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That should be: "Unable to modify shared files and folders."

I am running Active Directory on a Windows Server 2003 Standard (SP2) machine. I added an external hard drive to hold shared files. I didn't have an problem moving the files from their original location on the server's internal HDD. However, I am no longer able to modify the files or folders from any machine except the server itself. The Windows Vista message I receive when trying to create a new folder is "You need permission to perform this action." I can view and open files but they open read-only. When trying to save changes or create a new file, the message is "You don't have permssion to save in this location."

I set the file permissions to full control for all users. That made no difference. I set the file permissions to full control for an individual user. Using that account from a client system made no difference. I logged onto a client with an admin account; that made no difference. I logged onto a client with the admin account and even that did not make a difference. (However, if I'm at the server itself, it works.) I checked effective permissions and it shows full control (all boxes checked). There are no deny settings in place at the moment for anything on the share.

The drive is a WD My Book Essential (1 TB). It has the option of password protecting the entire drive but I did not activate that. It is running drive management software (WD SmartWare).

I had connected another USB drive in the past for file sharing and had no problem with it whatsoever.

Does anyone have any idea what I should try to get this worked out? (By the way, I've already restarted both the server and the client systems.)

Edited by Inky because: Typo
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I posted this same problem to another forum. The reply I received encouraged me to check inherited permissions and share permissions in addition to file permissions.

I checked the permissions from the top down and all of them were set correctly.

The sharing permission was set to Everyone --> Read only. I changed it to Full control but won't be able to check it until I restart the server tomorrow morning (I created a temporary problem by powering down the drive). If this is what it is (and I hope and believe that is the case), I'm going to feel like a real idiot.

I'll post an update as soon as I know something.

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Adjusting the sharing permissions fixed the problem.

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