Crashed and Can not open My Documents

[Guest]

My computer crashed and when I try to get back into windows it stalls. What
happened is my power supply died and after 3 days of getting a new one, the
fan on the CPU stopped working and the next thing I know, I can't log in. I
get to windows is starting screen. I waits about 5 minutes and then restarts.
It is a never ending run around.
I have another hard drive and installed this copy of winXP on it (sorry
Bill, after I get my files back, I will delete this copy and format the
drive) and when I try to set them up in the same computer, it won't start at
all.
So I hooked up the original drive by usb external. To get to my files, I
can't open, copy, move them - it says they are write protected. I can open
every file on that drive except for My Documents. I do have a password on the
log on of that drive, but it is not being reconized. It is the same password
that I have on the computer now.
I can not get into system recovery. It says wrong password 3 times and must
reboot. When I use F8 and try to use any of the options, it get to the
windows is starting up screen and after about 5 minutes it reboots. It is a
never ending cycle.

 

[Nepatsfan]

My computer crashed and when I try to get back into windows
it stalls. What happened is my power supply died and after 3
days of getting a new one, the fan on the CPU stopped
working and the next thing I know, I can't log in. I get to
windows is starting screen. I waits about 5 minutes and then
restarts. It is a never ending run around.
I have another hard drive and installed this copy of winXP
on it (sorry Bill, after I get my files back, I will delete
this copy and format the drive) and when I try to set them
up in the same computer, it won't start at all.
So I hooked up the original drive by usb external. To get to
my files, I can't open, copy, move them - it says they are
write protected. I can open every file on that drive except
for My Documents. I do have a password on the log on of that
drive, but it is not being reconized. It is the same
password that I have on the computer now.
I can not get into system recovery. It says wrong password 3
times and must reboot. When I use F8 and try to use any of
the options, it get to the windows is starting up screen and
after about 5 minutes it reboots. It is a never ending cycle.

When you put both drives in the computer did you have them
jumpered correctly? Drive with new XP installation as Master
and old drive as Slave?

With the old hard drive connected as an external USB drive, you
can try the following:

How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

Note: 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. To start in Safe Mode, reboot your computer and
start tapping the F8 key as soon as you see anything displayed
on the screen. Keep hitting F8 until the Advanced Startup
Options menu appears. Use the up and down arrow keys on your
keyboard to select Safe Mode. Hit Enter.

Note: The above procedure will not help you recover any files
that may have been encrypted.

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Guest]

I am running Xp Pro, SP1, SP2. When I tried both of them on the same computer
they were set on cable select. I will set them up as master slave and set
what happens. I have not encrypted any of those files.

 

[Guest]

I tried the Master and Slave. When it got to the winxp is starting screen,
computer rebooted after about 5 minutes. Any other ideas?

 

[Nepatsfan]

Which version of Windows are you using, Home or Professional?

Have you tried following the procedure outlined in that
Microsoft article while you have the old drive set up as an
external USB drive?

Nepatsfan

 

[Guest]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
I went and took ownership of the drive and got all My Documents back!!! I
have been trying to do this for about a week now and in less than 1 hour I'M
BACK. Now I have some DVD's to burn and a hard drive to reformat. Oh it is so
nice to have all my work and game saves back.

Nepatsfan you are a GodSend....

I will back up this computer every other day now - instead of once every 3
weeks!

Thanks for the help,
Nick

 

[Nepatsfan]

Glad to hear you're back in business.

Nepatsfan

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
I went and took ownership of the drive and got all My
Documents back!!! I have been trying to do this for about a
week now and in less than 1 hour I'M BACK. Now I have some
DVD's to burn and a hard drive to reformat. Oh it is so nice
to have all my work and game saves back.

Nepatsfan you are a GodSend....

I will back up this computer every other day now - instead
of once every 3 weeks!

Thanks for the help,
Nick