>Is there a way to programmatically change a folder which is readonly to readwrite, including all the files in it?

You have already received guidance on how it can be done. My take is a bit different: don't fight the OS. Clearly Windows 7 wants you to use certain folders and stay away from others. It goes out of its way to do so. Clearly you can find a way around it, but why? This is something I adopted as part of my development philosophy from VFP 3.0. There were some who continued to do everything in .PRGs instead of using the new "power tools" (.scx, .frx, .vcx, et al). The way it was expressed at the time was "Be one with the Fox." (I don't remember who said that first but it sure sounds like Tom Rettig). That was sage advice which I have followed, and appreciate more all the time when I have to deal with increasingly dated and broken .PRGs.