You must be on campus or connected to the VPN in order to manage Columbia files

Step 1: Open Active Directory

Click the Start icon and type Active Directory into the search box. Click on Active Directory Administrative Center.

No Active Directory App

If you cannot find the Active Directory app on your computer, you may need to install it first. Please follow these steps to install it:

  1. Search "Manage Optional Features" and open the "Manage Optional Features" option
  2. Click "Add a feature"


  3. Search or scroll to "RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools" and check the box next to it.
  4. Click Install
  5. When the installation finishes, you should be able to find "Active Directory Administrative Center" with the search bar.

Step 2: Navigate to Department Server

In Global Search type "Depart" and the name of the Columbia drive you are looking for or "Exchange" and the name of the shared mailbox.



The results should look similar to this.



The difference between unlabled, Full, and RW is

  • unlabeled - read only access
  • RW - read/write access (this is where you will add most of the people in your department)
  • Full - this is the Administrators group and only your username should appear in this group.

Step 3: Checking Folder Ownership

Double click the desired access option (view above for which is which)

You will be presented with the following screen


The highlighted portion will be the manager of the drive

Step 4: Changing User Access

Scroll down to the "Members portion of the above screen or select the "Members" option on the left


Select the "Add.." or "Remove" buttons on the right side.

Step 5: Add the Username

Add the new person's username and click the Check Names button.

Step 6: You have added the User Successfully

When you have added all the people needed, click the OK button.

Step 1: Open Active Directory

Click the Start icon and type Active Directory into the search box. Click on Active Directory Users and Computers.

Step 2: Navigate to Department Server

Expand uccs.edu, expand Groups, and select Department Server.

Find your department share; there will be three options available:

  • The first with nothing following the share name is the Read Only group.
  • The second one ends in Full, this is the Administrators group and only your username should appear in this group.
  • The third group ends in RW, this is the Read-Write group of users that can read, edit, write, and delete files.

Step 3: Checking Folder Ownership

Click the Managed By tab and make sure your username is listed on the end. If the Change button is greyed out you are not the administrator of this account and cannot make changes.

Step 4: Changing User Access

Click on the Members tab. Note the list of users under Members who currently have access to the shared drive. Select a user and press Remove if you would like to remove their access. Otherwise, click Add... to add a user for access:

Step 5: Add the Username

Add the new person's username and click the Check Names button.

Step 6: You have added the User Successfully

When you have added all the people needed, click the OK button.