i am getting the below error message when trying to save a file to our sharepoint site the file cannot be and it may be protected do you want to launch notepad++ in administrator mode?
-
This is not really an error. this is an informational message informing you that you are editing a locked / protected file. this is normally a system file of some sort. if you are positive you want to modify / replace the file then click yes to allow NPP to restart in administrator mode. I would also suggest you have a copy of the unmodified file before allowing NPP to make the requested change.
This is a safety feature not a problem with the program.
-
Considering this topic has 1.7K views I felt it was necessary to post what fixed this problem for me.
I run notepad++ under Windows7 Home Premium. A few weeks back I too started getting the same error message: “The file cannot be saved and may be protected. Do you want to launch Notepad++ in Administrator Mode?” The problem as it turned out was that I had windows explorer open with the preview pane ON highlighting the file I was editing in Notepad++. The preview pane button sits top right between the directory listing view button and help button. Turn off the preview and you will be able to save without any problem.
Hope this helps.
-
Thank you Kerry, that was very helpful!
-
@kerry-ruddock Incredible! Thank you for this information! It was making me crazy.
-
Here is what’s happening with me -
- Create a text file directly in a folder by RightClick->New option
- Try opening the file in notepad++
- Edit and save
You get the same error -
“The file cannot be saved and may be protected. Do you want to launch Notepad++ in Administrator Mode?
I am using V7.4 version on Win10
-
@Devesh Srivastava I am also seeing the exactly same problem
-
Thanks Kerry! You saved my life!
-
Hi!.. Guys, I know this issue is silly but it upsets us much more.
So please follow my words to close this issue completely.
if you see this message ->>>“The file cannot be saved and may be protected. Do you want to launch Notepad++ in Administrator Mode?"<<<- when you try to save file in notepade++ means, Please go to
C:\Program Files\Notepad++
(or)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++“notepad++.exe” select the file and right click it. Then go to properties-> Then go to the tab Compatibility-> check the checkbox “Run This program as an administrator”
Then click ok…
Thats it.
Note: To do this you need to have a administrator rights.
-
it was soooooo simple solution!
I hope this helps someone.My Answer:
- Install the correct version х64 notepad++ (if you installed the wrong version, etc.)
- Сlick the right mouse button on your file in WinSCP->correct…->editor->…
- Delete the old path to notepad++ and add new path to new notepad++ (C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe)
that’s all
-
This may help someone. I was in thew same situation as everyone else & none of the solutions worked for me. I think it is a bug because I had this particular issue with only 2 of the many I had open in NPP.
Also, I was able to make changes to these 2 files only yesterday & save them without any issues. And, it was a work machine & didn’t have the privileges to run NPP as admin.
Long story short, I took the lazy/poorman’s approach.as below:
- “TestFile.txt”: File => Save As using a different name - say “TestFile_Backup.txt”.
- Close the file “TestFile_Backup.txt”.
- Make sure files “TestFile,txt” & “TestFile_Backup.txt” are identical.
- Delete the original file “TestFile,txt”.
- Rename file “TestFile_Backup.txt” back to “TestFile.txt”.
- Voila - you have saved the file in a roundabout way!
By the way, after this fix, I was able to open, make changes & save the file ““TestFile.txt”” successfully.
-
Running as the administrator is tedious, as requires confirming running as the admin. every time NTP++ starts.
I noticed the problem only today after increasing desktop’s RAM from 16 GB to 32 GB using v. 8.7.1. I have a problem only with older files in a folder in Desktop.
I opened new files there and in Desktop and no problems. But when I renamed the Desktop file to one I could not save in the folder I could not save it in the Desktop either.
When I renamed it back to the previous name, I could not save it changed thereafter. As if it acquired NPD++ bad properties from NPD++. Though, I could save changes to it not as admin. w/ a different program, e.g. MS Notepad.
I could reload changed file to Notepad++, but it required the amin. mode to save any changes.
So the issue is clearly Notepad++ related and not of Win.
-
@Eugene-Tenenbaum said in i am getting the below error message when trying to save a file to our sharepoint site the file cannot be and it may be protected do you want to launch notepad++ in administrator mode?:
So the issue is clearly Notepad++ related and not of Win.
I would disagree. Any application running on Windows uses the logged on account by default. Windows determines accessibility of files and options to save/update based on that accounts permissions. The option Notepad++ provides is to open/update/save that file with administrator privileges if the logged account cannot.
