Windows Reinstall & NTFS Permissions

[ViRGE]

I'm planning on upgrading my computer this weekend, and have a quick question about how to deal with NTFS. My plan is to install WinXP on a drive that currently just holds data, but because it'll be a new installation, I'm afraid that NTFS's file permissions will lock me out of most of my stuff. What do I need to do so that once I have the new copy of WinXP running, I'll still be able to access/modify/own the data on the drive like I currently do?

 

[c0rv1d43]

In a new install of WinXP on a system, any previously existing data will be available to the Administrators on the installation -- UNLESS that data was encrypted using EFS under the previous OS installation (only on NTFS partitions). In that case, you have to be sure you export the key to external media and reimport it in the new installation to gain access to the data. But, if the data isn't encrypted, you have no worries. Do back it up to external media before proceeding with the OS installation, though. If that data is important it must be backed up.

BTW, was there a previous NT/Win2K/WinXP installation on this system? Is the drive you're talking about already set up as an NTFS partition?

- Collin

 

[ViRGE]

c0rv1d43, yes, the drive is comming from an existing installation of WinXP Pro; so the drive is already set up for NTFS. Thanks.

 

[c0rv1d43]

Good luck! I hope everything works out well.

- Collin