HELP! I've screwed up permissions on C drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter Don
  • Start date Start date
D

Don

In an attempt to learn how to set sharing permissions and security,
I've managed to set the entire C drive to a single user permission.
Now, when I boot the computer it has trouble finding system files. I
thought SYSTEM always had permission to access the files it needed to
operate the system. I'm running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004.
I sure could use some help with this one. I don't want to have to do
a "restore" if I can fix this some other way. I'm submitting this
post using another computer.

Boy, understanding sharing permissions and security sure is difficult.

HELP PLEASE!
Thanks in advance,
Don
 
Hi Don,

You might be able to find the information you need in the following KB
Article:

313222 HOW TO: Reset Security Settings Back to the Defaults
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=313222

MORE INFORMATION:

310791 Description of the Software Restriction Policies in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310791

=========

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Windows XP Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/security/default.asp

Windows 2000 Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/security/default.asp

Top 10 Windows Newsgroups Security Questions:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/newsgroups/default.asp?url=/technet/newsgro
ups/nodepages/sectop10.asp

=========
Paul Hayes, MCSE
Product Support Services
Microsoft Corporation
(e-mail address removed)


--------------------
| From: (e-mail address removed) (Don)
| Subject: HELP! I've screwed up permissions on C drive
| Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2004 17:34:46 GMT
|
| In an attempt to learn how to set sharing permissions and security,
| I've managed to set the entire C drive to a single user permission.
| Now, when I boot the computer it has trouble finding system files. I
| thought SYSTEM always had permission to access the files it needed to
| operate the system. I'm running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004.
| I sure could use some help with this one. I don't want to have to do
| a "restore" if I can fix this some other way. I'm submitting this
| post using another computer.
|
| Boy, understanding sharing permissions and security sure is difficult.
|
| HELP PLEASE!
| Thanks in advance,
| Don
 
Hi Paul,

I checked out the first link "313222 HOW TO: Reset Security Settings
Back to the Defaults. But, it requires that you be able to get to the
"cmd" window. I don't know how to do that, other than as they say
"Start/Run/Cmd". I can't get to that point, as the boot process
doesn't get to the desktop with "Start Menu". Any idea on another way
I can execute their "Secedit" command?

Thanks, I appreciate your help.
Don
 
Hi Don,

Command is as you mention: Start - Run - CMD

You might try booting into Safe Mode and then perform the steps.

315222 A Description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=315222


=========

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Windows XP Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/security/default.asp

Windows 2000 Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/security/default.asp

Top 10 Windows Newsgroups Security Questions:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/newsgroups/default.asp?url=/technet/newsgro
ups/nodepages/sectop10.asp

=========
Paul Hayes, MCSE
Product Support Services
Microsoft Corporation
(e-mail address removed)


--------------------
| From: (e-mail address removed) (Don)
| Subject: Re: HELP! I've screwed up permissions on C drive
| Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 02:07:13 GMT
|
| Hi Paul,
|
| I checked out the first link "313222 HOW TO: Reset Security Settings
| Back to the Defaults. But, it requires that you be able to get to the
| "cmd" window. I don't know how to do that, other than as they say
| "Start/Run/Cmd". I can't get to that point, as the boot process
| doesn't get to the desktop with "Start Menu". Any idea on another way
| I can execute their "Secedit" command?
|
| Thanks, I appreciate your help.
| Don
|
 
Paul,

I can get to the options list that contains "Safe Mode", but when it
runs it apparently can't load the drivers, etc. that it needs to
successfully run, probably because of inappropriate
permissions/security . Any other ways to run "Secedit"?

Don
 
Hi Don,

It looks like we need to move on to other methods. Three possibilities are
1) Recovery Console, 2) perform an in-place upgrade repair or 3) create a
Parallel install of Windows XP and then use the Parallel install to reset
permissions. I'm not sure you can use Secedit in the Recovery Console but
you can try it. I'm also not sure the In-place Upgrade will reset
permissions but you could try that as well. Steps for how to complete a
parallel install are in the first KB Article below under "Installing to a
New Folder".

316941 HOW TO: Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=316941

315341 How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=315341

MORE INFORMATION.

