read only attribute

I believe there was a recent Automatic Update loaded to my computer, and
today I noticed that EVERY file and folder on my computer is now set with the
READ ONLY attribute. Is this somehow considered a good thing for security ?
If this is something to do with a security update, can I disable it ? I
really do have files that I need to change frequently. If it is not a
security update, is it some sort of weird attack on my computer ?

 

"Not just paranoid" <Not just paranoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:C78771DD-1935-4CA9-A54D-4E20956CD368@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
>I believe there was a recent Automatic Update loaded to my computer, and
> today I noticed that EVERY file and folder on my computer is now set with
> the
> READ ONLY attribute. Is this somehow considered a good thing for security
> ?
> If this is something to do with a security update, can I disable it ? I
> really do have files that I need to change frequently. If it is not a
> security update, is it some sort of weird attack on my computer ?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

Windows version?

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM

 

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> "Not just paranoid" <Not just paranoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message news:C78771DD-1935-4CA9-A54D-4E20956CD368@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
> >I believe there was a recent Automatic Update loaded to my computer, and
> > today I noticed that EVERY file and folder on my computer is now set with
> > the
> > READ ONLY attribute. Is this somehow considered a good thing for security
> > ?
> > If this is something to do with a security update, can I disable it ? I
> > really do have files that I need to change frequently. If it is not a
> > security update, is it some sort of weird attack on my computer ?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
> Windows version?
>
> --
> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
>
>
>
> Sorry - XP (home) with SP2, IE7, etc. Auto update is enabled.
> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

You could (or another administrator user) accidentally (theoretically) apply
read only settings for a root folder, and the attributes were applied
recursively to all subfolders and files. This is not a Windows Update issue
for sure.

--
V.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
"Not just paranoid" <Notjustparanoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:864BB760-E9CA-4C8B-AD05-0B3466DD0378@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
>
>
> "Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:
><!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
>> "Not just paranoid" <Not just paranoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>> in
>> message news:C78771DD-1935-4CA9-A54D-4E20956CD368@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
>> >I believe there was a recent Automatic Update loaded to my computer, and
>> > today I noticed that EVERY file and folder on my computer is now set
>> > with
>> > the
>> > READ ONLY attribute. Is this somehow considered a good thing for
>> > security
>> > ?
>> > If this is something to do with a security update, can I disable it ? I
>> > really do have files that I need to change frequently. If it is not a
>> > security update, is it some sort of weird attack on my computer ?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>>
>> Windows version?
>>
>> --
>> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
>>
>>
>>
>> Sorry - XP (home) with SP2, IE7, etc. Auto update is enabled.
>> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

Hmmm.... I'm the only person who uses this computer, and I know I didn't set
the read only attribute on every main folder (I don't believe you can set
this attribute at the "drive" level). So that's not it.

If I remove the read only attribute from a folder, and it's subfolders, then
close the folder. When I return to it, the read only attribute is 'gray'
indicating that some files within are read only.

Question - When you 'compress old files' as part of the disk clean-up system
tool, does this set the read-only attribute on the files/folders that are
determined to be 'old' ? What is the 'old' criteria ? Not accessed for some
period of time or original date of creation ? How can you tell if a file or
folder have been compressed ?

I do not have any files, including system files, hidden in my system.




"Volodymyr M. Shcherbyna" wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> You could (or another administrator user) accidentally (theoretically) apply
> read only settings for a root folder, and the attributes were applied
> recursively to all subfolders and files. This is not a Windows Update issue
> for sure.
>
> --
> V.
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> "Not just paranoid" <Notjustparanoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message news:864BB760-E9CA-4C8B-AD05-0B3466DD0378@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
> >
> >
> > "Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:
> ><!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
> >> "Not just paranoid" <Not just paranoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> >> in
> >> message news:C78771DD-1935-4CA9-A54D-4E20956CD368@microsoft.com...
> >> >I believe there was a recent Automatic Update loaded to my computer, and
> >> > today I noticed that EVERY file and folder on my computer is now set
> >> > with
> >> > the
> >> > READ ONLY attribute. Is this somehow considered a good thing for
> >> > security
> >> > ?
> >> > If this is something to do with a security update, can I disable it ? I
> >> > really do have files that I need to change frequently. If it is not a
> >> > security update, is it some sort of weird attack on my computer ?
> >>
> >> Windows version?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Sorry - XP (home) with SP2, IE7, etc. Auto update is enabled.
> >> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc--><!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
>
> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

