Reinstalled, lost folders

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I reinstalled Windows XP recently using the "Non-Destructive System Recovery" option on my HP Pavillion computer. Now, all my users are gone, and although the folders are on the computer, every time I try to open one of them it gives me an "acess denied" error, and the files are still taking up space on my hard drive. How can I access these folders?
 
Hi Sporky,

You need to take ownership of them. Right-click the folder, select
properties. Go to the security tab and click advanced. You can take control
of the folders on the owner tab. For the security tab to appear in a WinXP
Pro system, you must disable simple file sharing in the control panel/folder
options/view tab. For a WinXP Home system, you must restart in safe mode and
logon as administrator. More details here:

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP [Q308421]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

An additional note for WinXP Pro users: This procedure will not help you
recover data if the files are encrypted. All you will be able to do is
delete them. To recover encrypted files you will need the original
encryption certificate or a Recovery Agent from the installation under which
they were encrypted. Without one of these, the files are not recoverable.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
 
Back
Top