How To Restore Default Ownership of System32 Subfolders and Files?
I'm fixing a friend's computer (well, trying to) and found that he had taken ownership of the System32 folder... Is there a simple way to revert ownership of all its subfolders and files back to the factory/default owners (besides reinstalling Windows 10 Home)? I know the majority of these system files and folders belong to 'TrustedInstaller', but a considerable portion (25% perhaps) are owned by the 'System' account, and/or 'Administrators' group. Please help.
11 Answer
To restore TrustedInstaller ownership to system files
- Open File Explorer
- Browse to the System32 folder
- Right-click it and select Properties
- Click the Security tab
- Click the Advanced button
- On "Advanced Security Settings", click Change
- On the "Select User or Group" page, type
NT Service\TrustedInstaller - Click OK
- Click Apply
- Click OK to complete.
Don't forget to check the options "Replace owner on the subcontainers and objects" and "Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object". This might take some time to complete.
To remove full control from the user account
- Right-click the System32 folder and select Properties
- Click on the Security tab
- Click Advanced
- On the "Advanced Security Settings" page select the user account
- Click Remove
- Click Apply
- Click OK to complete.
