WinXP: can't remove "read-only" folder status

[Row1]

hello, everyone-
i went to help my dad on his comp - i am upgrading his cpu.
this is a winxp computer. evreything is running fine.

so, i make my plan:
1. backup data files. 2. update bios. 3. ground self. 4. swap cpu.
ok, i think i have got a good plan here.

step 1: i fail. i can't backup files - the main file he has with data is marked "read-only." I toggle this off. then, try to copy files to maxtor external drive again. fail again. i look, and folder is again marked "read only." i repeat this a bunch. same thing.

finally, i downlaod a java-based file manager / backup utility, and it copies all dta files to the external drive, no problems.

but please help me solve this "read only" folder problem.

i searched the web a little, but the only relevant stuff i found was for networks, with various levels of privileges - this is not the case on this computer.

any ideas?

 

[mscrx]

can you name the file and folder? is it a self created one or a windows system one?
I would recommend to do a full backup (image/clone) of the drive anyway...

 

[Row1]

good ideas-

it is a folder he made.

i was over for dinner on saturday nite, so i only had a certain amt of time to address this dealio.
we did get data backed up. so, if everything ended up toast, he just jumps to his other computer. i have convinced him to have data in one place in order to back it up easily.

i thought about copying all data out of this file, into another file, and seeing if that has the read-only problem.

i may mirror the entire disc. mainly, i want to upgrade his cpu from the amd 5200 to the agena 9600, sitting in the box at his place rite now.

 

[mscrx]

what I don't understand is that read-only blocks copying. I would understand if you were trying to move the file...
can you check the permissions on the folder? you may also want to try a checkdisk on the drive. it could be a corrupted sector blocking this file.

 

[Row1]

chkdsk - good idea.

darn. checkdisc is a good idea. i hope it is ok, but that might explain a lot.

yes i checked permissions - nothing odd or weird.

 

[mscrx]

yes it would. failing copy usually is a problem of reading caused by faulty hdd or lack of access rights on the destination drive/folder.
let us know how it goes