Windows 10 Help Please Requested

[Arcane_Secrets]

I was running Avast Antivirus/Malwarebytes in an average scan today when I noticed that it said that my Desktop and My Documents folders were unprotected. I set up a restore point before doing anything and when I changed the permissions from two things that I didn't recognize from Allow to Deny on the security tab (which I didn't write down) afterwards my Desktop Icons disappeared entirely and it now says that I don't have access to them. In order to get access it says that I have to select the object type User, Group, or Buil-in security principal and from the location: DESKTOP-BRDFM17. I don't understand any of this at all. Please help.

[snowblizz]

Plainly speaking. Never go messing about with permissions as a muggle. It can have drastic consequences. Windows splits up permissions in various opaque ways. There are plenty of oddly named "users" with various strange access to files and folders. 99% of that tends to be legit, it's all kinds of default system processes and apps. Also sadly, be careful about listening to free anti-virus programs, they have a nasty tendency to try and scare up business for themselves. It's super-unethical IMO and erodes my trust in them.

DESKTOP-BRDFM17 is likely the name of your computer. I guess it says go put everything back the way it was. Presumably if you remember where you changed it there shouldn't be that many processes and with like 99% certainty any user with a deny permission on the Desktop folder should be granted allow access.


So go look at Desktop and MY Documents in the explorer and change the Properties, Security to Allow.

After that, google "how to restore default permissions in windows 10" or something. It may be you can fix this by running a windwos Repair action too.

(I'm not an expert mind, I just know enough to get myself into trouble)

[Arcane_Secrets]

Thanks for your response.

1) I've absolutely learned my lesson.

2) Based on what you said I was find out how to restore my permissions, so (so far) everything seems to be back to normal.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Always creating a restore point before trying something is a Good Practice, though. A full backup on a regular basis (and always before trying something) as well. Because trying something can result in an OSRI, given how opaque Microsoft is on how to do things.