329198 When to Reinstall Windows XP Service Pack 1
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=329198

Repairing Windows XP:
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

=========

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Windows XP Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/security/default.asp

Windows 2000 Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/security/default.asp

Top 10 Windows Newsgroups Security Questions:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/newsgroups/default.asp?url=/technet/newsgro
ups/nodepages/sectop10.asp

=========
Paul Hayes, MCSE
Product Support Services
Microsoft Corporation
(e-mail address removed)

--------------------
| From: (e-mail address removed) (Don)
| Subject: Re: HELP! I've screwed up permissions on C drive
| Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 04:35:48 GMT
|
| Paul,
|
| I can get to the options list that contains "Safe Mode", but when it
| runs it apparently can't load the drivers, etc. that it needs to
| successfully run, probably because of inappropriate
| permissions/security . Any other ways to run "Secedit"?
|
| Don
|
 
Paul,

I was able to boot from an XP Pro full install CD and get to "repair
mode". I had to log in as "administrator", and now can view the C
drive attributes. However, how do I change attributes for "SYSTEM",
as I would assume that's the user that will be trying to startup
Windows in normal boot mode. The repair mode has an ATTRIB command
that I can use to establish "Full Control", but I need to do it for
user "SYSTEM". Also, what attribute string do I provide to set "Full
Control" without disturbing the other attribute bits?

Thanks,
Don
 
Actually, Paul, I'm not sure how to interpret the alpha characters in
the various attribute slots. Is there some place that explains them?
Don
 
Hi Don,

I don't think attrib is going to help in this matter. To see what the
switches are for attrib, type attrib /?

=========

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Windows XP Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/security/default.asp

Windows 2000 Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/security/default.asp

Top 10 Windows Newsgroups Security Questions:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/newsgroups/default.asp?url=/technet/newsgro
ups/nodepages/sectop10.asp

=========
Paul Hayes, MCSE
Product Support Services
Microsoft Corporation
(e-mail address removed)


--------------------
| From: (e-mail address removed) (Don)
| Subject: Re: HELP! I've screwed up permissions on C drive
| Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 23:59:05 GMT
|
| Actually, Paul, I'm not sure how to interpret the alpha characters in
| the various attribute slots. Is there some place that explains them?
| Don
|
|
| On Mon, 22 Mar 2004 22:14:51 GMT, (e-mail address removed) (Don) wrote:
|
| >Paul,
| >
| >I was able to boot from an XP Pro full install CD and get to "repair
| >mode". I had to log in as "administrator", and now can view the C
| >drive attributes. However, how do I change attributes for "SYSTEM",
| >as I would assume that's the user that will be trying to startup
| >Windows in normal boot mode. The repair mode has an ATTRIB command
| >that I can use to establish "Full Control", but I need to do it for
| >user "SYSTEM". Also, what attribute string do I provide to set "Full
| >Control" without disturbing the other attribute bits?
| >
| >Thanks,
| >Don
 
Paul,

Well, I'm going to bite the bullet and try a non-format recovery and
see if that works. But, before I do that, I'm going to use the
"Restore Console" to do a "copy" of my HD to a new second HD I just
bought. Then, I won't feel too bad about doing a formatted recovery,
if I have to. I want to do everything I can to save my data. I'll
let you know how it works out. I sure appreciate your help.

Thanks,
Don
 
Hi Paul,

I'm back. I used MaxtorBlast3 to copy the partition from my original
HD to the new HD. Best I can tell the copy went ok. It took almost
24 hrs to complete. That seemed a bit long to me, but that partition
was 180 GB. So, then I began a recovery on the original drive. I
was never given a chance to do a non-format recovery, so had to do a
formatted recovery. That went well, and now I'm running again with XP
MCE. All my data is gone on the original drive. Then, using Windows
Explorer I clicked on the new drive, and got a message saying it
wasn't formatted. Boy was that a let down. Ran Norton disk utility
and it had a similar problem with it. When I look at it with
MaxtorBlast3 it still says I have an existing partition. Any ideas?
I sure would like to retrieve my data off the new drive. I didn't
expect this to happen.

Thanks,
Don
 
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