HOW TO: Take Ownership of Files

This article describes how to take ownership of files and other objects on Windows 2000. These steps may be necessary to access certain files or Profiles that an administrator may need to work with.

It is important to note that the default security for roaming profiles has changed in Windows 2000. Administrators no longer have full control of all user profiles by default, only the user and the system. This means that if an administrator needs to obtain access to the contents of a user's profile, he or she will have to perform a "take ownership" operation upon the file system objects or registry hive directly. This is a more desirable approach from a security perspective as the "take ownership" operation is an audited event.

Taking Ownership of Profiles in Windows 2000

1. In the Profile folder, right-click the appropriate user's profile folder, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Security tab, and then click Advanced.
3. Click the Owner tab, click the user that you would like to take ownership in the Change owner to box, and then click Apply.
4. Click the Ownership button. A dialog box appears and displays:

      Directory Name: D:\ 
      Owner: Administrators
      Close
      Take Ownership
      Help
   						

5. Click the Take Ownership button.
   
   You receive the following error message:
   One or more of the items selected is a directory. Do you want to take ownership of all the files and contained in the selected directories?
6. Click Yes.
   
   This makes the Administrators the owner of the whole directory structure and all of the files in it.

NOTE: Taking ownership does not automatically grant you permission to access it. You have to explicitly give the administrator permission to the folders and files.

Taking ownership is also a good way to gain access to the home folder of a user that has left the organization. The Administrator can take ownership of the resource and then assigns permissions to a new user.