"Not just paranoid" <Not just paranoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:C78771DD-1935-4CA9-A54D-4E20956CD368@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
>I believe there was a recent Automatic Update loaded to my computer, and
> today I noticed that EVERY file and folder on my computer is now set with
> the
> READ ONLY attribute. Is this somehow considered a good thing for security
> ?
> If this is something to do with a security update, can I disable it ? I
> really do have files that I need to change frequently. If it is not a
> security update, is it some sort of weird attack on my computer ?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->


Is it every file or just the folders? It's normal for folders to show as
read only. Windows ignores this.



--
Kerry Brown
MS-MVP - Windows Desktop Experience: Systems Administration

 

Thank you for the Knowledge Base article Kerry !
I'd tried to search the KB, but didn't find this article.

I think you have hit the nail on the head. The whole thing started when I
tried to save an attachment from gmail to my external drive (which I have
done before with no problems) but for some reason, this time gmail said the
folder was read-only. Hmmmm..... maybe Google changed something ? All
these years and I'd never noticed that the folders are 'read only'. So much
for being observant.

The other 'wierd' thing that occured - I attempted to restore a System
Restore Point that was about 3 days old, thinking some recent virus or
external control had set the read-only attributes, and a restore point would
clear it up. The restore seemed to 'hang', at a completely black screen with
no sign of drive activity for what I thought was too long, so I ended up
reinstalling (repairing) XP from the original CD, which then required
installing SP2, IE7 and a whole host of security updates..... Fairly
annoying, but doable. I dunno what that was all about, maybe I was just too
impatient to let the restore finish ?


"Kerry Brown" wrote:
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> "Not just paranoid" <Not just paranoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message news:C78771DD-1935-4CA9-A54D-4E20956CD368@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
> >I believe there was a recent Automatic Update loaded to my computer, and
> > today I noticed that EVERY file and folder on my computer is now set with
> > the
> > READ ONLY attribute. Is this somehow considered a good thing for security
> > ?
> > If this is something to do with a security update, can I disable it ? I
> > really do have files that I need to change frequently. If it is not a
> > security update, is it some sort of weird attack on my computer ?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
>
> Is it every file or just the folders? It's normal for folders to show as
> read only. Windows ignores this.
>
>
>
> --
> Kerry Brown
> MS-MVP - Windows Desktop Experience: Systems Administration
>
>
>
> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

"Not just paranoid" <Notjustparanoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:864BB760-E9CA-4C8B-AD05-0B3466DD0378@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
>
> "Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:
><!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
>> "Not just paranoid" <Not just paranoid@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>> in
>> message news:C78771DD-1935-4CA9-A54D-4E20956CD368@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:darkred--><span style="color:darkred <!--/coloro-->
>> >I believe there was a recent Automatic Update loaded to my computer, and
>> > today I noticed that EVERY file and folder on my computer is now set
>> > with
>> > the
>> > READ ONLY attribute. Is this somehow considered a good thing for
>> > security
>> > ?
>> > If this is something to do with a security update, can I disable it ? I
>> > really do have files that I need to change frequently. If it is not a
>> > security update, is it some sort of weird attack on my computer ?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>>
>> Windows version?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
> Sorry - XP (home) with SP2, IE7, etc. Auto update is enabled.<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->


First, folders may appear to be read only, but it's meaningless.
Second, are you sure it's all files and not just folders? Have you
individually checked the properties of each file in My Documents?

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM