Getting round 'Documents and settings' security

[Sam]

Hello,
I have had a problem with a virus that has rendered
my initial installation of XP home useless and
unaccessable, and so intalled another copy of XP beside it
in a new directory. I was told that there is a complex way
of getting round the 'access is denied' message that i get
when trying to access the old documents and settings
folder from my previous installation (the logon had a
password) from the new copy, with the idea of backing up
and then possibly formatting the hard disc (As i dont
think i can uninstall the previos version of XP and dont
want a large amount of obsolete space). Please direct me
to the instructions to get round this message and access
my files. Many thanks. Sam.

 

[Roger Abell]

Take Ownership
Instructions can be found in the help system.

 

[DM]

After much searching, I found the info I needed at
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421, which tells you
how to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP.
I had to replace my computer and needed to access my old
documents and settings, which were on the slave harddrive.

DM

 

[Roger Abell]

You may need to allow your system to receive
the updated help information at Windows Update.