windows xp HE, recovering My documents

[anacdac]

Hi,
I got my winxp he installation on ntfs drive corupted, so I dual boot installed to recover "my documents" of previous
installation. But, from new installation if I access the folder, I get "access denied" error.
In home edition, I heard EFS is not used.
So, I booted in linux and mounted it readonly and I can access the folder. But, I cant change its
permission so it will become visible in new xp installation.
Since I know password for previous login/installation as well as I got all windows folder of previous installation
intact and its not EFS , is there any way I can recover My documents of previous installation like making
that folder public or modify/delete it.

 

[rbV5]

Should be able to turn off simple file sharing and take ownership of the folder and contents.

 

[bacillus]

here

 

[anacdac]

I actually heard of changing ownership.
Problem is with xp home edition(HE)
It doesn't have ownership things, your "my documents" folder
is the only thing you can own.
So, we dont get option to change ownership of it.
Only hope is it doesn't use EFS and we know password for login of previous installation.
Let me give quick walk thru:
I have windows folder with previous installation while windows.1 folder with new installation.
previous one(windows) doesn't work, So, I installed on same partition xp Home edition.(earlier too was home edition),i.e., windows.1
Last installation had "my documents" of its one login called xpxp
Now, from new installation, I am accessing it, which says "access denied"
New installation login name is also xpxp, though its not working while accessing the folder.
That means, when I try to access the folder, its even verifying if I am booted from right installation.
Home edition doesn't give option for change of ownership.

 

[rbV5]

If you are running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, you must start the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an account that has Administrative rights to have access to the Security tab.

From Bacillus's link

 

[Deskstar]

Yes, logon as the Administrator to get access. When you reinstalled XP on the same partition, it should have asked you for a user name. Hopefully you selected a name different from your previous install. It may show up as "Owner" or if you used it "Administrator". That user under the new install should have administrative rights and have access to the My Documents folder.

 

[Deskstar]

In your current setup, try to add a new User with Administrative Rights....if you cannot do so, then your current Login User does NOT have Administrative Rights. If you can add such a new adminsitrative user, then do so. Shut down and logon as that person...do not use "switch", rather restart and logon as the new user.

It appears to me from your other posts that your second installation of XP, you used the same user name as in the first install. That may be your problem, depending on how XP reads the user name (I am not certain).

If you cannot locate a user that has administrative rights, then reinstall again (3rd time) and use a different user name when asked such as "Owner" or "Tom"...anything other than xpxp and give the new user Administrative Rights.

Maybe that will work.