Hi,
You may lose data that is stored in the All Users folder and default
program templates and settings that are stored in the Default User folder
after you reinstall, repair, or upgrade Windows XP. You may be missing
Start menu shortcuts, items in the Startup group, and documents, pictures,
or music files that are stored in the Shared Documents folder. Please see
the following KB Articles:
You May Lose Data or Program Settings After Reinstalling, Repairing, or
Upgrading Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=312369
Data loss occurs after you reinstall, repair, or upgrade Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;312368
How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q315341
The differences the way Windows 98/NT and Windows XP stores the user
profile. Here's details what would happen if you have to reinstall the
operating system.
Default storage location For Windows 98/NT
======================================
System root folder
= C:\WINDOWS
My Documents (for user named "Ashok") =
C:\My Documents
My Documents (for all users)
= C:\My Documents
Default storage location For Windows XP
===================================
System root folder
= C:\WINDOWS
My Documents (for user named "Ashok") =
C:\Documents and Settings\Ashok\My Documents
My Documents (for user named "Administrator") =
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents
Your senario
===========
When you reinstalled Windows XP in C:\WinXP, the system MIGHT HAVE has
overwritten the contents of C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My
Documents with a new copy of "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My
Documents". This is not the case.
Please go to C:\Documents and Settings\<username>, then open the My
Documents. If you can't open please follow the next step to take ownership.
To take ownership of a folder, follow these steps:
=========================================
1. Right-click the folder that you want to take ownership of (our case
would be the username), and then click Properties.
2. Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if
one appears).
3. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
4. In the Name list, click your user name, or click Administrator if you
are logged in as Administrator, or click the Administrators group. If you
want to take ownership of the contents of that folder, select the Replace
owner on subcontainers and objects check box.
5. Click OK, and then click Yes when you receive the following message:
You do not have permission to read the contents of directory folder
name. Do you want to replace the directory permissions with permissions
granting you Full Control?
All permissions will be replaced if you press Yes.
Note : Note folder name is the name of the folder that you want to
take ownership of.
6. Click OK, and then reapply the permissions and security settings that
you want for the folder and its contents.
Hope this helps ......
Ashok (Ashokan Achari)
The Posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--------------------
--From: "Subodh" <
[email protected]>
--Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support
--Subject: URGENT: Lost all files in My Documents
--
--I corrupted my WinXP install and could not boot - it was missing hal.dll,
--kernel file and many others. I could not repair it using WinXP install CD
--because it did not accept my Administrator password. So, I installed a new
--version of XP to a new folder (C:\WinXP). I have done this previously in
--Win98 and WinNT. I thought I could boot to this new install and at least
--recover my data files and may be even replace the old installs system
files.
--However, when I booted up to this new install, the file structure on the
--c-drive seemed to be intact but all my word/excel etc. files under
--C:\Documents and Settings\...\My Documents were gone. Note, I did not get
an
--access denied message. Why would all my data file be gone!!!??? I even
tried
--to use the DOS command attrib to look for hidden files but could not see
--any. Half the system files in the old install were also gone. I copied
them
--from my new install but am not able to boot up to the old install.
