Annoying problem with moving files

[UltramarineX]

Hello. Recently I have been having problems with moving files around on my computer. For example, let's say I have a file called "x". When I try to move file x from folder A to folder B, when I try to access file x inside of folder B, it refuses to open. This problem seems to happen whenever I try and move ANY file. However, if I copy file x and paste it into folder B, when I try to open file x inside folder B, file x works just fine.

I know that whatever caused this problem occured between June 7 and June 13, but unfortunately I cannot use system restore, because my earliest restore point is on June 13.

I would format my hard drive (which I have not done in a long time), but I would prefer to wait a few weeks since I have a lot of important work on my computer that's due in a few weeks.

My computer's specs are:
Pentium 4 2.4GHz
MSI 648 Max series motherboard
512MB PC2700 DDR-RAM
ATI Radeon 9500 Pro
40 GB Hard Drive (make unknown)
Windows XP (with Service Pack 1)

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

[tornshadow]

I'm better at hardware stuff, but sometimes when you move a file, it will make a shortcut instead of an actual copy. Are you deleting the original copy when you move it? Maybe this is the problem, but like I said I'm not much with software.

[DMR]

Does this perhaps have something to do with file/folder permissions? The reason I ask is that you describe different behaviours when copying files as opposed to moving them, and tranfer/inheritance of file permissions does differ between the two operations.

Also:

- when you say that you can't open files, do you get an error message when you try? If so, what is the exact error?

- If you're trying to open the files just by clicking on them, can you instead open them from the File/Open menu within a suitable application?

[UltramarineX]

I am not sure on the permissions. I have never actually manipulated them before, and to be honest I have no idea how to check them.

Also, I get different error messages when I try to open a file. When I try to open an excel spreadsheet, it says that it can't open the file because it's read-only or encrypted (both of which I know are untrue). When I try to open an avi or mpeg file through Windows Media Player, it simply says it can't open the file.

I have tried to open a moved file from within a sutible application (using the file/open menu), but it still can't open the file.

[DMR]

Permissions for a file (or folder) can be "inherited" from the permissions set on the folder into which you move them. Check the permissions on the files themselves and also on the folders that contain them by right-clicking on them and choosing "Properties". In the resulting Window, look through the settings in the General, Sharing, and Security tabs. Info in those tabs will show you the permissions and attributes ("read-only" is an attribute) for the given file or folder. Clicking the Advanced button in the Security tab will show you whether or not a given item is inheriting its permissions from those set on the enclosing (parent) folder.

[UltramarineX]

Permissions for a file (or folder) can be "inherited" from the permissions set on the folder into which you move them. Check the permissions on the files themselves and also on the folders that contain them by right-clicking on them and choosing "Properties". In the resulting Window, look through the settings in the General, Sharing, and Security tabs. Info in those tabs will show you the permissions and attributes ("read-only" is an attribute) for the given file or folder. Clicking the Advanced button in the Security tab will show you whether or not a given item is inheriting its permissions from those set on the enclosing (parent) folder.

Hey DMR. I tried what you said, and I noticed the "read-only" attribute was checked. But when I unchecked it and applied it to all my folders, for some reason when I look and my folders' properties again, the "read-only" attribute is still checked for some reason.

[DMR]

There are some known issues and gotchas with the "read-only" attribute setting in different versions of Windows. Maybe some of the results from the following Google search will help shed some light:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=windows+attribute+%22read-only%22+&btnG=Google+Search

[alc6379]

Additionally, have you run chkdsk /f on that drive? You could be getting permission/read-only errors due to filesystem corruption that Windows hasn't detected. Normally, Windows won't run CHKDSK on a drive unless it has a really good reason to. But, sometimes you might have a better reason, like this perhaps, to run it your self.

Click on Start -> Run, then type in cmd, and click OK. In that black box, just type chkdsk X: /f, where X: is the letter of the drive in question. Normally, it will ask to check it after a reboot. If it asks that, type in "Y", and then restart your system. The disk check will then proceed to fix any problems, if they exist.