Database cannot be upgraded because it is read-only or has read-only files. Make the database or files writeable, and rerun recovery I have received a database file and the instructions for loading it is to install SQL Server 2005 and then attach it using SQL Server Management Studio.

After installing everything, I tried to attach the MDF file but then it tells me:


  the directory lookup for the file "D:{folderName}{filename}.LDF" failed with the operating system error 21 (error not found)


An LDF file did not come with the database, so presumably it should be generated automatically.

Now, D drive is where my CD drive is, so it's not going to find anything there. Nor is it going to have any luck trying to create anything there.


Why is it trying to look for a log file at a specific path? Why not where the database file is?
How can I attach this database?


I realized that when I select a database to attach, three entries appear under "database details". an MDF, NDF, and LDF. The LDF's "current file path" points to the D drive path above, so I removed it.

This time, when I hit "OK", I get a different error message:


  Database cannot be upgraded because it is read-only or has read-only files.
  Make the database or files writeable, and rerun recovery.
  
  File activation Failure. The physical name D:{folder}{file}.LDF may be incorrect.
  New log file "..." was created. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 3415)


So now it creates a new log file in the same folder as the database file, which is great, but it seems like there are security issues.

Additional information:


The instructions require me to use the login name "sa", which appears to be the sysadmin account. I am connected to my SQL Server instance using that login.
I have checked the file properties that it is not read-only. The directory is not read-only either. All ACLs are allowed.
I am unable to attach the database. When I try to attach it, it throws an error message with "attach database failed".
Closing SSMS and reopening it as an Administrator made no difference.
select SERVERPROPERTY('ProductVersion') returns 9.00.4035.00. There's another file that comes with the database called "dbdata.ini" which says "IsSql2000=1" so presumably it is meant to be loaded in SQL Server 2000. I'll see if I can get it working on 2000.
I just found a post that answered this question:

This may not work in all cases, but I was trying to install the Semantic Search Database and got the same error.

You have to run SQL Server Management Studio as an administrator, and it works.