectively, and completely, remove permission from M$, I've never done it, so not sure what happens with windows update but that would be interesting to see.


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## slozomby (Sep 20, 2016)

yall are making this harder than it needs to be.

open a command prompt as administrator ( right click and run as administrator, not just running it as an account that has admin privledges)
robocopy "d:\path\to\files" "c:\program files\new\path" /e

no need to mangle permissions on the folders. its UAC stomping all over the copies.

the other alternative is to manually disable UAC copy the files and revert back.
http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-turn-off-and-disable-uac-in-windows-10/


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