I have a dual-boot configuration: Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 8 Consumer Preview. I need to create a similar setup on both OSes, so that I do my work, testing, benchmarks and everything else on both operating systems.
Therefore, I want to have the same setup when it comes to my libraries/user folders: Documents, Music, Pictures and Video. I have a 1to1 relationship between libraries and user folders. For example: the Documents library points to the Documents folder and nothing else.
I want both the admin account on Windows 7 and the admin account on Windows 8 to access them with full permissions.
What I have done so far was to:
- modify the permissions in Windows 7 and make sure my user account has full permissions;
- login to Windows 8 and give full permissions to admin user account used on that OS.
The trouble is: each time I login to Windows 7, it seems to forget that my user account has full permissions. Then, I need to take ownership of each folder, in order to use it.
When I log back to Windows 8, it never has issues remembering permissions and I can access these folders without trouble. However, when I go back to Windows 7, I have the same troubles again and need to take manual ownership of these folders.
How should I setup the permissions so that I have access to these folders from both OSes and admin accounts?
Do I have to change some security policy in Windows? If yes, which? I can't find one relevant to my problem.
Update: I have noticed that this problem is fixed in Windows 8 Release Preview. Apparently, it was a bug relevant for Windows 8 Consumer Preview.
Best Answer
You need to grant permissions to the Everyone group to your folders.
The problem you are running into is the local accounts on one OS install are unknown to the other OS install. Without a bridging entity, for all intents and purposes, the OS has no idea that the other OS exists.
Another solution that will mitigate this is to join computers with a domain controller.
By taking ownership of the folder, you are only furthering the problem.