You said MS Notepad was able to do the work, presumably under the same logged on account. So all you need to do is run Notepad++ in the same way, suggesting using administrator mode was not needed and may in fact have caused the problem.
Either you have not correctly described the problem, maybe missed some vital piece of information or are mistaken as to what problem you really have.
Terry
-
@Terry-R,
I have been using Win 10 Pro 22H2 and am always logged in as the same user, the only user of the computer.Assuming that it is the fault of the ver. 8.7.1 I installed 64-bit ver. 8.6.7 and all happened as I described above. No mistakes, I use Windows for decades. MS Notepad saved all edits without problems while I was the only user.
So I decided to go back to a 32-bits and installed ver. 7.6.6 from 2019 and guess what? No problems, all issues disappeared. And that is the solution until 64-bit ver. is fixed.
It seems to be a Notepad++ 64-bit ver. issue. But it could have been invoked by Microsoft this November in a Win. 10 “patch” to “improve” security. I have a *.txt file, which I saved on Nov. 1, '24 without problems white the same file I was not able to save today.
The issue has something to do with file names, dates or locations. Maybe old files are watched by my new antivirus Avast One installed in October after Kaspersky bailed out and Notepad++ sees that as a use through Windows Security (“W.S.”)?
Or, maybe, after I blocked updating Avast One virus def’s and it turned into a warning mode together w/ W,S., Notepad++ took it as use? That would coincide with my discovery of the Notepad++ issue. Too close to antivirus?
And next I added 32-bit notepad++.exe to Avast One>Settings>App permissions (not to be watched) and the problem came back. So I deleted it from that list and the problem disappeared. So I removed 64-bit notepad++.exe from Avast One list, reinstalled the ver. 8.7.1 and the problem has not came back.
The culprit was Avast One! Maybe other antivirus programs may cause the same? Probably yes.
-
Yes, anti virus programs can cause issues with opening and saving files if their settings are too aggressive or just not configured correctly.
So it seems as though you have solved it, good on you for following through and not giving up.
Terry
-
@Terry-R,
6 hours of my life gone, but it was worth it. Both Notepad++ and Avast One are v. popular and used a lot by millions or more, as leaders in their classes. So Notepad++ could look into the issue too and make it immune from Avast. The issue can be recreated in 10 min., as both programs are available at any time and free of charge.
–Eugene -
And I checked other editors on my Avast One list. All had the same problem w/ *.txt files, but not after removing them from the list. Inteligent MS Word said that the file is read-only. So I tried to change the read-only attribute for the whole Desktop directory, but unsuccessfully. The reason is described in Fix 3 on www.partitionwizard.com/clone-disk/folder-keeps-reverting-to-read-only-win-10.html. That completes my investigation.
Interestingly, MS Excel does not have the problem while on the list. MS Word acquires the problem w/ saving *.doc files after unsuccessfully saving a *,txt file. But when removed from the list, put back and not used to open and save *,txt files, it saves the *.doc files while on the list. Strange & wired.
-
Since you appear to say that lots of legitimate applications have issues all due to Avast One the easy solution is to replace Avast One!
Either that or soften Avast One’s approach to disabling access to files.
But it’s your PC and only something you can decide on. But if you have to waste time on changing settings for applications something appears to be wrong.
Terry
-
@Terry-R,
Avast One has the big advantage that it is one of the best of free antiviruses an the least slows down the computer.I put software on its list to exclude those apps from being monitored to speed up the computer. Removing from the list those few processing the *,txt files (practically only Notepad++) takes less than 1 min.
When Avast is installed by default all the lists w/ exclusions are empty and the problem does not appear.
One of the reasons I use Notepad++ is that I can not only choose a background color in Style Configurator for a Default Style, but also customize it to my favorite light greenish of RGB 195/220/220, so the screen image does not burn holes in my eyes despite using a pro monitor.
So there are many aspects of apps deciding in their favor and a minor inconvenience does not disqualify them. But it is important to know what is going on to weigh pros and cons and make an informed decision.
–Eugene
-
Notepad++ could look into the issue too and make it immune from Avast.
Please let us know what exactly you think Notepad++ could do in this regard.
-
@Alan-Kilborn,
Notepad++ could contact Avast (www.avast.com/contacts), explain the issue and ask them to fix it that would benefit Notepad++ as well. Avast may be not aware of the issue and, once aware, they would gladly fix it and, maybe, with no effort and happy to do so, as I investigated it.
–Eugene
