Can't run Windows 7 SP1 as an admin, yet have admin permissions. Can't delete files

[Brat Gvidon]

Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 + all updates and it was a clean install on my SSD.

I am running into an issue where I can't delete or move or rename files. It happens kind of randomly, but the error I get is that I do not have administrator permissions. Yet, after a short while (few minutes), those same files can be deleted and do not display any errors nor display the requirement for admin permissions. This is a problem for some applications, which need admin permissions to delete, replace, or perform similar operations on files. This permission issue causes errors when applications attempt to update themselves. For example, Steam needs to update itself, but in the process it needs to delete Steam.exe and it can't because of the permissions issue. There is no way to launch Steam.exe as admin right after the installation because it automatically starts to update and fails due to permissions issue. This is not a Steam-only issue. Also, this issue appeared recently, but I don't know what caused it.

There is only one user on this PC (myself) and my account type is Administrator in Control Panel, User Accounts. UAC is set to "Never Notify". User Profiles Advanced System Settings shows 2 profiles - default, and mine.

When I select any file or folder, go to properties and check out Security tab - I see:
1. Authenticated Users (not full control, but can modify, read, write, execute)
2. SYSTEM (full control)
3. Administrators (full control), located in "PC name/Administrators"
4. Users (read, execute only)

Where is my user name with full control located in "PC Name/My User name" in those settings? Should it not be there? Why is my ability to modify those files restricted at first, but ends up working within a few minutes? Isn't there a way to run Windows 7 completely as administrator and use the administrator folder?

[OrionCheung]

system restore.

[Langaleer]

When I select any file or folder, go to properties and check out Security tab - I see:
1. Authenticated Users (not full control, but can modify, read, write, execute)
2. SYSTEM (full control)
3. Administrators (full control), located in "PC name/Administrators"
4. Users (read, execute only)

Where is my user name with full control located in "PC Name/My User name" in those settings? Should it not be there?

Your account is under the Administrators in that list.

Why is my ability to modify those files restricted at first, but ends up working within a few minutes?

Either Windows has those files locked for some reason or theres an issue with your install. You could try Advanced System Care

Isn't there a way to run Windows 7 completely as administrator and use the administrator folder?

There is, but not on anything below 7 Pro as you need Users & Computers in Computer Manager, which is only for enhanced users/non-home users.

[Brat Gvidon]

Your account is under the Administrators in that list.

Either Windows has those files locked for some reason or theres an issue with your install. You could try Advanced System Care


There is, but not on anything below 7 Pro as you need Users & Computers in Computer Manager, which is only for enhanced users/non-home users.

Thanks a bunch! I found out that it was a Steam issue actually, and other files I could not delete were not about permissions but usage of those files by other applications...

In my attempt to fix things, I may have broken something. I opened security settings for "Windows" folder itself, and in Advanced Security Settings I opened the Owner tab, where the "Current owner" was TrustedInstaller. I changed that to Administrators. I can't get TrustedInstaller back! Now only that, but I think TrustedInstaller used to have plenty of permissions and now, everywhere TrustedInstaller is listed - it only has one single permission "List folder contents".

Could you, please, check if that is the only permission TrustedInstaller had on your PC or supposed to on other PCs?

Is there a way to just change permissions to their defaults? Luckily MS kept Program Files and other important folders on drive C from being able to be edited permission-wise by morons like me. So, I am not really having problems with anything right now, but I keep thinking those changes I tried to make are going to bite me eventually with the whole "TrustedInstaller" fail...

[Langaleer]

"Just run in a evalated prompt the following command.
secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose" from Technet

[Brat Gvidon]

"Just run in a evalated prompt the following command.
secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose" from Technet

Thanks, but I got an error there somewhere... Time to format and reinstall.

[Brat Gvidon]

Format was such a great idea! Even with a fast SSD, a fresh OS install feels faster. However, my new SSD is also slightly faster than the other one in reads and 2x faster in writes.

Off-topic (to spare everyone from seeing a bogus, overly discussed thread topic):

Now I have Samsung 830 256Gb SSD as drive C (OS, games) and Crucial M4 128Gb SSD as drive D (random files). I know with SSD, pagefile is often disputed but ultimately doesn't make much difference in speed, but can cause problems if disabled due to some applications requesting its use. So, if I keep my pagefile on drive D instead of C - will it still apply to OS on drive C? I remember people recommending placing pagefiles on separate disk drives to improve performance. It makes sense since the main OS wouldn't need to access different parts of the drive to perform something that requires use of a pagefile, thus speeding up the process. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[akirarulez]

That thinking is relevant (to a degree) for normal HDD's with a spinning platter where the head has to move to find the data. In case of a SSD its a moot point and access time is lightning fast.
You wont see any difference from moving your pagefile from your Samsung to your Crucial.