Forum Discussion

was_butnotnow's avatar
Aug 11, 2018

C drive files read only

I am using Open Office and my files are read-only now.
My backup drive is OK and the files saved to it are writable.
But not on C drive. I can move a file from C to backup and bring it up ok.
I have tried to go to properties with no luck. No change in OS.
Have googled and tried several things with no luck.

8 Replies

  • Alan_Hepburn wrote:
    ...just open a terminal window and enter the command "chmod -r 755" ... :)

    Only if using a Unix based OS? I'm assuming he's referring to Windows?
  • CloudDriver wrote:
    Here's what works for me.

    Right click on any file and select Properties. Under the General tab click on the Attributes check box until it is blank. Click Apply then OK. That file should no longer be read only.

    You can do the same thing for all the files in a folder at one time by right clicking on the folder and doing the same steps above. This works for your Documents folder as well.


    Make sure you are logged in as an administrator.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    YOu should be able to go to file explorer Right click, choose properties and uncheck the read only

    or if you have all your open office files in a specific directory there is a way to do it from the command prompt but that is kind of inolved.

    True Story:
    Several years ago (2011) a virus was going around that set the HIDDEN attribute on all your files.. I have been unable to convince my daugher to practice safe Hex so her computer caught it. She finally gave me the computer and said "If you can get it working... It's yours"

    Her "Computer Expert" Husband had spent hours working on it.
    Took me 15 minutes. and most of that sitting there watching it fix itself.
  • Downloading LibreOffice now.
    The strange thing is OO works on files on my drive E but not on C
  • Here's what works for me.

    Right click on any file and select Properties. Under the General tab click on the Attributes check box until it is blank. Click Apply then OK. That file should no longer be read only.

    You can do the same thing for all the files in a folder at one time by right clicking on the folder and doing the same steps above. This works for your Documents folder as well.

    By the way, I switched from Open Office to LibreOffice a number of years ago because I had the impression that Open Office wasn't being updated any more. Give LibreOffice a try.

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