Recovering files from My Docs

Cybergangster · 7 Feb 2006 at 15:44

My brothers motherboard recently packed in. I replaced it and used a spare HDD to reinstall XP for him. Now I want to get his files from his old HDD to the new. I've set the old disk as a slave but I do not have the correct permissions to access the folder (My Docs under Documents and Settings).

I tried booting from the original HDD but XP won't boot. Is there any other way I can recover his files?

Memphis · 7 Feb 2006 at 15:57

Open Explorer or My Computer, click Tools > Folder Options, go onto the View tab, scroll to the bottom of the list and uncheck "Use simple file sharing". Click OK.

Browse to the folder you can't access, right click and select Sharing and Security. Click on the Security tab and click the Add button. Type in the name of one of the current users and add that user with full permission.

This should let you into the folder.

(Apologies for the poorly constructed post

but if you can make sense of it, that will let you in.)

Cybergangster · 7 Feb 2006 at 15:58

OMG I can't believe it was that simple! I've spent days sratching my @rse trying to figure this out...

I'll try it as soon as I get home.

Memphis · 7 Feb 2006 at 15:59

Heh, no worries mate, hope it works.

EDIT - Just want to add, the user you are logged in as must have full rights on the PC to be able to set the permissions. If it's a limited user, you wont be able to do this.