Hello, sorry for my bad english.There is something I don't understand about the administrator account.I am logged as administrator. Then I go on the web and I try to download something under "Program Files".But I can't! I have not the permissions!!! Already very strange, what is the interest to be logged as administrator.So I look at the security properties of "Program Files" to see the permissions of the administrator and to set it the full permissions. But I can't modify anything.I really don't understand what administrator means on windows.Shouldn't I have all the permissions immediately if I am admnistrator?Please, someone could say me how to modify the permissions for the "program files" directory?Thanks in advance.

Hi This is due to the Internet Explorer 7 Protected Mode. In Vista, IE isn't trusted by the system, because it is the number one point of entry of malware. Thus, the iexplore.exe process only has access to a few areas : %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Temp\Low%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\LowHKCU\Software\LowRegistryThese are LOW integrity zones or untrusted and iexplore.exe is a LOW integrity process and can only modify those zones. However, when needed to write to MEDIUM zones, such as %userprofile%\Documents, IE uses another process, called a broker, ieuser.exe that prompts the user for consent before accessing MEDIUM zones. Program files is a Medium zone, however, Administrators do not have Full control over that folder, but only to some subfolders (the ones that you create). Only TrustedInstaller has Full control over the Program Files folder.So you should really use the folder that has been create for your username for downloaded files.For more info on the above you can read my blog posts : IE 7 Protected mode vs. Firefox and Vista's Soldiers : UAC,MIC and UIPI

Ok, thank you.So if I understand well, it's just impossible to change the "Program files" permissions, even with the admin account. Finally, if I want to download something to "Program Files", I have to launch my browser as administrator, isn't it?But, it's not my first strange experience with the permissions. And the other is most problematic. The problem appears when I copy files/folders with cygwin. Then my folders are generally not accessible, and I have to change the permissions. And sometimes, my folders/files are definitively inaccessibles. I can't do anything with the files. The only solution I found is to access the ntfs partition from an other OS to delete them when needed...The management of permissions seems to be really complex.

Hi Yes, you could elevated IE and it should work. However, if you do that, you are giving up the Protected Mode. Like I said before, you can use your UserProfile folder that has been created especially for that purpose. Or you can create a folder yourself and that will allow you to save files into that folder.I do not have any experience in working with cygwin, but I have herd of legacy applications that create files/folders and afterwards they cannot be read.

I have to much problems with permissions.Now, I have just copied a folder on my desktop, and I can't remove it. It is just incredible!! I haven't used cygwin here, really just a simple copy. How is it possible? Isn't there an admin console from where I can do all I want??(Sure, I have verified permissions on the security tab, but I can't modify anything...)Thanks in advance.