View Full Version : What exactly determines file ownership?


What exactly determines file ownership? is it when the
file is opened? modified? is there any documentation on
exactly how file ownership is determined?

thanks!

Rich

Steven L Umbach
When the operating system is installed, administrators are the owner of all
files on the installation. After that the owner is the user that created the
file. That can be as a result of a user creating a brand new file OR
modifying an existing file. Many file modifications are treated as a write
of the new version and delete of the original version of the file. ---
Steve


wrote in message
news:05d701c4b20d$81649c70$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> What exactly determines file ownership? is it when the
> file is opened? modified? is there any documentation on
> exactly how file ownership is determined?
>
> thanks!
>
> Rich



Zunquan Wang [MSFT]
Some addition info. There is some difference on XP and Win2k3.

if userX joined local administrators group if userX did
not join local administrators group
Win2k3 owner is Administrators userX is
the owner
XP userX is the owner userX
is the owner

General modification, such as changing content of the file, will not change
the ownership of a file, unless you specifically change the ownership.
Zunquan Wang [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm


"Steven L Umbach" wrote in message
news:EDybd.248757$D%.197905@attbi_s51...
> When the operating system is installed, administrators are the owner of
all
> files on the installation. After that the owner is the user that created
the
> file. That can be as a result of a user creating a brand new file OR
> modifying an existing file. Many file modifications are treated as a write
> of the new version and delete of the original version of the file. ---
> Steve
>
>
> wrote in message
> news:05d701c4b20d$81649c70$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> > What exactly determines file ownership? is it when the
> > file is opened? modified? is there any documentation on
> > exactly how file ownership is determined?
> >
> > thanks!
> >
> > Rich
>
>



Roger Abell [MVP]
It might be added, at XP and later, default behavior for the
owner on create is controlled by a group policy setting.

--
Roger
"Zunquan Wang [MSFT]" wrote in message
news:etwsBBlsEHA.2192@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Some addition info. There is some difference on XP and Win2k3.
>
> if userX joined local administrators group if userX did
> not join local administrators group
> Win2k3 owner is Administrators userX is
> the owner
> XP userX is the owner
> userX
> is the owner
>
> General modification, such as changing content of the file, will not
> change
> the ownership of a file, unless you specifically change the ownership.
> Zunquan Wang [MSFT]
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
> http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
>
>
> "Steven L Umbach" wrote in message
> news:EDybd.248757$D%.197905@attbi_s51...
>> When the operating system is installed, administrators are the owner of
> all
>> files on the installation. After that the owner is the user that created
> the
>> file. That can be as a result of a user creating a brand new file OR
>> modifying an existing file. Many file modifications are treated as a
>> write
>> of the new version and delete of the original version of the file. ---
>> Steve
>>
>>
>> wrote in message
>> news:05d701c4b20d$81649c70$a301280a@phx.gbl...
>> > What exactly determines file ownership? is it when the
>> > file is opened? modified? is there any documentation on
>> > exactly how file ownership is determined?
>> >
>> > thanks!
>> >
>> > Rich
>>
>>
>
>