I believe you will find your answer here:
How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421
Daddy
"Peter Chang" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:43BF7B55-B85C-4BCF-8537-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I backed up some files on to my external USB harddrive.
>
> I then re-installed winXP on my laptop, now I can't access the files I
> backedup on my USB harddrive.
>
> I can see the USB harddrive in explorer and I can go into folders but I
> cannot open any of the files up or copy them to my desktop.
>
> I tried to changed the ownership of the files, but I get an error message
> saying access denied.
>
> I tried to use the subinACL util. but it doesn't work.
>
> Can anyone help.. please!!!