All my files are now read only files

[Keith]

I am running windows XP home edition. Suddenly all of my folders are read only and I cannot back up or transfer them. When I go into the folders properties and uncheck the read only box, and close out, it won't change and the next time I open it is read only again?

I am no computer guru and am having problems dealing with this. Can anyone help?

[KnightRid]

FIRST - make sure you have ALL of the windows updates - something in my brain says that SP2 fixed this..??

if you have them all then reboot in safe mode and select ADMIN login account - then try changing them.

If that doesnt work - go to a DOS box or restart in DOS mode and do a ATTRIB -r on the folders you want to change to NOT read-only

write back and tell us if any of that works - then we can move on from there!!

Mike

[Keith]

KnightRid:

I don't know if this makes a difference but...

Actually all my files are not read only files. All my old files are fine. Any new file I create is now a read only file. Something happened in the last week or so so that any new file I create now is read only. The files prior to a week ago are good.

[stev]

Sounds like a "Read Only" virus has hit your computer. That must be nasty.

[Major_A]

Kaspersky has a pretty good ondemand virus scanner. Run it and see what happens.
http://devbuilds.kaspersky-labs.com/devbuilds/AVPTool/

[KnightRid]

check your folder security options also.

what EXACT new files are read only? files made with Office, OpenOffice, email, notepad,etc?

Mike