Documents and Settings\User Problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dana DeLouis
  • Start date Start date
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Dana DeLouis

Hello. I backed up my C drive recently to an external Hard Drive.

Specifically, the folder
C:\Documents and Settings\User

This is the only account I have on the computer.

I can not access this folder anymore, and it has 100's of important files.
I just realized I can not access these files on the external hard drive
either.

Both give me a "Access is Denied" message.

Why can't I access the files on the Hard Drive?

How can I access these files from the external hard drive to restore them to
C:\Documents and Settings\User ?

When this folder gets saved, is there a code I must use to access the files?
When I do a clean install of the computer, the computer will have a new
Administrator file. Will I definitely not be able to access the files on
the External hard drive then?

Thank you very much for any help.

I am really mad at not being able to access the files that I have backed up.
Sounds like a big problem. I hate Microsofts kb articles that make it sound
like
C:\Documents and Settings\User is just an ordinary file that is easy to
backup and restore.

TIA.
Dana
 
This article describes how to take ownership of a file or folder
to which you have been denied access:

How to Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| Hello. I backed up my C drive recently to an external Hard Drive.
|
| Specifically, the folder
| C:\Documents and Settings\User
|
| This is the only account I have on the computer.
|
| I can not access this folder anymore, and it has 100's of important files.
| I just realized I can not access these files on the external hard drive
| either.
|
| Both give me a "Access is Denied" message.
|
| Why can't I access the files on the Hard Drive?
|
| How can I access these files from the external hard drive to restore them to
| C:\Documents and Settings\User ?
|
| When this folder gets saved, is there a code I must use to access the files?
| When I do a clean install of the computer, the computer will have a new
| Administrator file. Will I definitely not be able to access the files on
| the External hard drive then?
|
| Thank you very much for any help.
|
| I am really mad at not being able to access the files that I have backed up.
| Sounds like a big problem. I hate Microsofts kb articles that make it sound
| like
| C:\Documents and Settings\User is just an ordinary file that is easy to
| backup and restore.
|
| TIA.
| Dana
 
Thank you very much!!! In safe mode, I was able to get to the security
tab. The Take Ownership function locked-up after a while and crashed.
However, it was enough to let me gain access to some of the more important
folders and files. I was then able to copy them over to another area of the
hard drive (D:\) for backup.

What I don't understand is why I can't access these same files on the
external hard drive? Because I am in safe mode, I can not access external
devices and follow the same procedure. I can't copy the folders back to the
hard drive (when not in safe mode) because of "Access Denied." This is
really not a good feeling knowing your backup data is "Access Denied!!"
Ahh.

Anyway, your tip helped me get the more important data out, so thanks.

May I ask another question? It concerns this Document and Settings /
MainUserID.
If everything is working correctly, and you back up this folder to an
external device, can anybody access this folder if they plugged in the
backup device to their computer? I have never read an article that
addresses this. The best I can figure out is if one has administrative
permission on computer B, then they should be able to plug a backup device
into their computer and retrieve all the files in my MainUserID folder. Is
this correct?

I have always be worried about this file protection problem in case of a
needed restore. I have most of my data removed from Documents and Settings
for this very reason. However, there were a few files that still remained.

I am beginning to see that one should never have important data in the
Documents and Settings folder.

Anyway, thanks again for your tip. That really helped. :>0)

Dana
 
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