The Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container. Access is denied error in Windows 10 or windows 11 is a very common error that users face while dealing with file or folder permissions. Windows allows us to share a folder or file with multiple users over a local network. As an Administrator, when you try to change access permission to some folders for users or user groups, this Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container error may show up.
The reasons why this error could show up? There are two main reasons that lead to Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container Windows 10 issue. It could arise either because of a clash in file or folder permissions or because of some folder settings that could be configured incorrectly.
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How to fix Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container error?
Fortunately, the steps to get this issue resolved are convenient and simple. Some basic tweaks in Windows settings, and you will be all set to assign user permissions to a folder easily. Let’s check them out.
Fix 1 – Using elevated command prompt
1. Search cmd in command prompt window.
2. Right click on command prompt icon and run as administrator.
3. Now, copy and paste the commands given below in the command prompt window and execute the commands one by one.
takeown /F X:\FULL_PATH_TO_FOLDER takeown /F X:\FULL_PATH_TO_FOLDER /r /d y icacls X:\FULL_PATH_TO_FOLDER /grant Administrators:F icacls X:\FULL_PATH_TO_FOLDER /grant Administrators:F /t
Make sure to change FULL_PATH_TO_FOLDER with the path of the your folder.
Note: To know full path to folder, just click on the folder , to go inside it.
Now, copy its full path from address bar.
Fix 2 – Change Folder Ownership
This is so far the best and only method suggested by Microsoft as well as Windows experts. Changing folder ownership has been recommended by Windows users as well, as this method solves the Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container. Access is denied error like a charm. Here are the steps involved to change folder ownership in Windows:
Step 1: Make a right click on the folder for which you are getting Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container error while changing user permissions. From the right-click menu, select the Properties option.
Step 2: In the Folder Properties window that opens, go to the Security tab. When in Security tab, click on the Advanced option.
Step 3: This will open a new Advanced Security Settings window. Here, in the top section, right below the Name section, click on the Change option in the Owner section.
Step 4: In the next screen, you will need to enter your Windows account’s username through which you log in. You can simply enter your username in the Enter the object name to select box.
Note: – If you do not know your computer username , read this: know your Computer username
Then click on Check Names button to quickly find your correct username which appears.
Then , Click On OK.
Note: – If you were unable to find out your username with this method, click on the Advanced button below the text box to select your username from the list of all users. In the Advanced window, click on Find now button, a list of all usernames will be populated at the bottom of this window named “Select user and group”. From the list, you can set your username. After selecting your username, click on the Ok button.
Step 5: After you have selected the username and are back to the Advanced screen, two new check mark options will appear, “Replace owner on sub containers and objects” and “Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object“, which I have shown in the screenshot below. Select both these options, then click on OK. Again Click on OK for the Prompt which just Popped Up.
Step 6: Now, again come to the Security Tab.
If Everyone is not present in Group or user names, then proceed to add Everyone in the list.
Click on Advanced
Step 7: – Now, Click on Add.
Step 8: – Now, Click On select a Prinicipal.
Step 9: – Now write Everyone and Click on Check names. Click on OK.
Step 10: – Click on OK to exit the Screen.
Now, close down all the windows, and try to set folder permissions again. This step will most probably solve the problem, and you won’t get the Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container error. In case you do, there is one more thing that you can try.
If it doesn’t work do one more thing and try
1. Go to the security tab gain.
2. Click on Administrators from the list and select it.
3. Now, click on edit.
4. Now, click on Administrators from the list again.
5. Now, Check all Deny permissions.
6. Click on Apply and Ok.
Try again and see if it works or not.
Fix 3 – Suppress Warnings to fix Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container error
By accessing the User Account Control Settings, you can disable the notification option, which in turn, will allow you to make changes to the folder permissions without showing any pop-up or notification. In order to be able to change folder permissions successfully using this method, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Start menu, and in the Start search bar, type UAC or Change User Account Control Settings. This will show the Change User Account Control Settings option in the search result; open it.
Step 2: Here, you will see a slider. Drag the slider all the way down to Never notify. When done, click on the Ok button. If prompted by a dialogue box for permission, press Yes.
After doing so, restart your PC. Once restarted, try to set folder permissions.
Now, you will be able to set the permission for the folder very easily.
Still getting the Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container error while changing folder permissions? Try restarting your PC in Safe Mode and repeat the Method #1, and see if you are able to carry out the process successfully. If Safe Mode doesn’t work, try doing the same in Safe Mode with Networking.
Note: To boot your PC in Safe Mode, shut down your computer and start it again. As soon as the PC startups, keep pressing the F8 key on repeat (with an interval of 1 second). You will get boot options, such as Safe Mode and Safe Mode with Networking. Select the one according to the requirement and carry out the given methods.
Finally,
If nothing works, you might wanna start fresh. Create a new folder, add files, and then set folder permissions for other users. And, do not forget to tell us if this worked for you or not.
Ron says
Thank you! Fix 1 worked for me. One of my folders suddenly would not let me open it, and Fix 1 corrected that.
Fred says
Thank you so much for the Fix 1 (takeown commands). Nothing else had worked but it worked like a charm. Finally able to delete an old backup file that Windows 10 had been refusing to delete.
Gabriel says
This is a LIFE SAVER!
You just saved me hours formatting and copying all the data back to this drive.
Thank you so much!
Kugan Alecg says
Other Videos or Other Tips doesn’t help, But yours, help me recover all my drive. I actually plan to keep other SSD Local disk from other offline user. So I try to play a mess on permission, But things gone wrong. Well I guess not to play with permission again
Rigo says
step 2 solved the issue–THANK you all for posting and all the replies into this issue. Got 40 VMs on one server that takes 20 min to reboot and none could use a critical shared folder . Pesky update and my change of security properties got me in trouble–step 2 solved it.
