Sams Teach Yourself MCSE Windows NT Server 4 in 14 Days
(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): David Schaer, et al
ISBN: 0672311283
Publication Date: 12/15/97

If the administrator does not clear the Replace Permissions on Existing Files box in Figure 5.7, all files in the directory will have their ACLs overwritten with the new ACL settings. By default, the Replace Permissions on Existing Files option is selected but the Replace Permissions on Subdirectories option is not. If both of the options are selected, all files in the current directory and subdirectories will be updated; the ACLs of the subdirectories will also be updated to reflect the change.

The predefined directory permissions are

5.5. Managing Files

When moving or copying files from one directory to another, the ACLs may or may not be altered. The rules of how the ACL is affected are relatively simple and are dependent upon whether a copy is being made. Remember, if a new file is created, it inherits the permissions of the folder where it is created. Moving may or may not involve making a copy.

5.5.1. Moving Files

When people move they usually take what they can with them. If their belongings can’t be brought along they replace them when they get there. Moving files works the same way. When a file on an NTFS volume is moved to another directory on the same partition it can take its access control list with it. This is because when you move a file to another folder on the same partition, you are only changing the pointer in the file allocation table. Figure 5.8 shows the present permissions on the file NTFSfile.txt located in the NTFSdir. Figure 5.9 shows the permissions of the OTHERdir. As you can see in Figure 5.10, the file NTFSfile.txt has retained the same permissions even after being moved to the OTHERdir.

Figure 5.8.  The access control list of NTFSfile.txt.txt before being moved. The file gives Domain Users Read permission and gives Domain Admins Full Control permission.

Figure 5.9.  The ACL applied to files created in or copied to OTHERdir is set to Everyone – Change.

Figure 5.10.  After NTFSfile.txt.txt is moved to OTHERdir the file still retains its ACL from before being moved.

NTFS file permissions are maintained only when they are moved between directories on the same NTFS partition. A new ACL is generated if the file is moved to a directory on a different NTFS partition. Moving between partitions is actually a copy and delete. When you move a file to a FAT volume the ACL is lost. When a file is moved from a FAT volume to an NTFS volume the file will inherit an ACL from the destination directory.

When you move a file you must have the right to delete it from the source directory and the right to add files to the destination directory.

5.5.2. Copying NTFS Files

When you copy a file to an NTFS directory you must create a new file in the destination directory. When files are created in directories on NTFS volumes they receive an ACL from the destination directory. When copying a file you must have at a minimum the right to read the source file and the right to add in the destination directory.

5.5.3. Compressing Files and Directories

NTFS volumes support the compression of files and directories. In order to enable compression on a directory you must check the Compress attribute as shown in Figure 5.11.

Figure 5.11.  The NTFS Compress attribute.

The compression status of a file is shown on the General tab of the Properties dialog box. Assigning the Compress attribute to a directory will automatically compress all files in the directory but not in subdirectories. In order to enable compression of the subdirectories you must also mark the Also Compress Subfolders option box shown in Figure 5.12.

Figure 5.12.  Enabling the compression of subfolders.

In addition to using the GUI interface, you can compress files and directories by using the command-line utility COMPACT. When used without any parameters, COMPACT will display the current compression status for the file or directory. It can also be used to uncompress files and directories. If a directory is not specified, then the current directory will be compressed or uncompressed.

5.5.4. Converting File Systems

The CONVERT.EXE utility can convert FAT volumes to NTFS volumes while preserving the data. There are two major reasons why you might want to convert a FAT volume to NTFS. The most common reason is that you want to implement the security or compression features of NTFS. The second reason involves the fact that only NTFS volume sets can be extended in size. Extending partitions by means of a volume set is detailed later in this chapter in Section 5.7.3.