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AR15.COM
11/8/2004 8:12:31 PM EDT
I had windows die on my hard drive.  I had a password on my login.  I installed a new hard drive and the old one as drive D.  I need to get the stuff out of my "My Documents" folder on my old hard drive but it won't allow me access.  How can I get access to it?

I tried to repair Windows on it but it said it would delete the My Documents folder thus defeating the purpose.

Please Help!!!
11/8/2004 8:14:53 PM EDT
[#1]
I'm assuming you set up the original build using NTFS as the file system, correct?  

On a profile, the Administrator needs to take ownership of the entire parent folder before it can be accessed.  
11/8/2004 8:15:21 PM EDT
[#2]
What kind of error message does it give and how exactly did windows die?
11/8/2004 8:17:32 PM EDT
[#3]
Try this.

www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdos.shtml

The freeware version only provides read-only access, but that should be all that you need.
11/8/2004 8:25:18 PM EDT
[#4]
If you can dig back to the days of DOS, you can boot up in DOS (will have to make a boot disk), and copy and paste the contents to your new drive. All of the protections are done through the windows operating system.
11/8/2004 8:28:36 PM EDT
[#5]
If you cant do it by taking ownership in windows do it with dos.  Go here for making boot disks in windows. Boot Disks  If all those fail and windows really died on you then its probably corrupted the sector of the harddrive you want stuff from and you're SOL.
11/8/2004 8:32:40 PM EDT
[#6]
DOS? Not with NTFS you can't....NTFSDOS can give you read only, but there are far better ways...

What I am suggesting is not for the newbie, but given some some time, and a CD Burner, you can create a Rescue CD. Or try Knoppix or Morphix. All of these solutions are LiveCDs that do not need a hard disk to run, only a flash disk or CD-ROM. Most Files systems are fully accessible. NTFS Partitions are fully accessible in a Bart PE Rescue Disk session, though you may have to take ownership of the files to read them.

Sherrick: You're close by; if you need something, drop me an IM or an email.
11/8/2004 8:36:25 PM EDT
[#7]
knoppix.

nothing even comes close.

11/8/2004 8:40:38 PM EDT
[#8]
Knoppix has trouble with low-end RAID Controllers. BartPE is Windows-based and has better compatibility.
11/8/2004 8:41:45 PM EDT
[#9]

Quoted:
Knoppix has trouble with low-end RAID Controllers. BartPE is Windows-based and has better compatibility.



do you honestly think he's running RAID?
11/8/2004 8:48:25 PM EDT
[#10]
Actually, I don't know; I was making an observation for his benefit.

The LiveCDs are cool, but bear in mind they may have security issues with the software contained on their images. I generally build a BartPE or Knoppix CD from patched sources monthly. I then destroy the old CDs.






11/8/2004 8:50:12 PM EDT
[#11]

Quoted:
I'm assuming you set up the original build using NTFS as the file system, correct?  

On a profile, the Administrator needs to take ownership of the entire parent folder before it can be accessed.  



Yes on the NTFS, how do I take ownership of the parent folder.  I'm already administrator on the computer but for some reason won't let me into my folder on drive D.
11/8/2004 8:51:19 PM EDT
[#12]

Quoted:
What kind of error message does it give and how exactly did windows die?



It says access not allowed.

I ran a Western Digital program trying to install a new hard drive and chose the wrong drive letter and it screwed up my main drive.
11/8/2004 8:51:50 PM EDT
[#13]

Quoted:
Try this.

www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdos.shtml

The freeware version only provides read-only access, but that should be all that you need.



Will this allow me to copy the contents to another drive?
11/8/2004 8:52:24 PM EDT
[#14]
Windows has security?  
11/8/2004 8:52:51 PM EDT
[#15]

Quoted:
DOS? Not with NTFS you can't....NTFSDOS can give you read only, but there are far better ways...

What I am suggesting is not for the newbie, but given some some time, and a CD Burner, you can create a Rescue CD. Or try Knoppix or Morphix. All of these solutions are LiveCDs that do not need a hard disk to run, only a flash disk or CD-ROM. Most Files systems are fully accessible. NTFS Partitions are fully accessible in a Bart PE Rescue Disk session, though you may have to take ownership of the files to read them.

Sherrick: You're close by; if you need something, drop me an IM or an email.

Please tell me how to take ownership of the folders, if I do that I'm in business.

11/8/2004 8:53:21 PM EDT
[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Knoppix has trouble with low-end RAID Controllers. BartPE is Windows-based and has better compatibility.



do you honestly think he's running RAID?


No I'm not.
11/8/2004 8:54:43 PM EDT
[#17]
Right click on Folder -> Properties -> Permissions. you may have to switch from simple shares to the Fully-Enabled Version.

To Fully enable Permissions: Explorer -> Tools -> Folder Options -> View-> UN-Check "Use Simple File Sharing". <APPLY>


At that point, you will be able to right click on a folder and see a setting for Sharing and Security. In Security, you see the advanced button, which will enable you to Take Ownership of the folders, Windows will think about it for a while then you'll be in business.
11/8/2004 10:55:23 PM EDT
[#18]
Boot up in "safe" mode as the administrator.
Then do the right click/permissions/take control thing.
Set the permissions to include administrator and your user name.
Then either copy the files you want as the administrator or else reboot into your user name and do the same.
11/9/2004 6:53:54 AM EDT
[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Try this.

www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdos.shtml

The freeware version only provides read-only access, but that should be all that you need.



Will this allow me to copy the contents to another drive?



Yes, you will be able to read the drive, but not write to it.


You might want to try Joe_Blacke's suggestion of taking ownership of the drive first.  I'm on my Win2k machine right now, so I'm not sure if WinXP is different, but on this one, you just right-click on the drive, select Properties, click on the Security tab, click the Advanced... button, Click the Owner tab, check the "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" box, and click Ok.