HELP! Need to save my wife's files

[chilliman]

I need advice on how to save my wife's files. Let me explain. About a week ago, I had a video card in my computer go bad. I called the manufacturer's (Dell) technical help line, because the computer was still under warranty. I got some bad advice. Basically the guy tried to solve the problem that he was sure was caused by software by mucking around with Windows XP. Long story, but he ruined my Windows (blue screen) and said I had to reinstall the O/S. Because I did not want to lose all my files, I bought a new hard drive, found the blown capacitors on my video card while I was inside, replaced the video card, installed a clean copy of windows on my new hard drive, changed my old hard drive to a Dynamic drive with a new drive letter so I could read it, and retrieved MOST of my data. (Everything except my wife's files)

Now, the bad part. My wife had created her account and put a password on it, then answered the question about making all her files and folders private as "Yes". Even though my old hard drive is now basically just a data drive, I cannot access those files or folders. In the "Sharing and Security" for her top level account name, or for her "Documents and Settings" folders the box that you check to make the folders and files private is grayed out - I can't get it to become active.

I have tried to recreate a Windows XP account with the same name and password as she used on the old drive, and I cannot move the folder to another location with Explorer. I have exhausted everything I know about. Can anyone help me? She is not a happy camper. If I can save these files, I will absolutely come up with a plan for backup of her data - on a very regular basis.

Thanks if anyone can help........

[Gagaman]

Hope this is of any help;

How to take ownership of a file or folder in winxp

[~Root~]

that wont work if the system has been re-installed on a new system. that will only work on the installation thatwas installed when the file was encrypted.

the easyiest way is just to use the recovery console on the windows XP Pro. install disc.

tell it to "log into" the old HD, and you can copy the copy protected files to another spot on the HD.

for instance

(">" specifies a entry)

______________________________________________________________

Windows XP Recovery Console

Build 2447

Choose which installation to log into...

1. C:\windows

2. D:\windows

...

> 2 (enter your corresonding Drive here, "2" is only used as a example)

______________________________________________________

Enter Administrative Password

> milkyways (enter your password here, Milkyways is only used as a example)

_______________________________________________________

%systemdisc%\D:\Windows\System32:

%systemdisc%\D:\Windows\System32:> cd "D:\Documents and Settings\"

%systemdisc%\D:\Documents and Settings\:> cd deb (put the account name in here, if your unsure try the "tree" command. again, deb is used purely as a example)

%systemdisc%\D:\Documents and Settings\deb\:> xcopy "Documents" d:\ /s /y

(by default Xcopy clears the attributes on files. so encryption, ownership, compression etc. is reomoved from the copyed files\folders. allowing you to reboot into the new installation and access your files)

%systemdisc%\D:\Documents and Settings\dev\:> exit

_____________________________________________________________

That was done purely by memory, so it may look just a little different when preformed. but commands and instructions stay the same.

if you need any more assistance on this subject, feel free to email me at mnovickATnikescomputers.com . (please replace AT with @)

im on vacation so i need something to do besides twidle my fingers lol.

I've edited your email address so that it can't be picked up by email harvesters.- Nellie2

[andsome]

You can be e mailed or P M'd from this site. I wouldn't advise posting your e mail address, you open yourself to spammers who may happen to look on here.

[nellie2]

Thanks andsome, I've edited ~Root~'s email addy so that it won't be picked up by email harvesters, hopefully and would like to thank ~Root~ for his generous offer of help.