Access Denied! Help me out guys!!!

[AmeenR]

I've got a computer that basically needs an entire re-format. Windows was corrupt to a point where entering via safe mode or even normal mode would yield an unlimited BSOD, restart, and repeat forever. There are many important files in "My Documents", and after placing the HDD in another computer as a slave, I receive an "access denied" message during an attempt to open the folder. I am aware windows XP most likely does this by default for privacy, but I cannot get into, copy, or excavate this folder & files whatsoever. Any ideas???

 

[wviperw]

Access the hard drive from DOS somehow (outside of windows). Might mean you'll have to use some kind of imaging utility.

Or, you can try this:

1) Open Task Manager (CTRL-ALT-DEL)
2) End the explorer.exe process (all of them)
3) "Windows" should now be gone, leaving only you desktop wallpaper and Task Manager
4) In Task Manager do File->New Task and type in 'cmd'
5) 'cd' to the directory you need to copy and see if you can now access it

Not sure if the above will do it or not, but it doesn't hurt to try.

 

[bsobel]

Not sure if the above will do it or not, but it doesn't hurt to try.

:roll:

You need to take ownership of the files on the second PC to access them (unless you encrypted the files, which you didn't mention, in which case the files are gone). Just seach the OS forum for ownership, you'll find plenty of posts regarding it.

Good luck,
Bill

 

[AmeenR]

Ive tried accessing it through the cmd prompt to no avail....it still rejects me. Taking over ownership of the files sounds like a good lead, but couldnt manage to find it yet.

 

[Calin]

You should be administrator on the second (working) computer. Right click on the folder (your documents folder), select properties, security or something. Add users and access rights.
You could also use cacls. Run a command prompt, run cacls /?
You should run something like "cacls /T /E /G everyone:F
It it won't work, put your user name instead of everyone

Calin

By the way, the access restrictions are at the file level, not at the Windows explorer level. You won't solve access restrictions just by running in command prompt

 

[Czar]

taking ownership is the right action

right click on drive, properties, security, advanced

 

[oldman420]

if you used ntfs incrypion on the files you are out of luck http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=34&threadid=1144400&enterthread=y

 

[Calin]

If you don't have "security" tab, try in explorer, Tools->Folder Options->View, and deselect "use simple file sharing"

Calin

 

[Calin]

Another idea - you could read everything from it from a DOS/Win9x computer using the NTFSDOS driver - it is free for read-only operations (or it was)

Calin