My machine went beserk this morning so I have put the hard drive in another machine and it has become drive F. So far so good. I can get to most of my stuff but is there any way I can get into 'My Documents' on the new 'F' drive which was the 'C' drive in my old machine? It has all my favourites in it and other bits and pieces In XP only the person logged in can see that folder or otherwise access is denied. Any ideas anyone?

Thanks.

Originally posted by Bloomdido
My machine went beserk this morning so I have put the hard drive in another machine and it has become drive F. So far so good. I can get to most of my stuff but is there any way I can get into 'My Documents' on the new 'F' drive which was the 'C' drive in my old machine? It has all my favourites in it and other bits and pieces In XP only the person logged in can see that folder or otherwise access is denied. Any ideas anyone?

Thanks.

cant you add an account with the same name and password on the new computer? :P

or is that too easy? lol

Tried that and it's not having it. I think the password info is kept in a file on the C drive and it ain't a C drive any more.

Im sure if you log in as administrator (you might have to press F8 while rebooting to get this option) you should be able to access all the files...hmmmm...if not...then thats a real tricky problem!

It's not the files you want to access, it's the profiles. Not an easy task.

Easiest way would be to swap the jumpers on the drives so that F is C and C is F. Or you could just dual boot.

Or swap the leads over so that F becomes C and I should be able to get in that way and drop the folders onto a CD. Can't face disconnecting everything tonight but will try it tomorrow.

Thank you all.

is access denied when you browse through to f:\documents and settings\username\my documents?

Yes, it lets me into the main folder but access is denied to any sub-folders like my documents, start menu etc. There's not much in there I need apart from all my websites. I was going to have a clear out but ....

The plan is to put the drive back as a C drive whan I have sussed out what is wrong with the other machine.

Originally posted by Bloomdido
Or swap the leads over so that F becomes C

Not a good idea, might not actualy work deending how the jumpers are set. Also, cables might not be long enough, (been there, done that).

If you use a USB to IDE converter, available for £30 or so from Maplin, then plug your old HDD in via USB, all permissions are bypassed.

At this point I'd normally whip out the old knoppix cd, and boot from it and burn the needed files to cd. But, I think, but right clicking on the folder, going to the security tab, and try changing the permissions. There is also a way to take ownership of the folder, but I can't remember how.

Also, have you just tried reinstalling windows over the top of the old install, it may fix whatever went barmy (maybe just enough to be able to recover your files.

Joel

Originally posted by Joelc
At this point I'd normally whip out the old knoppix cd, and boot from it and burn the needed files to cd.

Joel


Trinity (http://trinityhome.org/trk/) would do the job (though, as the website mentions, some Linux experience is required) of recovering files/ressetting admin passwords for Win XP.

Though it can also FUBAR your system.....

can you access ntfs filesystems in linux?
i have win me on a seperate partition and cant from there i had to use an ntfs reader program

Originally posted by melthebell
can you access ntfs filesystems in linux?

Indeed you can (and many other file systems).

Try this: right-click/Properties on the user's folder in F:\Documents&Settings. Then go to the security tab, click Advanced, click Owner and tell it to give ownership to the user on the new pc - it is assigned to the user on the old machine. Any user with admin rights should be able to take over the folder and assign it to another user. You may need to tick the box at the bottom to make sure you can also get into all subdirectories...

you could use/create a WinPE disk... loads of tuts on the web. always come in handy for things like this.


logging in as a system admin should work thought.

Rich - There's no 'owner' tab to click! I will work through the suggestions as I get chance. Should have tried to reinstall XP Joel but I forgot that option and noe I'm getting no signal to the monitor from the knackered machine so it's not really an option. Worked sweetly every day for 2 years and then ....

Thanks for the suggestions.