Disabling Inheritance Takes Long Time: Folder and File Access Control in Tech Support

Disabling Inheritance for Folder and Subfolder Access Control: A Comprehensive Guide

In large file systems, such as those with thousands of folders and subfolders, managing access control can be a challenging task. One common scenario is when a user, say User B, should not have access to a specific folder (Folder A), but should have access to its subfolders and their files. This article will guide you through the process of disabling inheritance for folder and subfolder access control, specifically for the scenario mentioned above.

Understanding Inheritance in Folder and Subfolder Access Control

Inheritance is a mechanism that allows permissions from a parent object, such as a folder, to be automatically applied to its child objects, such as subfolders and files. By default, when you set permissions on a folder, those permissions are inherited by its subfolders and files. This inheritance can be disabled, allowing you to set unique permissions for specific subfolders and files.

Disabling Inheritance for Folder A

To disable inheritance for Folder A, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on Folder A and select 'Properties'.
2. Navigate to the 'Security' tab and click on 'Advanced'.
3. In the 'Advanced Security Settings' window, uncheck the 'Inherit from parent the permission entries that apply to child objects' option.
4. Click 'Apply' and then 'OK' to close the windows.

Removing User B's Access to Folder A

Now that inheritance is disabled, you can remove User B's access to Folder A:

1. In the 'Security' tab of Folder A's properties, click on 'Edit'.
2. Select User B from the list and click 'Remove'.
3. Click 'Apply' and then 'OK' to close the windows.

Ensuring Subfolders and Files Inherit New Permissions

To ensure that User B's new permissions are applied to the subfolders and files of Folder A, you need to enable inheritance for each subfolder and file:

1. Select all subfolders and files in Folder A.
2. Right-click on a selected subfolder or file and select 'Properties'.
3. Navigate to the 'Security' tab and click on 'Advanced'.
4. In the 'Advanced Security Settings' window, check the 'Inherit from parent the permission entries that apply to child objects' option.
5. Click 'Apply' and then 'OK' to close the windows.

References

• Book: Windows Server 2019 Security Administration

• Article: Enable and Use Inheritance Blocking in Advanced Threat Protection Policy

• Online Resource: How to remove inheritance from all subfolders and files in a folder with thousands of subfolders and files?

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can effectively disable inheritance for a folder and its subfolders, ensuring that User B no longer has access to Folder A, but still has access to its subfolders and files.