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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Apollo on March 20, 2004, 12:01:47 am

Title: Question for DOS experts
Post by: Apollo on March 20, 2004, 12:01:47 am
OK so I'm using WinXP and I need to change the default file status from read only. I know I can do it using DOS and typing in attrib -r "file path" but what do a type exactly after I've opened the DOS prompt window?
Can someone explain it like you are talking to a 5 year old step by step. I don't know anything about DOS really except how to open the DOS prompt. Thankyou.
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: Sasquatch! on March 20, 2004, 12:04:31 am
Are you trying to change the read-only attribute on just one file?
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: Apollo on March 20, 2004, 01:04:29 am
Yes, I want to change the attributes of the MAME file i.e. C:\MAME it contains all my MAME32 files. The reason is that every time I open Mame32 to play a game I have to respecify the directories.
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: Sasquatch! on March 20, 2004, 01:28:15 am
Yes, I want to change the attributes of the MAME file i.e. C:\MAME it contains all my MAME32 files. The reason is that every time I open Mame32 to play a game I have to respecify the directories.
Dagflabbit, C:\MAME is not one file.   ???

I'm assuming that you mean that you want everything that in and that's underneath C:\MAME changed.  If so, go to the command prompt in Windows XP and type in
attrib -r c:\mame\*.* /s /d
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: Thenasty on March 20, 2004, 01:41:46 am
why not just right click on the folder and select properties and de-select RO ?
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: Apollo on March 20, 2004, 03:56:04 am
Thanks Sasquatch! I tried that and it gave me an error, path not found so I tried attrib -r c:\mame\*.* and that seemed to work but the folders are still read only. This is getting really frustrating. Any other ideas?
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: Vol on March 20, 2004, 07:10:26 am
Through the command prompt:

try it without the *.* and with capital S and D

attrib -r c:\mame /S /D


For the future "/?" is your friend.  Try typing "attrib /?" in the command prompt it will give you help with switches and syntax.  This works with most command prompt commands.

Through the GUI:

Open My Computer, navigate to the c:, right-click on the Mame folder, choose properties, un-check the read-only checkbox (until it is clear), click apply, then select Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files at the Confirm Attribute Changes window, then click OK.
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: tep0583 on March 20, 2004, 08:54:55 am
why not just right click on the folder and select properties and de-select RO ?

Because XP is somewhat buggy about that.

I've actually had to resort to the attrib command on more than one occation in order to get the read-only to stay gone.

Why that is and why it doen't happen that way all of the time is beyond me.
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: Lilwolf on March 20, 2004, 09:06:41 am
btw, you can do it with Windows Explorer in XP.

You load it up, get into the mame directory, right click on the file / files and select properties from the popup menu.  Then you can change the attributes (unselect readonly).

This is a pretty normal problem when copying files from a CD.  One of the nice reasons for zipping them and putting them on a cd instead of just copying them.
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: Thenasty on March 20, 2004, 12:26:08 pm

This is a pretty normal problem when copying files from a CD.  One of the nice reasons for zipping them and putting them on a cd instead of just copying them.

This does not happen in XP/Pro. At least for me it don't. I just tried copying a file off my cd and check the attribute and its not RO.
Title: Re:Question for DOS experts
Post by: Sylentwulf on March 21, 2004, 09:55:09 am
Just a quick technical note. Windows XP doesn't really HAVE dos. It emulates dos. So this may cause problems whiles trying to do technical things in the dos window through windows XP.