I have a Windows 2008 R2 server, which had a shared folder with messy permissions. I wanted to simplify these permissions, so I set them at the top level to Administrators:Full, System: Full, Creator/Owner: (Subfolders and Files only) Full, <DepartmentADGroup>: Modify, and chose the option to replace permissions all the way down the tree, which was desired in this particular case.
After the permissions had been set, I began to be forced to elevate in order to access the data. I know that this Explorer/UAC issue often elicits complaints, but I am just wondering what exactly it is that makes some directories behave this way and not others. This is not a system folder. It is a user-created data folder. Why did it suddenly change after I reset the permissions? I don't mind this on system type folders, but it's disconcerting when you think you may have cut off access to user data. I know better, but there are other much less experienced Admins who will be doing work on this server and may panic when they come across this.
Here is a little more information in case it's relevant: I had just migrated the data from a Windows 2003 file server. The migration method was to move the SAN disk from the old server to the new one, then importing the foreign disks (which formed a spanned volume) using Disk Management.
If someone can explain why resetting the permissions would make a user directory subject to UAC, I would be grateful. I know the workarounds once this happens, I just don't understand the inconsistencies across directories.
Thanks.