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Windows reinstall - problem accessing old user a/c files

  • 15-03-2005 7:33pm
    #1
    b20uvkft6m5xwg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,695 ✭✭✭


    Hi Guys,

    Bit of a problem when reinstalling windows xpp.

    To cut a long story short, there was a crash on a laptop of a friend so went about trying to backup data and reinstall windows. However it wouldnt recognise any usb devices ie. ext. HDD to back stuff up. So I reinstalled windows without formatting so as to have a bare bones reinstalltion on it to take the files off. Howver the folder where the old user account is, is now innaccessable even when logged on as administrator. even though I know all the old data is still is on the HDD becuase no format was done, simply a reinstall of windows.

    So does anyone know how i can find all the data on the machine to back it up and then do a fresh install. I have tried various methods and none of the old files appear in searchs etc.

    Any help apprecaited. (hope people understand the above)
    David


Comments

  • #2
    osmethod
    Closed Accounts Posts: 244 ✭✭osmethod


    How many partitions were on the original install?
    Did you install the new xp onto the same partition as the original?

    Can you clarify your actual procedure...

    A quick way to see if the files are there is to download NTFSdos from sysinternals http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdos.shtml

    Put this file on a bootdisk and use it from the CL. It will mount any ntfs partitions to a drive letter... use cd, dir etc as usual then

    osmethod


  • #3
    maxheadroom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,569 ✭✭✭maxheadroom


    Royal Grumpy Detergent wrote:
    Hi Guys,

    Bit of a problem when reinstalling windows xpp.

    To cut a long story short, there was a crash on a laptop of a friend so went about trying to backup data and reinstall windows. However it wouldnt recognise any usb devices ie. ext. HDD to back stuff up. So I reinstalled windows without formatting so as to have a bare bones reinstalltion on it to take the files off. Howver the folder where the old user account is, is now innaccessable even when logged on as administrator. even though I know all the old data is still is on the HDD becuase no format was done, simply a reinstall of windows.

    So does anyone know how i can find all the data on the machine to back it up and then do a fresh install. I have tried various methods and none of the old files appear in searchs etc.

    Any help apprecaited. (hope people understand the above)
    David

    The problem is with NTFS file permissions. You need to take ownership of the files as administrator Let me search through my old posts for the instructions...

    EDIT: found them : http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?postid=1471512#post1471512


  • #4
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,550 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    To allow everyone to see all the files you can also do this
    start - run - cacls c:\*.* /t /e /c /g everyone:f


  • #5
    b20uvkft6m5xwg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,695 ✭✭✭b20uvkft6m5xwg


    Thanks Lads,

    Got that sorted by logging in under safe mode.

    One thing that I havent been able to sort out though is that one of the folders and its contents are pasword protected or encyrpted so I havent been able to copy them from the laptop hd to the ext HD. Any of you guys know a way to get around that?


  • #6
    b20uvkft6m5xwg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,695 ✭✭✭b20uvkft6m5xwg


    Hi Folks,

    I tried to revist this problem tpday-I have all the files but cant copy or open them- Its mainly word files that were password protected and becuase they are associtaed with the old user they wont open up at all !?

    Any idea of how to reassociate the files with a new user as I obvioulsy know the password etc. ??

    TIA


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  • #7
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,550 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    you should be able to right click and take ownership - but cacls should have done that already.


  • #8
    SouperComputer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭SouperComputer


    if they were encrypted usuing XP Pro's EFS, then its game over if you have done a reinstall :(

    surprisingly, the encryption with windows 2000 and XP Pro is decent.


  • #9
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,550 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    SouperComputer wrote:
    if they were encrypted usuing XP Pro's EFS, then its game over if you have done a reinstall :(

    surprisingly, the encryption with windows 2000 and XP Pro is decent.
    You might be ok if you had made the disk. But what scared me off EFS was the possibility of data loss when upgrading / reinstalling / service packing - IIRC one of them did cause data loss if you didn't make the appropiate repair disk - didn't look into it further , I've been through the whole Stacker/Doublespace/Drivespace/ Dos 6.0,6.01,6.02/ Not supported by Windows/Dos Backup /ntbackup/ Windows 3.x backup/ Win95 backups./ NT4 backup being service pack dependent etc. so with a track record like that I am very wary of using passwords or encryption on microsoft backups.


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