Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

XP User Folder Logon


  • Please log in to reply

#1
salacy

salacy

    New Member

  • Member
  • Pip
  • 2 posts
BACKGROUND
The motherboard in my XP system failed. I removed the hard drive and put in in one of those USB hard drive enclosures (pretty snazzy) so I could access the data. I can access the drive just fine via the USB connection, the problem is my user account on this drive had a password, so when I try to access "My Documents" under "Documents and Settings"/"My User Name" on the old drive I get the error "Access Denied". It is my XP account, so I can enter the password if it would give me the option.

QUESTION
Does anyone know how I can access these files? Is there a way to enter an XP account protected folder without booting to the operating system on the old disk?

Thanks,
Scott
  • 0

Advertisements


#2
dsenette

dsenette

    Je suis Napoléon!

  • Community Leader
  • 26,047 posts
  • MVP
How to take ownership of a folder

Note You must be logged on to the computer with an account that has administrative credentials. If you are running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, you must start the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an account that has Administrative rights to have access to the Security tab.
If you are using Windows XP Professional, you must disable Simple File Sharing. By default, Windows XP Professional uses Simple File sharing when it is not joined to a domain.
For additional information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
307874 How to disable simplified sharing and set permissions on a shared folder in Windows XP


To take ownership of a folder, follow these steps:
  • Right-click the folder that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.
  • Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears).
  • Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
  • In the Name list, click your user name, or click Administrator if you are logged in as Administrator, or click the Administrators group. If you want to take ownership of the contents of that folder, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box.
  • Click OK, and then click Yes when you receive the following message:

    You do not have permission to read the contents of directory <folder name>. Do you want to replace the directory permissions with permissions granting you Full Control?
    
    All permissions will be replaced if you press Yes.
    Note <folder name> is the name of the folder that you want to take ownership of.

  • Click OK, and then reapply the permissions and security settings that you want for the folder and its contents.
How to take ownership of a file

Note You must be logged on to the computer with an account that has administrative credentials.

To take ownership of a file, follow these steps:
  • Right-click the file that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.
  • Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears).
  • Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
  • In the Name list, click Administrator, or click the Administrators group, and then click OK.

    The administrator or the Administrators group now owns the file. To change the permissions on the files and folders under this folder, go to step 5.

  • Click Add.
  • In the Enter the object names to select (examples) list, type the user or group account that you want to give access to the file. For example, type Administrator.
  • Click OK.
  • In the Group or user names list, click the account that you want, and then select the check boxes of the permissions that you want to assign that user.
  • When you are finished assigning permissions, click OK.

  • 0

#3
SirMrX

SirMrX

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 13 posts
Make sure that the user you're using now had admin right. (under control panel you can change them) and change old users rights...along with owner of folder

****
well nevermind looks like someone was faster in responding

Edited by SirMrX, 09 May 2006 - 01:16 PM.

  • 0

#4
salacy

salacy

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 2 posts
Thanks. That worked like a charm. Which I guess goes to show that if you think your files are secure because you have them stored under a password protected account, then you should think again. Next time I will encrypt them (and back them up offline).

Thanks again.
Scott

How to take ownership of a folder

Note You must be logged on to the computer with an account that has administrative credentials. If you are running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, you must start the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an account that has Administrative rights to have access to the Security tab.
If you are using Windows XP Professional, you must disable Simple File Sharing. By default, Windows XP Professional uses Simple File sharing when it is not joined to a domain.
For additional information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
307874 How to disable simplified sharing and set permissions on a shared folder in Windows XP


To take ownership of a folder, follow these steps:

  • Right-click the folder that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.
  • Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears).
  • Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
  • In the Name list, click your user name, or click Administrator if you are logged in as Administrator, or click the Administrators group. If you want to take ownership of the contents of that folder, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box.
  • Click OK, and then click Yes when you receive the following message:

    You do not have permission to read the contents of directory <folder name>. Do you want to replace the directory permissions with permissions granting you Full Control?
    
    All permissions will be replaced if you press Yes.
    Note <folder name> is the name of the folder that you want to take ownership of.

  • Click OK, and then reapply the permissions and security settings that you want for the folder and its contents.
How to take ownership of a file

Note You must be logged on to the computer with an account that has administrative credentials.

To take ownership of a file, follow these steps:
  • Right-click the file that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.
  • Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears).
  • Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
  • In the Name list, click Administrator, or click the Administrators group, and then click OK.

    The administrator or the Administrators group now owns the file. To change the permissions on the files and folders under this folder, go to step 5.

  • Click Add.
  • In the Enter the object names to select (examples) list, type the user or group account that you want to give access to the file. For example, type Administrator.
  • Click OK.
  • In the Group or user names list, click the account that you want, and then select the check boxes of the permissions that you want to assign that user.
  • When you are finished assigning permissions, click OK.


  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP