I found out that when you cut and paste files, the permissions travel with them, unlike when you copy and paste, which creates new files that follow the folder's inheritance rules. This came up when a CS rep was unable to access a specific file despite having permissions for the entire folder. After some troubleshooting, I learned that I needed to re-apply permissions in the folder structure, which resolved the issue. I'm curious about why file permissions behave this way—can someone explain the mechanics behind this?
4 Answers
Best practice? Instead of using cut and paste for important files, try using tools like RoboCopy which allows you to maintain ACLs while moving files around. It’s way more reliable! Just watch out for the learning curve if you haven't used it before.
It sometimes varies depending on the volume. If you're moving files across different drives, then the system treats it differently, and the new file will inherit the permissions from the target folder. But if you're just moving within the same drive, it generally keeps the permissions as they are. Makes it tricky, for sure!
Same volume rules really simplify things. Once you start moving files around different drives, you really have to watch the permissions!
It's pretty logical when you think about it. Moving a file doesn't change it or its permissions—it just changes its location. Copying creates a new instance, which has to follow the ACL rules of the new location. This is why it's often recommended to reset permissions after a move, especially if the file’s destination has different inherited settings.
That makes perfect sense now! I guess I assumed everything would just carry over the same.
Yep, when you cut and paste a file, it's like you're just moving it around—its original permissions stay intact. But if you copy and paste it, a new file is created, which inherits the permissions of the destination folder. So, if your CS rep's file was cut and pasted, it held onto its permissions, which can confuse things if those permissions aren't set correctly in the new location. It's always a good idea to check and refresh permissions after moving files!
Exactly! I’ve had users mistake that whenever they move files into a shared area. They wonder why their stuff is hidden from others.
Right? And it’s not always consistent either, drag and drop can mix things up too!
I've started using RoboCopy too, and I love how much control it gives. Just be sure to check all those flags!