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Lesson 5: Copying and Moving Files and Folders

When you copy or move files and folders, the permissions you set on the files or folders might change. Specific rules control how and when permissions change. You must understand how and when permissions change during a copy or move, as explained in this lesson.

After this lesson, you will be able to

• Describe the effect on NTFS file and folder permissions when files and folders are copied.
• Describe the effect on NTFS file and folder permissions when files and folders are moved.

Estimated lesson time: 5 minutes

Copying Files and Folders

When you copy files or folders from one folder to another folder, or from one volume to another volume, permissions change, as shown in Figure 14.7.

Figure 14.7 Copying files or folders between folders or volumes

When you copy a file within a single NTFS volume or between NTFS volumes:

• Windows 2000 treats it as a new file. As a new file, it takes on the permissions of the destination folder.
• You must have Write permission for the destination folder to copy files and folders.
• You become the CREATOR OWNER.

NOTE

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When you copy files or folders to FAT volumes, the folders and files lose their NTFS permissions because FAT volumes don't support NTFS permissions.

Moving Files and Folders

When you move a file or folder, permissions might or might not change, depending on where you move the file or folder. (See Figure 14.8.)

Figure 14.8 Moving files or folders between folders or volumes

Moving Within a Single NTFS Volume

When you move a file or folder within a single NTFS volume

• The file or folder retains the original permissions.
• You must have the Write permission for the destination folder to move files and folders into it.
• You must have the Modify permission for the source file or folder. The Modify permission is required to move a file or folder because Windows 2000 deletes the file or folder from the source folder after it is copied to the destination folder.
• The owner of the file or folder does not change.

When you move a file or folder between NTFS volumes

• The file or folder inherits the permissions of the destination folder.
• You must have the Write permission for the destination folder to move files and folders into it.
• You must have the Modify permission for the source file or folder. The Modify permission is required to move a file or folder because Windows 2000 deletes the file or folder from the source folder after it is copied to the destination folder.
• You become the CREATOR OWNER.

NOTE

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When you move files or folders to FAT volumes, the folders and files lose their NTFS permissions because FAT volumes don't support NTFS permissions.

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, you learned that when you copy or move files and folders, the permissions you set on the files or folders might change. Rules control how and when permissions change. For example, when you copy files or folders from one folder to another folder, or from one volume to another volume, permissions change. Windows 2000 treats the file or folder as a new file or folder, and therefore, it takes on the permissions of the destination folder.

You also learned that you must have Write permission for the destination folder to copy files and folders. When you copy a file, you become the CREATOR OWNER of the file. When you move a file or folder within a single NTFS volume, the file or folder retains the original permissions. However, when you move a file or folder between NTFS volumes, the file or folder inherits the permissions of the destination folder.