Thanks again!!
Mohsen says
Hi,
I found it was for the new cap by win10: “Ransomware protection”!
I’ve already enabled it forgotten so it caused access denied errors when write/modify my files in pictures and …
It even prohibited me from changing the permissions and owner ships !!!
Its really working bad for not showing the main cause!
Mohsen says
Hi,
I found it was for the new cap by win10: Ransomware protection!
I’ve already enabled it and cause access denied errors when write/modify my files in pictures and …
It even prohibited me from changing the permissions and owner ships !!!
Its really working bad for not showing the main cause!
Wade says
Fix 1-3 seems to be working for me. Thanks!!!!
David T says
The first fix worked for me, after an hour of searching the more standard approaches. Many thanks.
Joran says
Thanks man, I had tried Fix 2 already unsuccesfully but the CMD lines did it for me immediately
Benjamin says
Thanks, the first fix worked for me!
Allen says
This helped immensely, system32 has so many files I’m gonna be sfc scan now ing for awhile.
Oscar says
Fix 1 – works fine for me !! Thank You !
Anonymous says
Solution with cmd worked!
Rolf Dietzel says
try also
chkdsk k: /V /F /X /sdcleanup
This helped me when all other failed
AMD says
The second options fixed my problem , Thank you !
leo says
thank you, i really love you!! <3
TGP says
Spent hours trying these and a few other methods. Nothing worked. Some error regarding some container not being enumerated.
Then I noticed Jon L-ski’s mention of Linux. I booted from an old Ubuntu flash drive I had laying around.
Took me less than a minute to delete the offending folders/files.
I’ll never waste another minute screwing around with Window’s fubar permissioning again.
goneFishing says
Fix 1 worked for me — WHEW!
David says
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Fix 2 worked like a charm. I had been pulling my hair out.
Michael Christian says
I did not try Fix 1 but went directly to Fix 2, and it worked perfectly for me. I had deleted a folder on server A. I then copied a folder with the same name from server B to server A. Somehow the properties got lost or messed up because an application failed because it did not have access to the newly copied folder. After going through the steps on Fix 2 I was able to update the permissions and the application that had failed worked as it normally does. Thank you so very much for your help!
Tarique says
Fix 2 worked for me
Really your post is awesome and I am really Thank you. Keep it up
Marianne says
Fix 1 worked for me. Had searched the internet for two days for a solution. Thank you!!!
Mark Yobb says
You actually know what you are talking about. It worked quickly and I feel thoroughly. Awesome.
zonty rhodes says
Thanks a lot , it solved my problem
zonty Rhodes
Dymyd says
The second method worked for me.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
I’ve spent a whole weekend trying to delete that folder before I found this article.
Brenda M Kelly says
Yes changing ownership and resetting permissions fixed it, thank you!
A sad user says
None of these working for me either, booting into linux and deleting the folder is the only way to fix this I found sofar.
Always nice when work makes you use an excuse for an OS like Windows…
Jon L-ski says
None of these works for me. Windows 10. Chrome won’t uninstall. Can’t seize ownership or even delete the Application folder under Chrome (in the Program Files (x86) directory). My next attempt will be to boot in Linux (from a Linux USB thumb) and kill the folder that way!!
Granma21 says
Step 2 items 7 to 10 finally worked for me, I had been trying up to 7 from other respondents but 7 to 10 cracked it. Thank you so much
Anonymous says
After 3 hours of this, you are my hero.
Billy says
Fix 2 – Change Folder Ownership seems to have worked for me.
Thank you for posting this article!
Amir says
Thanks a lot! worked like a charm (did the 2nd option)
Appreciate the time you invest to help us with it.
Take care
Tomas says
Almighty CMD!
Thanks a lot, and even more than a lot, I’m not sticking my e. HDD in random locations anymore.
Anonymous says
Thanks. Windows’ permissions system is so ridiculous to navigate. You would think they could make it simpler after about 25 years of running the software, but it is still as confusing as ever. Especially since i was messing around in Ubuntu and knew messing with the permissions was going to confuse my system. I wasn’t wrong. That parent inheritance permission thing is just a mess- no one would figure it out without a step-by-step guide, and that shouldn’t be the case since even the scripts in option 1 didn’t work for me.
Anonymous says
None of these have worked for me.
Michael Hall says
Unfortunately neither option worked for me. I was still denied access to deleting the files and folders (my ultimate goal).
Hendrik says
None worked for me.
Micah’s solution gets me “ERROR: File or directory not found
Jakub says
“Fix 1 – Using elevated command prompt” worked for folder which was left by killed iso mount process and several other attempts to fix this simply failed.
Anonymous says
the 2nd option solved my problem after neither microsoft customer support nor google drive support (it was a google drive folder that had this error code) could help me. thank you so much for this answer!!!!
Fernando Hernandez says
The second options fixed my problem , Thank you !
Josh says
The fix Micah posted worked for me, the post didn’t.
Mike says
The Micah Solution worked for me 🙂
Micah says
Neither of these ‘solutions’ is truly going to fix permissions if they are well and truly broken. Get right to heart of the issue and take control and correct the issues using an elevated command prompt. Change the Drive letter and path in the statements below and then copy and execute each line in elevated command prompt. If you need additional permissions added after this, you can use icacls to add these too.
takeown /F X:\FULL_PATH_TO_FOLDER
takeown /F X:\FULL_PATH_TO_FOLDER /r /d y
icacls X:\FULL_PATH_TO_FOLDER /grant Administrators:F
icacls X:\FULL_PATH_TO_FOLDER /grant Administrators:F /t