Retain file permissions when you copy or move files and folders

By default, an object inherits permissions from its parent object, either at the time of creation or when it is copied or moved to its parent folder. The only exception to this rule occurs when you move an object to a different folder on the same volume. In this case, the original permissions are retained.

File Permissioning Rules:

The Everyone group is granted Allow Full Control permissions to the root of each NTFS drive.

Deny permissions always take precedence over Allow permissions.

Explicit permissions take precedence over inherited permissions.

If NTFS permissions conflict -- for example, if group and user permissions are contradictory -- the most liberal permissions take precedence.

Permissions are cumulative.

Tools/Utilities to Retain File Permissions:

To preserve permissions when files and folders are copied or moved, use :

v  Xcopy.exe utility with the /O or the /X switch. The object’s original permissions will be added to inheritable permissions in the new location.

To add an object's original permissions to inheritable permissions when you copy or move an object, use the Xcopy.exe utility with the –O and –X switches.

v  Robocopy.exe utility  To preserve existing permissions without adding inheritable permissions from the parent folder, use the, which is available in the Windows 2000 Resource Kit. For additional information about the Windows 2000 Resource Kit, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/default.mspx?mfr=true

v  Registry Fix

You can modify how Windows Explorer handles permissions when objects are copied or moved to another NTFS volume. When you copy or move an object to another volume, the object inherits the permissions of its new folder. However, if you want to modify this behavior to preserve the original permissions, modify the registry as follows.
Ensure you backup your registry before performing any of the Registry edits or follow:

322756  How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

1.             Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then press ENTER.

2.            Locate and then click the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

3.             On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry value:

Value name: ForceCopyAclwithFile

Data type: DWORD

Value data: 1

4.            Exit Registry Editor.

You can modify how Windows Explorer handles permissions when objects are moved in the same NTFS volume. As mentioned, when an object is moved within the same volume, the object preserves its permissions by default. However, if you want to modify this behavior so that the object inherits the permissions from the parent folder, modify the registry as follows:

1.                    Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.

2.                   Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

3.                    On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry value:

Value name: MoveSecurityAttributes
Data type: DWORD
Value data: 0

4.                   Exit Registry Editor.

5.                   Make sure that the user account that is used to move the object has the Change Permissions permission set. If the permission is not set, grant the Change Permissions permission to the user account.

Note The MoveSecurityAttributes registry value only applies to Windows XP and to Windows Server 2003.