Partitions

[Peter]

My hard disk has 2 partitions and I would like to know if it possible to
get into a second partition, the reason is because I have software in
there that I would like to open.

 

[John John]

Of course you can get into the second partition... as long as Windows
can see it. What is this second partition, is it a hidden service
partition? Give us more details.

John

 

[Peter]

In the first partition there is Windows xp home and in the second is
Windowsxpsp Media Center and that is the partition I want to open. It is
on a computer from my next door neighbour who has recently died and was
given to me.

 

[DbB]

Your question is a bit
odd.

It appears that the partition
you are curious about may be
off limits to you.

Your best bet is to find out
who or what created that partition.

My guess is that if you did
not create it, then the people
who set up your computer did.

Check your pc's parent website
and look up that model number for
additional information that is specific
to your particular machine.

 

[Gordon]

In the first partition there is Windows xp home and in the second is
Windowsxpsp Media Center and that is the partition I want to open. It is
on a computer from my next door neighbour who has recently died and was
given to me.

You won't be able to open any applications on the second drive with XP Media
centre installed unless you choose to boot into Media centre at start-up. Do
you not get the option to do this when you power up the machine?

 

[Poprivet]

In the first partition there is Windows xp home and in the second is
Windowsxpsp Media Center and that is the partition I want to open. It is
on a computer from my next door neighbour who has recently died
and was given to me.

Sounds like you need to set up a dual-boot scenario since it's another os
you're trying to access. See Help for more info.

Pop`

 

[John John]

So it's a different hard disk that you have mounted in your computer? I
assume that you see the drive in Windows Explorer but that when you try
to access it you get an "Access Denied" message. You have to grant
yourself necessary permissions to the drive and files or take ownership
of it.

With XP Home to take ownership you have to boot into Safe Mode:

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

You don't have to own the files to have access or control over them, you
only need necessary permissions. Without rebooting into Safe Mode you
can grant yourself necessary permissions to the files with the CACLS
command. You must have Administrative privileges to use the command and
it must be used at the Command Prompt.

This will grant full permissions on all the files and folders on drive
d: to all members of the Administrators group:

cacls c:\ /t /e /g Administrators:f


This will grant full permissions on all the files and folders on drive d
to John Doe:

cacls d:\ /t /e /g "John Doe":f

For help on the command do: cacls /?

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/cacls.mspx?mfr=true

John

 

[Gordon]

So it's a different hard disk that you have mounted in your computer? I
assume that you see the drive in Windows Explorer but that when you try to
access it you get an "Access Denied" message. You have to grant yourself
necessary permissions to the drive and files or take ownership of it.

That'll solve the access problem, but it won't solve the OP's original
problem, in that he wants to "open software" on that drive, which he won't
be able to do unless he boots into media centre on start-up....

 

[Ken]

When I try to boot into the 2nd, Media Center I get this error message
'windowsroot\system32\hal.dll
Ken

 

[Gordon]

When I try to boot into the 2nd, Media Center I get this error message
'windowsroot\system32\hal.dll

Google is your friend - have a look here:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=error+windowsroot\system32\hal.dll&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

 

[John John]

That'll solve the access problem, but it won't solve the OP's original
problem, in that he wants to "open software" on that drive, which he won't
be able to do unless he boots into media centre on start-up....

I missed that point. That is correct, he won't be able to run that
software from his XP Home installation. Depending on how different the
computers and installations are the drive might not boot or Windows MCE
might not work very well on his computer if it does boot...

John