Fix “Error applying security” on Windows 10

A Windows 10 security issue is usually caused by incorrectly configured settings, or if you’re not the owner of the requested content. It is visually identified by the message “Failed to enumerate objects in the container. Access is denied. ” Access is allowed by changing the permission settings or by removing encryption. To check if the issue is with file encryption, right click on the folder, then Properties and go to Advanced Settings. This same message appears when you try to save or create a new file on the master drive directly, which indicates that you do not have permission to create and edit files, even if you are an administrator. This article discusses various solutions to help in this situation.

Create a new user account

If the current account is registered as a guest, and the files are under the owner’s name, then the user does not have access. Do the following:

• Open the “Start” menu -> “Settings”.
• Select accounts.
• Click Family & Other People.
• Under Other people, go to “Add someone else to this PC.”
• Fill out the form with your username and password.
• Next – “Change the type of account.”
• Click “Admin” to set the account for admin rights.
• Reboot your computer.
• Sign in to the account you created.
• Using the new account, apply the admin level to your old account.

Change protection settings

• Click on the directory.
• Go to Properties -> Security -> Advanced.
• Select the Replace all child object permission entries with inherited permissions from this object check box.
• Confirm the changes.

Editing Permissions

• Navigate to the root folder using Explorer.
• Click “This PC” on the left.
• Find your external hard drive (or C 🙂 drive and go to Properties.
• Open the “Security” tab, then “Advanced”.
• A pop-up window will display the current owner, so click Change.
• “Select User or Group” appears. In the text box, enter your current name if you are an administrator.
• Click the Check Names button. Your login will be replaced with the official system name (preceded by the computer name and a backslash character).
• A new field will appear with the text: “Replace owner with current objects”
• Check the box “Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object”.
• Make sure that “All” is displayed in the “Permissions” window, if not, click “Add”.
• Close the settings, check for access.

Allow “Full Control”

• Open “Security” -> “Advanced” in the file properties.
• A pop-up window will display the current owner, then “Change”.
• Change the owner to your username.
• Open the Holy Island again. Click Disable Inheritance> Convert Inherited Permissions.
• Make sure all users have Full Control permission.
• Click OK.

Use UAC option to change privileges

• “Start” -> “Run”.
• Enter “secpol.msc”.
• The “Local Policy” window will appear.
• Go to the left pane to security settings.
• Select Local Policies -> Security Options.
• Find “User Account Control”: Run everything in Administrator Approval Mode.
• In its properties change the setting from “Enabled” to “Disabled”
• A notification will appear: “You must restart your computer to disable User Account Control.”
• Restart your PC.