Two easy ways to become the owner of a file or folder in Windows 8.1 (and previous versions of Windows)
Windows 8.1 (and previous versions, for that matter) by default does not give full control over system files and folders. This means that anyone who tries to delete/modify such files or folders, will not be able to do, not having sufficient permissions. This is done apparently in order to «foolproof» and anti-malware software, which can easily hurt and gain control over your PC.
When the user for some reason requires full access to system files, the process of obtaining the necessary rights can seem quite complicated, especially for beginners. However, there are two great applications that allow you to do it in just a few clicks. We are talking about WinOwnership and TakeOwnershipEx.
WinOwnership
WinOwnership is a portable application, so you don’t even have to install it. Moreover, the application itself is very easy to use, so work with it does not necessarily have technical knowledge. To begin, simply run the executable file from the archive (link below), and then double-click in the center of the interface of the app and then browse to the target file. After selecting the file, click on «Apply». And that’s all you need to do! You now have full access to this file, so you can move it, delete, or edit, in this case Windows will not bother you with notifications and warnings. Of course, you can also undo changes by clicking «Undo». The application supports not only Windows 8 but also Windows 7, Vista and previous OS versions.
TakeOwnershipEx
WinOwnership if for some reason you are not working, or you just want to try another instrument, then the best alternative is TakeOwnershipEx from WinAero. This program is also very convenient, but unlike WinOwnership require installation on your computer. Archive (link below) contains two versions – one standard, and the second is compatible with Windows 8 (8.1).
Use TakeOwnershipEx is very simple. Run the program and click on the «permissions» to select the desired file or folder. Once the choice is made, TakeOwnershipEx will automatically provide you with full control over the file/folder. With the app you can choose the entire folder to get access to all the files in that folder and subfolders.
Like WinOwnership, too TakeOwnershipEx allows you to undo the changes. To do this, click on the button «repair disk permissions», choose the file/folder in the list and click «Recover rights».
Moreover, TakeOwnershipEx is integrated in the context menu, and then to get/recover access rights, it is not necessary to run the program – you need only select the necessary file or folder, click the right mouse button and from the context menu click on «access/Restore rights».
WinOwnership from the developer’s site
TakeOwnershipEx from the developer’s site