As of this morning, I can no longer open mp3 files...

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

Windows 10, version 1909
Audacity 2.3.3

Hi. This is my first post; I’ve just registered on the forum, even though I’ve been using Audacity for simple audio track editing for a few years.
I have a brand new laptop (HP Envy), and it’s been working wonderfully. This morning I was about to start editing an mp3 file in Audacity, but was called away from my computer so I quickly closed all open files and put the laptop in standby.

When I returned home later in the day, I tried to open the file again, but this time got a message ‘You don’t have permission to open this file. Contact the file owner or an administrator to obtain permission’. Initially I thought the problem was confined to that particular file, but I then discovered that Audacity will not open ANY mp3 file (I keep getting the same message). Neither can I import mp3 files (same message).

I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling Audacity, but there is no change. I’ve tried a system restore, but this was unsuccessful. I initially tried changing the security settings (ownership) of the file that was giving me problems, but that made no difference either.

This is obviously a Windows problem and not dependent on Audacity, but I cannot seem to solve it, and I would also like to know what has caused it.

C.

2

Like you say it’s a Windows thing …
https: //answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/i-dont-have-access-to-my-own-files/

3

Thanks for the reply, Trebor.
Unfortunately, different attempts to change the ownership of the music library were to no avail. However, I DID manage to do a successful rollback to an earlier restore point, and now the problem is solved. I guess I’ll never know exactly why all of a sudden I couldn’t open any mp3 files in Audacity :confused:

4

I DID manage to do a successful rollback to an earlier restore point

Which can mean you can’t do Windows updates any more. Do you have Windows set to Auto Update? That can be a time bomb. Further, it is posted that Windows sometimes doesn’t ask you and just does updates whether you want them or not.

There are other posters who can only make recordings after a rollback. Something in an update is causing problems.

I think I recognize lack of supervision. Computers can be made much more secure and stable if they never opened up anything or did any work. [Dusting off hands] Job Done!

Koz