Author Topic: Windows 7 "works" but can not create folder or rename files (Read 62919 times)

FreeCat · « **on:** October 06, 2019, 10:48:42 am »

Hi - No sure what cause this but I need to fix it. I was just going to run Tweaking but realize I know nothing about which switches to check.

Background: Story: The other day my entire NT8 folder under Administor user disappeared. If might have been right after a W7 update.

I did a install of Malware bytes, but after the restore the computer would only boot to a blank screen; I could move and see the mouse, but that is all excpet for the icon you installed whichmonitors CPU temperature. No Task bar. I trieed several types of rebooting: last known config, etc. Nothing changed anything.

Then, I remembered a note oI read f trying the safe mode. I did that an got a desktop. Then I rebooted and uninstalled Malware bytes and rebooted again normally and desktop came up, but the machine only fully worked in the normal Potye user (and the NT8 directory was restored!). I don't care about NT8 anymoe; I just want to be able to rename files and create folders.

So, I am using it only as that user, BUT I can not rename any folders on C or any of the NAS. I can create folders and files but no re-naming.

Boggin · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2019, 02:44:49 pm »

Can you create another admin account to see if you do it then - your current user account may have become corrupt.

Boggin · « **Reply #2 on:** October 07, 2019, 01:48:22 am »

If you find that you can do what you need to do with a new admin account, there's a section in this article for Win 7 for transferring data from the old account to the new one.

https://neosmart.net/wiki/corrupt-user-profile/

FreeCat · « **Reply #3 on:** October 07, 2019, 12:07:01 pm »

Hi - I created a new admin account but when I went to log on preparing the desktop took 30 minutes. I logged back to my account and deleted the new admin account. I also tried an old rarely used admin account and same thing; preparing desktop too a long time.

I switched back to my "working" account OK.

Does this problem have to do with file ownershop, etc? I see that the Tweaking tool has a section for deling with that, but I do not know what switches to set.

One more fact. I can download files to my NAS and my C drive but can not create a text file or a folder on NAS or C drive.
I will await you reply.

Boggin · « **Reply #4 on:** October 07, 2019, 01:59:59 pm »

It defaults adding Permissions to C: from what I understand from the Help section on that repair.

You'll probably be able to read it better if you go there than try to read my pic.

Once you got the desktop with that other admin account, I would have tried it.

As an alternative to a new or that older admin account, you could boot into the advanced boot options to select Safe Mode.

Then go Start - type cmd - right click on cmd and select Run as administrator and enter net user administrator /active:yes

That should return that the op was successful.

This will invoke the hidden Admin account.

Enter exit to close the cmd window and restart then click on the Admin icon.

My Win 7 machine is slow but it only took a few mins to configure the desktop.

See how the machine performs in that account.

When done, you will need to boot back into Safe Mode to use that cmd prompt and enter net user administrator /active:no to turn it off.

Have you performed a sfc /scannow from an admin cmd prompt to see if it reports any corruption ?

FreeCat · « **Reply #5 on:** October 08, 2019, 06:16:35 am »

Hi - I did the scan and here are the results. I can not reboot right now, but will report back here after I do.
Access is denied to the log so I can not post it --- maybe after reboot?

Boggin · « **Reply #6 on:** October 08, 2019, 06:30:27 am »

If you copy & paste this cmd to the cmd prompt it will put an icon onto the desktop which when double clicked will open the CBS log in Notepad which you can then post.

It may be more informative as to what corruption it found.

findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log > %userprofile%\Desktop\sfcdetails.txt

When you can reboot, check to see if you can now do what you want to do with the files and folders.

FreeCat · « **Reply #7 on:** October 08, 2019, 07:03:04 am »

Hi and thanks. I tried that
(findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log > %userprofile%\Desktop\sfcdetails.txt)
but I still received access denied.

Boggin · « **Reply #8 on:** October 08, 2019, 07:16:03 am »

You shouldn't have done.

Reboot so that the repairs will be effected and then try the cmd again, or renaming files etc.

If you still can't after the reboot then invoke the hidden admin account as I've described to see what happens using that account.

FreeCat · « **Reply #9 on:** October 09, 2019, 07:10:32 am »

Hi and thank. I am going to reboot, but must wait until market processes are complete --- but Saturday.

Boggin · « **Reply #10 on:** October 09, 2019, 07:12:18 am »

Okay - whatever they are

FreeCat · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2019, 07:58:24 am »

Hi Tom. Thanks for your help.

OK, I feel like I need to explain that I could not reboot until today due to a process that I setupp last Monday that had to complete; It takes hours to setup and once interrupted I can not be sure that I have it setup again correctly.

The first thing I can tell you is that I can access my NAS drives; but still can not rename files on C or NAS.

