resurrecting data off a harddrive

gwilks98 · 07-27-2006, 09:42 PM

I was given a laptop that won't boot and was asked to see what I can do with it.
The laptop gives an error saying hal.dll is missing or corrupt.

I took the HD out and moved it to my desktop PC and used a USB enclosure to give it a removable disk drive assignment. I wasn't able to open the windows folder, saying it was corrupt.

It looks like the hard drive is on it's way out the door, and I was trying to get to her documents folder; I got an access denied error. Is that a result of a flakey drive, or does she have EFS on her documents folder?

If she's got encryption, I have the password for her account. I just need to know how to get into the folder using the credentials.

Help?

brainsmile · 07-27-2006, 11:40 PM

http://www.runtime.org/

Jeffbx · 07-28-2006, 05:51 AM

You need to take ownership of her files first - see

http://www.gotapex.com/technical-sup...ted-files.html (Dead HD - Saving and opening password protected files?)

gwilks98 · 07-28-2006, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffbx

You need to take ownership of her files first - see

http://www.gotapex.com/technical-sup...ted-files.html (Dead HD - Saving and opening password protected files?)

Beautiful. Thanks!

gwilks98 · 07-31-2006, 09:01 PM

you da man Jeff. It worked, though I'm a little confused: Did she have EFS enabled? (I'm assuming it should have required her pw if she had it on).

Jeffbx · 08-01-2006, 06:28 AM

No, she just had file level permissions set.

In XP, you have 3 levels of security you can set - share level (weakest), file level, and EFS (strongest). Share level permissions just states who is allowed to connect to a particular network share. File level states who is allowed to access a particular file or folder, and EFS actually encrypts the files so that you need a password to access them.

She had file level permissions set, but as long as you have local admin rights on the machine, you can take ownership of those files and give yourself permission to them (as you saw).

07-27-2006, 09:42 PM	#1
gwilks98 Vice Admiral Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: StL Posts: 4,300	resurrecting data off a harddrive I was given a laptop that won't boot and was asked to see what I can do with it. The laptop gives an error saying hal.dll is missing or corrupt. I took the HD out and moved it to my desktop PC and used a USB enclosure to give it a removable disk drive assignment. I wasn't able to open the windows folder, saying it was corrupt. It looks like the hard drive is on it's way out the door, and I was trying to get to her documents folder; I got an access denied error. Is that a result of a flakey drive, or does she have EFS on her documents folder? If she's got encryption, I have the password for her account. I just need to know how to get into the folder using the credentials. Help? __________________ "I know the pieces fit, cause I watched them fall away." "Cold silence has A tendancy to Atrophy any Sense of compassion." MJK

07-27-2006, 11:40 PM	#2
brainsmile Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: woah... why is welfareloser here with me so early in the morning and more importantly why am I wearing her clothes?!? Posts: 13,754	http://www.runtime.org/ __________________ ********************************** DCM #1 (Founder) "Nobody beats Vitus Gerulaitis 18 times in a row." - Vitus Gerulaitis on beating Jimmy Connors after 17 failed attempts.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-28-2006, 05:51 AM	#3
Jeffbx Fleet Admiral Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Michigan Posts: 9,390	You need to take ownership of her files first - see http://www.gotapex.com/technical-sup...ted-files.html (Dead HD - Saving and opening password protected files?)

07-31-2006, 09:01 PM	#5
gwilks98 Vice Admiral Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: StL Posts: 4,300	you da man Jeff. It worked, though I'm a little confused: Did she have EFS enabled? (I'm assuming it should have required her pw if she had it on).

08-01-2006, 06:28 AM	#6
Jeffbx Fleet Admiral Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Michigan Posts: 9,390	No, she just had file level permissions set. In XP, you have 3 levels of security you can set - share level (weakest), file level, and EFS (strongest). Share level permissions just states who is allowed to connect to a particular network share. File level states who is allowed to access a particular file or folder, and EFS actually encrypts the files so that you need a password to access them. She had file level permissions set, but as long as you have local admin rights on the machine, you can take ownership of those files and give yourself permission to them (as you saw).

User Name
Password
Remember Me?