hard drive removed from dead computer; how to unlock with password?

jonno

Senior member
Oct 15, 1999
313
1
76
Trying to recover data. Computer A was fried by a blown power company transformer. I removed the hard drive which seems to be intact. I can't get it to boot windows in a new computer, but I can install it as a second drive and see what's on it. However I cannot access any My Document data because files are locked. I know the drive's password info, but since I'm on a different computer's OS, how do I get access to the locked files?
 

jonno

Senior member
Oct 15, 1999
313
1
76
thanks for the tip, but I can't get it to work. The drive with the locked files has a version of windows XP on it and there is an administrator password necessaey to open the files. I have it. However this drive will not boot windows on another working computer; freezes in post. No way to get to safe mode. If used as an auxiliary drive it is no longer the same administrator, see? So am I not understanding your suggestion?
 

keeleysam

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2005
8,131
0
0
Don't boot into safe mode on the drive you are recovering from, do it from a drive that works.
 

jonno

Senior member
Oct 15, 1999
313
1
76
Thank you. I'm still doing something wrong. Got into safe mode. Looked at the properties of the drive in question. Clicked the security tab; everything was checked for the current administrator (not this drives original). I clicked OK and it took about ten minutes to finish. But now, thos some files are listed, I can't open them. And all the music files (Itunes) are stil completely unaccessible.

Can you talk me thru the procedure to apply permissions to Administrator for all the files? Thanks again
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
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1) Go again to the Security tab for the Documents and Settings\username folder.

2) Click the Advanced button, and a new panel opens.

3) On the new panel, click the Owner tab.

4) Put a checkmark in the box to apply the change to the subfolders as well, and then assign the Ownership of the directory to the account you are currently logged on with.


Now you should be able to get into the subfolders. However, if the files were actually encrypted, then just give up and move on with life :eek: because you won't be breaking EFS encryption at home.
 

jonno

Senior member
Oct 15, 1999
313
1
76
AHA! Yes that did the trick. Thank you so much. It's good to know that when I run into a wall (once a year) anandtech forums always supply the answer. Have a good one.