But, I have rebooted. I could not get the CBS log in the normal way that you suggested; I got "can not access"; also with XYplorer I could not get it. But, with Ztree I was able to get it and copy it to one of my MAS drives.

I am attaching it to this post.

Boggin · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2019, 08:09:42 am »

I'm not sure what has been duplicated in that CBS log.

Can you perform another sfc /scannow to check there is no further corruption.

Boggin · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2019, 08:18:54 am »

The following article may just be an individual workaround but if you scroll down to the bottom of the article and click on the blue Take Ownership Menu Hacks link, you can add Take Ownership to your right click menu.

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/add-take-ownership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

FreeCat · « **Reply #14 on:** October 12, 2019, 11:51:59 am »

Hi - FYI "Take Ownership" has been runnning for some time. I will wait until done before rebooting and running scannow in safe mode.

Boggin · « **Reply #15 on:** October 12, 2019, 01:26:46 pm »

You aren't taking ownership of the whole of C: are you ?

It's normally just used to take control of individual files where you get an Access Denied.

FreeCat · « **Reply #16 on:** October 12, 2019, 04:44:33 pm »

Yes, I did. Sorry I did not know. Still going.

Boggin · « **Reply #17 on:** October 13, 2019, 12:48:42 am »

I know it will be time consuming but I would strongly advise that once the Hack has been applied, that you use the other part of the Hack to remove that from C:

FreeCat · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2019, 06:53:00 am »

Hi Tom. OK I am in safe mode now and runing the scan again. But, I do not understand what you mean by "remove that". I have not problem following your instructions even if time consuming.

Boggin · « **Reply #19 on:** October 13, 2019, 08:54:22 am »

You shouldn't have ownership of C: - that belongs to Trusted Installer and you should use the other part of the Hack to remove Take Ownership.

After you have done the sfc /scannow and depending upon what it reports, follow the instructions to create the hidden Admin account to see if that resolves the creating/renaming of files.

FreeCat · « **Reply #20 on:** October 13, 2019, 12:40:02 pm »

Hi - Scannow found no errors. I tried to use findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log > %userprofile%\Desktop\sfcdetails.txt --- but I got message can not find command FINKSTR.

However I went to the windows log ara and attached the file to this post.

I still get message that I am unable to creat text file on C drive.

I was able to creat a test file with copy con testing.txt CTRLz.
When I did dir testing.txt the file was there.

But if I try to create a file with NEW, the module needed is not there.

Awaiting further instrucitons. And, thanks for your help.

Boggin · « **Reply #21 on:** October 13, 2019, 03:02:40 pm »

That is the old CBS log from your previous sfc /scannow dated 19 10 7 - it doesn't appear to have created a new one when the sfc /scannow was performed in Safe Mode.

Why did you run it in Safe Mode ?

Run it again in normal mode but I'd really like you to invoke the hidden Admin account to see if that makes any difference when trying to create a New folder/file.

EDIT - I've been checking my Win 7 machine and it appears to be producing the same CBS date/time stamped log even though I've done a scan in both normal and Safe Mode and even one about 20 mins later.

Go to C:\Windows\Logs and right click on CBS and select Delete then reboot.

Windows may create another CBS log but with another date.

To check this, go to C:\Windows\Logs - right click on CBS and see if you can send it to Documents where you may then be able to open it with a double click.

You may have to do this again to get a CBS log that doesn't contain a sfc /scannow log.

Reboot then perform another sfc /scannow in normal mode and post its report.

FreeCat · « **Reply #22 on:** October 13, 2019, 04:10:39 pm »

OK - I thought it had to be in safe mode. Will run again in normal mode. Thanks for your help.

Boggin · « **Reply #23 on:** October 13, 2019, 04:23:57 pm »

See my edited post.

Boggin · « **Reply #24 on:** October 13, 2019, 04:51:20 pm »

I'm going to roost now as it's after 12:45am here in the UK.

If the sfc /scannow still comes back clean then I want you to invoke the hidden admin account as I've described and see how you get on with that.

If you still can't work with new folders/files then I want you to check if you can still read the product key on the COA sticker label on the computer.

If you can, make a note of it then press the Windows key - right click on Computer and select Properties and let me know which version of Win 7 you are using.

I have ISOs for Win 7 SP1 x32 and 64 bit.

The 64 bit one is for the Pro version but with the eicfg file removed, that converts it to an universal install ISO to make a bootable disk.

If you can still read the product key then press the Windows key and r then type in the Run box Slui 3 and enter that product key.

I can create and send you a couple of install disks (one spare) to perform a repair install which won't affect your personal stuff or installed programs.

The machine may or not succeed with a repair install - mine doesn't accept it but yours might.

You will need to PM me your address if required.