34,333
edits
Changes
→File and Folder Permission Inheritance
== File and Folder Permission Inheritance ==
Another part of understanding file and folder permissions involves the concept of inheritance. When a file or sub-folder is created in an existing folder (referred to as the ''parent folder'') it inherits, by default, all of the permissions of the parent folder. Similarly, when the permissions on a parent folder are changed, those changes are automatically inherited by all ''child'' files and folders contained within that parent folder.
To turn off inheritance for a child file or folder, right click the object in Windows Explorer, select ''Properties'' and then click on the ''Security'' tab of the properties dialog. On the Security properties panel, click on the ''Advanced'' button to display the ''Advanced Security Settings'' dialog, followed by ''Edit...'' to display the editable permission settings. In this dialog, unset the check box next to '''Include inheritable permissions from parent object'''. Once selected, a warning dialog will appear providing the choice to retain the current inherited permissions, or to remove any inherited permissions keeping only permissions which have been explicitly set on the selected object:
[[Image:windows_server_2008_keep_or_remove_inherited_permissions.jpg|Choose to keep or remove the inherited permissions of a file or folder]]
Occasionally, the converse situation exists, whereby a parent folder contains files and folders which have explicitly set permissions, rather than just the inherited permissions from the parent folder. In order to reset a folder and its children such that it only has inherited permissions, display the Security tab of the Properties dialog as outlined above, click on ''Advanced...'' and then ''Edit...'' and set the check box next to '''Replace all existing inheritable permissions on all descendants with inheritable permissions from this object'''. A dialog will subsequently appear warning that any explicitly defined permissions on all descendant files and folders will be removed and replaced by inheritable permissions. Click ''Yes'' to commit the change.
== Configuring File and Folder Permissions ==
