When copying files from a CD to hard drive, you may find that the copied files still have the read-only attribute set. This occurs because the file system extensions used to read ISO9660 and Joliet discs in Windows assume that CDs are a read-only medium, so the file system sets the read-only attribute for files on CD.

You can change this setting by starting Windows Explorer and browsing to the folder where your file(s) are located. Right-click the file that you want to reset and click Properties. At the bottom of the Properties dialog, you'll see check boxes for several settings: Read-only, Hidden, System, and Archive. Uncheck the Read-only check box, click Apply, and click OK. Your file should no longer be read-only. Unfortunately, you will need to repeat this process for each file.

Formerly part of Computer Currents, Stephen J. Bigelow's Computer Advisor column has been resurrected on computeruser.com as a daily tech tip column. Find Stephen at www.dlspubs.com.