Agent Plissken

I had to reinstall windows xp and now I cant get to the old MY DOCUMENTS folder (my user name was password protected)
It doesnt prompt for a password, it just wont let me access the files.
How do I fix this?

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speedracer120

You need administrator status and you need to take ownership of the files. I forget how you do that, but that's what's needed, a quick google search will set you up. That is unless you happened to encrypt your folders which I've done before, like a dumbass, and lost all my files in there.

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raimin

right click the folder, click properties--security tab---advanced-ownership

you might also want to give yourself permission to the folder

Agent Plissken

When I right click the folder and go to properties, the tabs are: General, Sharing, Customize.
There is no option under any of these to allow ownership...
Just FYI, I am an admin in the new widows setup...

qwilliam

are you an admininstrator (meaning account that was created during setup that granted you administrative privileges) or are you the "administrator" (the "built-in account for administering the computer/domain")? not quite sure about this, but i'm fairly certain that, once logged in as the "adminstrator", you'll be able to see the 'security' tab in the properties of the folder.

...wait, actually, if you have administrative privileges, then shouldn't you be able to see that tab anyway, since you have the same rights as the administrator, meaning that you'd be just like the administrator? it could be the version of windows xp that you're using. are you using home or pro? with home, i know that it disables the viewing of the security tab in properties. but, if you have pro, try logging in with the default "adminstrator" account and try raimin's instructions and see if that's a go.

Agent Plissken

Using XP Pro... still no security tab... DAMN BILL GATES!

Dman33

Strange, that should be General, Security, Customize. Double-check for me and verify that you see Sharing instead of Security.

Bvalkor

You need to disable simple file sharing. Go to My computer --> tools --> folder options.

Select the View tab. Under advanced settings uncheck the box next to "use simple file sharing"

You should then see the security tab.

SmokeyDP

You could try booting up with something such as Knoppix. It will read protected NTFS files and you can burn them to a CD right from Knoppix. Knoppix is a bootable Linux CD and it runs from the CD.

http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

bbrian

Keep going to upper level folders until you do see the security tab, then after you set permission force child files and folders to inherit permissions. If you go all the way to the root directory of the drive and you still don't see the security tab, then you don't have administrator rights.

Good call.. that is more likely to be the problem. Should have read down further.

shocky123

Tools->Folder-Options->View->
1. Be sure to select: "Show hidden files and folders"
2. Disable Use simple file sharing (it should be the last thing in the list)

Now, you should be able to do the following to any folder:
Right-click->Sharing and Security->
Security tab->Add->Advanced->Find Now
Select your current user with administrative priveliges. OK. Ok.

Now you'll be back at the Security tab window.
Select your new user in the top window.
in the bottom window, select Allow Full Control.

You may also want to make sure you are the new owner, from the Security tab:
Advanced->Owner tab->
If your user name isnt there by now, we need to go back to the Permissions tab, and select your user name there, hit Edit.
Check all of the Allow boxes. Ok.
Then check the box at the bottom that says: Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries...........blah.......
Ok. and Ok to anything that pops up warning you about changing the permissions.

Hope this helps.
If not -----> 1.
2. Switch to Linux

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Agent Plissken

Wow... how the hell did you guys know all that stuff! Thanks EVERYONE, worked like a charm.