Solved Can't edit files in WindowsApps folder

tinkerer

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There was a Metro app that I installed that I liked the functionality of but didn't like the fonts for; I knew where the configuration was to change the appearance (a CSS file in the C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\<app name> directory), but when I tried to modify the file, it kept giving me an "Access is denied." error without any extra information.

I tried changing the ownership of the apps folder to my own account; didn't work. Changed the ownership of that specific file, and all the other files within that folder; still not allowed. I went into the PowerShell as administrator and tried copying or renaming the file; still "Access is denied." and nothing else.

Is there a way to make this file editable, or is the access blocked on a system level? I just want to change a few fonts around, but if Microsoft is trying to prevent me from doing so in order to protect its walled garden, then I'm afraid I'm going to have to give up on Windows 8. (It was so hopeful, too; I really liked the idea of the Metro interface...)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
This should work..

takeown /F "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps" /A /R

Careful though. I tried to but found that some apps check the SHA or MD5 (or some such) and will not work at all if you change anything.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
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    Laptop
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    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
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That was one of the things I tried; it didn't work. (It might be a new feature in Windows 8.1, I dunno?)

Also, checking the SHA or MD5 would still allow me to change it back if it didn't work.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
I changed owner to Administrators for the whole folder, and it let me go in. It's a locked system folder. I use 32 bit Windows 8, so it was a little easier.

Don't know why the "Take Ownership" didnt work.

Right Click on the folder, "Properties" and "Security" - Then go into Advanced.

Change the Owner to "AdministratorS" (with an S) - Then go to the permissions and Add your Current User and give yourself FULL access. Then you should be able to manipulate the stuff in there.

If thats successful, let me know what your doing, I wanna try it. If it is just a font, there may be a config file that defines it.

Actually I just opened an app, what a mess - It's all java and XML files. Probably HTML5
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
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    MSI "M-Box"
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    Water Cooled
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    Dell Keyboard
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    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
I changed owner to Administrators for the whole folder, and it let me go in. It's a locked system folder. I use 32 bit Windows 8, so it was a little easier.

It let me go in, yes, but I can't modify any files. Try opening a file in Notepad, changing something, and saving it. On my computer, it popped up a dialog saying "Access is denied."

I'm using 64-bit Windows 8.1 on a Surface Pro 2. Maybe that has something to do with it?

Don't know why the "Take Ownership" didn't work.

Right Click on the folder, "Properties" and "Security" - Then go into Advanced.

Change the Owner to "AdministratorS" (with an S) - Then go to the permissions and Add your Current User and give yourself FULL access. Then you should be able to manipulate the stuff in there.

Oh, I changed the owner to my own user account rather than the Administrators group. I'll try your suggestion.

If thats successful, let me know what your doing, I wanna try it. If it is just a font, there may be a config file that defines it.

Actually I just opened an app, what a mess - It's all java and XML files. Probably HTML5

There is in fact a config file that defines stuff (mainly a CSS file that defined the fonts that I wanted to change, but that I couldn't edit).
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Your right, it can't be edited, at least through Windows 8.

See my link below, download Hiren's Boot CD, burn it and boot to it, and go into Mini XP. Try it from there.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Your right, it can't be edited, at least through Windows 8.

See my link below, download Hiren's Boot CD, burn it and boot to it, and go into Mini XP. Try it from there.

Thanks for answering my question. If I have to resort to a live CD/live USB to edit files in the operating system that aren't protected system files, then I'm leaving Windows 8.1 for good.

I appreciate your help.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
But they *are* protected, that particular folder is heavily protected. Sorry, but I guess they didn't want people to go in there and start futzing around with it, the same way Apple don't like Jailbreak.

I'll keep looking for another way - I predict, we might be able to get in there if we had a Dial Boot 7-8 system, we could probably edit it from 7. Because 8 aint letting us in no way no how.

Even the Program Files folder is protected now, even more so in 8.1 from what I could garner from the few days I used it.

If this is a one-time edit, you should be able to get in there with Hiren's Mini XP, it has a better Notepad program.

But I don't blame you for wanting to leave 8.1, I use 8 and have no intention of installing 8.1. I;ve survived with XP and 7 and iOS 5.1.1 and 6.1.2, I REFUSE to be forced to update my OSes, be they Desktop OSes or Apple iOSes.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
But they *are* protected, that particular folder is heavily protected. Sorry, but I guess they didn't want people to go in there and start futzing around with it, the same way Apple don't like Jailbreak.

Well, I meant that aren't supposed to be protected system folders. If they feel the need to protect things that shouldn't be protected, is basically what I meant.

I'll keep looking for another way - I predict, we might be able to get in there if we had a Dial Boot 7-8 system, we could probably edit it from 7. Because 8 aint letting us in no way no how.

Yeah, right now I've bought a laptop with Windows 8 and dual-booted Linux Mint onto it. We'll see how that goes.

Even the Program Files folder is protected now, even more so in 8.1 from what I could garner from the few days I used it.

If this is a one-time edit, you should be able to get in there with Hiren's Mini XP, it has a better Notepad program.

I can probably get in from Linux Mint, which treats the file system as generic NTFS and allows me to futz with stuff in there as root anyway. :p

But I don't blame you for wanting to leave 8.1, I use 8 and have no intention of installing 8.1. I;ve survived with XP and 7 and iOS 5.1.1 and 6.1.2, I REFUSE to be forced to update my OSes, be they Desktop OSes or Apple iOSes.

I come from Windows 7 myself straight into Windows 8.1, so I don't know what regular Windows 8 is like.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
I like it a lot more than 8.1. They are not even acknowledging 8 ever existed on the MS website. Basically it is the same as 8, but now they are making Tile Apps that are 8.1 only. I dont like that, but I very rarely use the Start Screen at all. IN fact I have it totally disabled via ex7forW8, which copies the Start Menu from a Windows 7 disk and implants it into 8, while totally shutting OFF the Metro Interface. This I LIKE, and apparently 8.1 is immune to it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
I like it a lot more than 8.1. They are not even acknowledging 8 ever existed on the MS website. Basically it is the same as 8, but now they are making Tile Apps that are 8.1 only. I dont like that, but I very rarely use the Start Screen at all. IN fact I have it totally disabled via ex7forW8, which copies the Start Menu from a Windows 7 disk and implants it into 8, while totally shutting OFF the Metro Interface. This I LIKE, and apparently 8.1 is immune to it.

I know this is a month old thread but did anybody figure this out?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
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