Right clicking a file, Can't delete files/folders, no option to delete.

Question

I have some files and folders that I can't delete. I click menu -> right click and the delete option is not available.

I can delete by using the terminal, but I'd prefer to do it from the GUI.

It's something to do with permissions, can someone help?

Solution 1

Make the current user owns everything inside the folder,itself as well as the parent folder.

chown $USER -R /desired.folder

Solution 2

For those particular cases I use nautilus as root: Press Alt-F2 and type:

gksu nautilus

Then proceed with caution, you may seriously damage your system.

Comments

[Vbnoob]

ok, but what about the rest the files in system. I can't delete anything in desktop, home folder, even on partitons

[sarvesh.lad]

some one messed up ur permessions i think you need some one advanced.... i recommend booting live medium again and repairing ur existing installation

[Vbnoob]

found it in termian - sudo chmod +s /usr/bin/avrdude and ls -al /usr/bin/avrdude thats all. I even cant remeber from when i can't use delete cut and move to option ...

[sarvesh.lad]

you have to run that command in terminal just ur home directory and other partition should have all access dont mess with other direcotry partitions

[Vbnoob]

i run it in right directory;/

[yossile]

@Matt run "sudo chown <youruser> -R ~" (replace <youruser> with you user name).

[Vbnoob]

mateusz@acer:~$ sudo chown mateusz -R ~ chown: cannot access `/home/mateusz/.gvfs': Permission denied

[Vbnoob]

Hmm... good solution but why i can edit files on ubuntu partition but i cant do in on the rest ntfs partition;/. Is is possible repair it?

[th3pr0ph3t]

Matt, as root you're supposed to do everything. However, you can't change owner or permissions on ntfs partitions, I had a similar problem and fixed it adding my user to the group that owned the ntfs file system...

[Vbnoob]

hell yeah! i had turned off write option in NTFS manager... lol!

[Eliah Kagan]

@Matt The .gvfs error shouldn't matter. That's a dynamic mount folder. It's unlikely to be one of the files/folders you want to delete, and it's normal that even root cannot modify it.

[Mauricio Gracia Gutierrez]

what if another user logins algo into the system ? would they also be able to delete/change the files ?