[Leesie]

Hi,

Due to a program issue, I wasn't able to uninstall or delete program files of hp photosmart, the hp tech guy told me to do a non destructive system recovery. I'm a total computer dummy so bear with me. I started to go through the steps, then hit cancel right away. I have a second hard drive in the computer, do I need to remove it so it doesn't get erased??? I have several important files that I am now not able to get to in order to back up

thanks
~Lis

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It means reinstall without reformatting, so you don't lose data. You need to do a repair installation

[RichP]

It means reinstall without reformatting, so you don't lose data. You need to do a repair installation

[piper]

It sounds like maybe the HP Tech asked you to do a Windows Repair install (which is non-destructive). But regardless, the install only affects the Windows installation and the hard drive on which Windows is installed. If your second hard drive is only for file storage (Windows is not installed there), you should be okay.

Can you list the steps he asked you to perform?

[dsenette]

It means reinstall without reformatting, so you don't lose data. You need to do a repair installation

HP has a recovery process that's build into the system (you press something like ctrl f11 during boot) and it's got two options...destructive or not destructive...and it runs from a hidden partition on the drive...the destructive restore/recovery wipes everything...the non destructive...just replaces the OS and the software that came with the machine....while this is very similar to a windows repair installation...it's functionally NOT the same thing.

in any case...the data on your second hard drive SHOULD remain intact...but if you're worried....disconnecting it shouldn't cause any issues

[Leesie]

Thanks for the info I had a problem a few weeks back where I was told to do the destroy recovery which is why I wanted to double check on the recovery this time before going through with it (didn't do the DDR then). I did take out the second hard drive before recovery but now when I log in as my account I can't access the second hard drive, it says access denied but if i go in under a different user i can access the files. Don't get that at all.

The only thing the tech said was to do a NDR and that it should fix the problem with the photogallery wanting to install and photosmart premier not wanting to work or uninstall or do anything but take up space. But its done neither, the photogallery still wants to be installed on start up but can't find the file which prompts a microsoft error and now it seems that it doesn't want to set a restore point though I set two manually and they've vanished. And the recovery partition keeps popping up its running out of space?

Might have been better off before the restore.

~Lisa

[dsenette]

I log in as my account I can't access the second hard drive, it says access denied but if i go in under a different user i can access the files. Don't get that at all.

you may need to take ownership of the files that you're getting "access denied" for

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.[/code]
  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.

But its done neither, the photogallery still wants to be installed on start up but can't find the file which prompts a microsoft error

...do you have the install media for this software?

[Leesie]

Thanks I'll try that with the second hard drive. I know when I clicked the one file though there wasn't a security tab.

The software came pre-installed with no back up cds, though it is on the restore partition, but the same issue happens when I install it that way.

~Lisa