New computer, can't get to "My Documents" on old hard drive.

K

Konrad

Gawd
Joined
Jun 1, 2004
Messages
621
Some of you may be familiar with my story from the Computers & Gadgets forum.
Here's the short version.
I have a hard drive that absolutely will not boot. I've tried safe mode, adding another installation of Windows, etc etc. Won't boot.
I've got it as secondary on my new computer, and I've salvaged a small portion of what I want to save.
Problem is, a large amount of what I want, need, to save, is in the "My Documents" folder, and I am being denied access.
Microsoft is (shock) giving me the shaft here, and I'm not sure how much Velocity Micro is going to be able to help me here.
I've tried going into settings, and I can't change anything.
Does anyone know of a program that will allow me to get to this? There are two years of pictures there... Really the only thing I'm concerned with.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Try Unlocker .

Although, it sounds like you lost a plate or partition or something on your drive. As the my documents folder should not be locked in any case. I have salvaged things off of probably hundreds of drives, specifically the my documents folder, and never once has it told me I was denied access.
 
Hmmm, no dice there. It did let me rename it, though ; )
Also, I think it has to do with the fact I'm a different user, and the My Documents thing is the only thing it's denying me access to.
 
I do this on work computers all the time. And the user names are completely different, everything.
 
Astrogiblet said:
I do this on work computers all the time. And the user names are completely different, everything.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the issue is I have gone from XP Pro to XP Home?
My foolish logic made me hope MS wouldn't be that stupid, but... well. Assuming a software company wouldn't do something stupid is like assuming the sun isn't gonna come up because it snowed.
 
Hmm.. that could be the problem. Although the computer I'm transfering data off of right now is a windows 98 hard drive, to my XP Pro comp.
 
tried booting a linux liveCD or something and uploading to some temp file storage online or some other clever method of getting it to another HDD? the boot CD I like to use for saving my ass is ERD Commander. integrates into the windows install from a boot disk and lets you manage files, share folder over network, change admin passwords, etc...
 
Konrad said:
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Gee, yet another thread about 'access denied', but this one has the additional element of M$ SUX AMIRITE!!! :rolleyes:

Try searching for 'take ownership'
 
pigster said:
Gee, yet another thread about 'access denied', but this one has the additional element of M$ SUX AMIRITE!!! :rolleyes:

Try searching for 'take ownership'
Click to expand...
I was starting to get worried...it's been at least 12 hours since this question was asked ;)

If I get time, I think I'll write up a how-to guide for taking ownership, and post it on my site. Then, instead of dealing with the same question over and over, I can point to it.

And I also agree, considering one thread was just locked for needless MS bashing, why do it again? Microsoft is doing this to protect your personal documents from unauthorized viewing, and yet they are somehow shafting you?
 
djnes said:
I was starting to get worried...it's been at least 12 hours since this question was asked ;)

If I get time, I think I'll write up a how-to guide for taking ownership, and post it on my site. Then, instead of dealing with the same question over and over, I can point to it.

And I also agree, considering one thread was just locked for needless MS bashing, why do it again? Microsoft is doing this to protect your personal documents from unauthorized viewing, and yet they are somehow shafting you?
Click to expand...

They're shafting me in the sense that I (me, not my parents, not my school, not whoever) have purchased numerous iterations of their operating system and both of their game consoles, but I can't even send them an e-mail without giving them an additional $35. If it gave me a direct line to their greatest tech support agent, I'd pay $35, but in all likelyhood I'll be speaking to an Indian man who tells me his name is Sarah.


If you're telling me to search for Take Ownership on my PC, nothing came up.
If you're telling me to search for it on MS's site, the page that comes up is for people who can still boot on the hard drive that has the data they need, which I explicitly pointed out I can not do.
I'm going to contact VM tech support, and if it comes to it, I'm sure one of the 30 people in this dorm has a (legal) XP Pro upgrade CD I can try.
 
So, I must ask. What is the point of this high security when there is a 4 step process around it? And its not even a "hidden" process or anything, its right click and alter it.
 
I searched here, and that thread, while informative, did not help me.
I do not have the option to enable or disable Simple File Sharing, nor do I have the Security tab.

I'm not bashing MS, I'm bashing their disgustingly expensive tech support for products that are already very expensive. I like their products, otherwise I wouldn't buy them, but they could be a little more helpful when it comes to interactive support with their customers.
 
Astrogiblet said:
So, I must ask. What is the point of this high security when there is a 4 step process around it?
Click to expand...

Because an administrator can by definition override user security settings? :p
 
Konrad said:
I'm not bashing MS, I'm bashing their disgustingly expensive tech support for products that are already very expensive.
Click to expand...


Try looking at the costs of some popular software like Photoshop, Autocad or Solidworks before saying that a $150 OS is "very expensive"

And by comparison, Adobe wants $ 39 per support incident, Autodesk wants $420 per year, and Solidworks wants $1500 :eek:
 
Konrad said:
I'm not bashing MS, I'm bashing their disgustingly expensive tech support for products that are already very expensive. I like their products, otherwise I wouldn't buy them, but they could be a little more helpful when it comes to interactive support with their customers.
Click to expand...
That's why you can always forgoe their outsourced crap and come here.
 
They have almost %99 of their answeres on thier websites, so why provide expensive phone and email support.

Imaging the scale and cost of that considering how many people own MS products....


i think it is good, all of the answers you need are on the internet somwhere more often then not, just too many people do get lazy, i think, and want everything handed to them ina nut shell

and $150 too much for software that basically takes all of the hardware n your coputer, lets it work and talk to each other? AND lets endless number of other products work with your hardware..... funny how people complain the OS costs too much but will spend $300+ on hardware thatwouldnt even work if it wasnt for the OS.
 
Konrad said:
I searched here, and that thread, while informative, did not help me.
I do not have the option to enable or disable Simple File Sharing, nor do I have the Security tab.

I'm not bashing MS, I'm bashing their disgustingly expensive tech support for products that are already very expensive. I like their products, otherwise I wouldn't buy them, but they could be a little more helpful when it comes to interactive support with their customers.
Click to expand...

You can't disable Simple File Sharing in XP home. Home may not have the enhanced file security (permissions) either so if those files were protected under XP Pro you may not be able to access them from XP Home. You will likely have to put that drive in a Pro machine to be able to take ownership.
 
alphanumeric said:
You can't disable Simple File Sharing in XP home. Home may not have the enhanced file security (permissions) either so if those files were protected under XP Pro you may not be able to access them from XP Home. You will likely have to put that drive in a Pro machine to be able to take ownership.
Click to expand...

No, just boot up in safe mode and login as administrator
 
pigster said:
No, just boot up in safe mode and login as administrator
Click to expand...

I'm trying that, but I still don't have that option.
I did get into security, trying to add myself and such, doesn't appear to be working.

Cancel that. I have taken ownership and teh filez are mine once again.

Sir, all my base are belong to you. And you, etc.
 
It does work, I've done it a hundred times


Boot into safe-mode

Log into an account that has administrator privilidges. I don't think it has to be "Administrator" (by the way, that account should be renamed.)
Navigate to the folder you're having problems with.
Righ-click it and select "Properties"
Click the "Security" Tab
Click the "Advanced" button
Click the "Owner" Tab
Select the User you want to make owner of the folder
Click tthe "Replace onwer on subcontainers and objects" box
Click Okay and a dialog box should pop up and show the progress of it taking ownership of files and folders
When it's done click "OK" on the properties box.
Reboot back into normal mode and it should let you have access.
 
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