Reinstalled 2nd copy of WindowsXP but now cant read files from 1st Copy

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Access is Denied" Error Message When You Try to Open a Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810881

How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

I have two installations of XP on the same partition
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#20

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Dear all
|
| I have a serious problem with WindowsXP - I think its a security issue.
|
| Due to a hard drive failure I reinstalled Widows onto my machine - I now
| have 2 copies of WindowsXP at boot-time one version doesn't work/boot due to
| the hard disk problem and one (the newly installed one) works fine. The
| problem is I want to retrieve \My Documents from the old install and move
| them to the new one (actually onto a new disk) ; I can see the \My Documents
| folder but when I click on it to display my files I get "Access Denied".
|
| I am assuming that Windows Security is preventing me access to my own files
| from which were put on by the 1st Copy of Windows and that the 2nd copy
| can't read them.
|
| Is that right and if so how do I get around this problem ?
|
| Thanks for any help.

 

[Mike]

Dear all

I have a serious problem with WindowsXP - I think its a security issue.

Due to a hard drive failure I reinstalled Widows onto my machine - I now
have 2 copies of WindowsXP at boot-time one version doesn't work/boot due to
the hard disk problem and one (the newly installed one) works fine. The
problem is I want to retrieve \My Documents from the old install and move
them to the new one (actually onto a new disk) ; I can see the \My Documents
folder but when I click on it to display my files I get "Access Denied".

I am assuming that Windows Security is preventing me access to my own files
from which were put on by the 1st Copy of Windows and that the 2nd copy
can't read them.

Is that right and if so how do I get around this problem ?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Uncle John]

Mike,
This problem is one I have had to solve on occasion and here is my method.

In the valid working installation of Windows you are the "owner" but not
the same as the "owner" of the previous corrupt installation installation.
So putting it simply you have got to give "new" owner permission to access
the old files.

Please follow these steps

Disable Simple File Sharing because by default, Windows XP Professional uses
Simple File sharing when it is not joined to a domain. [Go to Control
Panel\Folder Options\View\Use simple file sharing (recommended) uncheck].
Then create at least one shared folder in network places [use Windows Help
if you have not done this before]

Then take ownership of the folders in the old system by following these
steps:
1. Right-click each folder that you want to take ownership of, and
then click its Properties.
2. Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message
(if one appears).
3. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
4. In the Name list, click your user name, or click Administrator if
you are logged in as Administrator, or click the Administrators group. If
you want to take ownership of the contents of that folder, select the
Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box.
5. Click OK, and then click Yes when you receive the following
message:
You do not have permission to read the contents of directory folder
name. Do you want to replace the directory permissions with permissions
granting you Full Control?

All permissions will be replaced if you press Yes.
Note folder name is the name of the folder that you want to take
ownership of.
6. Click OK, and then reapply the permissions and security settings
that you want for the folder and its contents.

I found it be rather tricky at first but with patience and trying the
various options one can do it

For additional information about how to do this, view the Microsoft
Knowledge Base: Article
307874 "How to disable simplified sharing and set permissions on a shared
folder in Windows XP"
and check all the links Carrie has given you.

 

[Mike]

Thank you to all for the reply - I will give it a go tonight when I get home
!

 

[DannyG]

I have a very similar problem after a reformat of the hard drive and a
reinstall of Windows XP Pro SP2.

I am trying to restore my data files from a MS Backup. I couldn't access
them, but I have worked out how to amend the security settings as described
above. However, it seems that I have to right click on every single folder,
or at least every level of folder, and amend their properties individually.
As there are hundreds of folders, I am hoping that someone can tell me that
there is a more sensible way of tackling it.

Any help is much appreciated.