chmod -R 777 * in cygwin

Hello,

I use windows XP on a small server. Lately I downloaded a software (hydrological computation) which asked me to install as well the software �cygwin' (kind of linux in windows environment) and then to perform in cygwin window the command: �chmod -R 777 *' in order to give writings permission and allow the software to perform.
I admit, I did not check, this instruction came from serious people....But I started to frick out when I realized that this command did not only change the permission of files related to the software or cygwin, but of all the files on my computer, it even started to process on the content of a dvd that was in my computer and I stopped the process since I was fearing that it would continue to the server's disks.....

I immediately perform a system restore at 1week before, but I am not sure I am OK with the permissions of sensitives windows files. Indeed, the dll files in the windows/system folder show a read/execute and write permission to everyone for example. It might have been like this before the problem with the �chmod', but I can not tell and I worry I did something wrong.

Is there any way to check the proper permission configuration on windows XP or to restore it?

Any suggestion or help will be very very appreciated.

Thanks,

Yohann

At first:
Please do not use so many different fonts when posting since it is a pain to edit your post, if there is something to edit - for yourself and also for moderators, thanks

I just checked my XP box and noticed there are very different permissions on DLLs in \WINDOWS\system32 and below. I guess a restore will be best - maybe one of the Win XP recovery option (I have no clue, sorry) can do some kind of roll-back?

-R stands for recursive for many Unix/Linux commands. If unsure next time, do not hesitate to ask here.
If using cygwin just for tests, maybe stay in the default home directory of your cygwin installation and do not change out of it, ie. no "cd c:" if not necessary

This is a big no-no in UNIX as well.