(Fixed) ‘Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container’ issue

Today, in this article we will discuss about how to fix ‘Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container’ issue. Folder access in Windows 10/11 is the permissions users have to look at, change, or delete files and folders in a certain directory. There are different levels of access for administrators and regular users. Administrators, who are also called “superusers,” have full control over the system and can do things like install software, change how the system works, and manage user accounts. They can also set permissions for folders and files and give or take permissions from other users.

Regular users, on the other hand, only have limited access and can only do things that the system administrator has given them permission to do. They can create, edit, and delete files and folders in their own user profiles or shared directories, but they can’t change permissions for other users or system files. But users may sometimes see the message “Failed to enumerate objects in the container. “Access is denied” when trying to change permissions for a folder. It happens when a user’s account doesn’t have the right permissions to see or change a folder’s permissions. We mentioned below are the ways to fix ‘Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container’ issue.

What is the “Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container” error?

The Container error message can show up if there are problems or entries with Permission. The owner may not be able to do this because of how the file or folder is set up. So, you might need to look at the permission entries for the child objects. But sometimes, you won’t be able to change permissions or you’ll get an error message when you try. This can be caused by a clash of permissions or wrong settings.

Most people make the following mistake in these situations: When you try to change the permissions of a file or folder, you may get an error that says “Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container access is denied.” You can change access if you are the Administrator, but sometimes even the Administrator will get the same error message. This is a common mistake that people often bring up in different forums. When access is denied on Windows 10/11, not even the admin can change the permissions for a specific user or other user groups.

Fix ‘Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container’ issue

Run CHKDSK, SFC and DISM Commands

CHKDSK is mostly used to check and fix problems with the file system. It checks your hard drive for errors and fixes them if it finds any. If the first two methods don’t work, try running this one. By running the CHKDSK command, you can find problems with corrupted file systems and fix them. This will fix the error. To run it, do these things:

1. Type “Command Prompt” into the Windows search box, right-click on it, and choose “Run as administrator.”
2. Type chkdsk /r and press the Enter key.
3. Hit Enter after typing chkdsk /f.
4. After this is done, the disk will be checked. Or you might see “Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is being used by another process.” Would you like to tell the system to check this volume the next time it starts up? (Y/N) message. If you see this message, press “Y” and “Enter” on your keyboard.
5. Start your computer up again to check the disk.

You can also use the SFC and DISM commands, which fix corrupted system files in the same way. First, run the SFC command and then change permissions to see if the problem is still there. If that happens, run the DISM command. If not, you don’t have to use the DISM command. Do these things:

1. Type SFC /scannow into the Command Prompt window and hit the Enter key to run the SFC tool.
2. To run the DISM tool, type Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press the Enter key.

Use Commands to Grant Permissions

The first method should work like a charm, but if you still get an error when you try to set the permissions, try giving the permissions from a command prompt with more power. This is how:

1. Type “Command Prompt” into the Windows search box.
2. Right-click on the first result and choose “Run as administrator.”
3. When the UAC box pops up, click Yes.
4. Copy and paste the commands one after the other.
   • 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
5. After you have successfully run the commands, try changing the permissions again to see if the problem is still there.

Disable UAC Notifications

1. Hit the Windows + S key on your keyboard.
2. Type Change User Account Control Settings.
3. Open it.
4. When the new window opens, you’ll see a slider that lets you choose between “Always notify” and “Never notify.”
5. Slide it to Never notify, and then click OK.
6. In the UAC box, click “Yes.”

Take Over Ownership and Change Permissions

When you get this error, the thing you can do is change who owns the file or folder by hand. This is the fix that Microsoft recommends the most, and many users said that it fixed the problem after they used it. To change who owns the file by hand, follow these steps:

1. Find the files or folders whose permissions you want to change and click on them. Right-click it and choose Properties from the menu that pops up.
2. Click on the Security tab and then on the Advanced button.
3. Next to the Owner name, click Change.
4. In the next pop-up, type the name of the account where it says “Enter the object name to select,” then click “Check Names.” If your account name is found, it will be shown with a line through it. If not, click on “Advanced” and look for your username.
5. Press the OK button.
6. In the next window, check both Replace owner on sub-containers and objects and Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object.
7. Click the “Apply” button, and then confirm the changes in the box that comes up.
8. In the window for Advanced security settings, click the Add button. In the window for Permission Entry, click the Select a Principal button.
9. In the box that says “Select User or Group,” type “Everyone” Enter the name of the object you want to pick and click Check Names.
10. Click OK, and then under Basic permissions, check the box next to Full Control.
11. Click the OK button on each window you’ve opened to save your changes and leave the program.
12. Now, try setting the permissions for the file you want to use. You shouldn’t have to deal with the issue.

Boot into Safe Mode

When you start up your computer in safe mode, it only loads the basic programs and drivers that it needs to start up. Once you start your computer in safe mode, it will be easy to figure out if any other apps or programs are to blame. To boot into safe mode, do the following:

1. Right-click the “Start” button and choose “Run” from the menu.
2. Type msconfig into the text field and press Enter to open the System Configuration application.
3. Go to the Boot tab and check the box next to Safe boot under Boot options.
4. Click Minimal, then Apply, and then OK.
5. To get into safe mode, you need to restart your computer.

What causes the “Failed to Enumerate Objects in the Container” error?

1. Run as administrator: Make sure you’re running the program or getting to the file or folder as an administrator. Right-click on the program, file, or folder and choose “Run as administrator” to give yourself more permissions.
2. Check and change permissions: Look at the file or folder’s permissions and make sure that your user account has the right permissions to be able to access it. If necessary, change the permissions as needed.
3. Take ownership: If you have trouble with who owns a file or folder, you may need to take ownership of it. Right-click on the file or folder, click “Properties,” go to the “Security” tab, click “Advanced,” and then change the owner to your user account.
4. Use the Command Prompt: You can also try to change the permissions on the file or folder by using the Command Prompt with administrative rights. Use the “icacls” command to give the right people access.
5. Run a system file checker: scan (sfc /scannow) to look for corrupted system files that might be causing the error and fix them if they are found.

Questions and Answers