Access Denied when copying files

[kurt2439]

I saved some data from my aunts computer onto a hard drive with a useless installation of windows 2000 on it (I wish I had formatted it but I didnt think it would matter!). So let me explain this a little more in depth because I think you'll see this isnt as straightforward as you think.

The drive I copied the data onto had a previous installation of windows 2000, however it wasnt running off this disk. I pulled it out of a different computer and was only using it for temporary storage. After I reinstalled windows XP on my aunts computer I went to copy the files from that windows 2000 drive (still had not been booted, only a slave in my aunts computer) and when I copy the files it has access denied error. Im sure many of you are familiar with this problem.

So I went to try and change the owner of the folder to an administrator but I didnt have permission to even do that and it was locked to some rediculous user like "83279-32-dlkajf3285u2ds". I made that up but it was random like that...I dont think I have any user names like that on my old computer... Anyways so after some cursing I booted the computer with sherpyas XPE and I was able to change the owner to administrators.

When I booted the computer back up I was able to take ownership of the folder but still not copy or even execute the files. So thats very confusing to me. I even tried putting the windows 2000 drive back in the computer it came out of to see if I could access the files then, but no. Now It's in my computer as a slave and I still havnt been able to access these files. Ive seen a lot of links to microsofts solution to this...chaning the ownership...but it doesnt work for me! And I cant figure out why. I really need help guys, Im out of ideas

ARe there any programs that will copy these files somehow without ownership? I was using Beyond COmpare originally...I dunno. HELP!

 

[derrmc]

if you have a 2000 disc, i would try a repair on that drive.

 

[kurt2439]

In the words of the kings of Mario 3 when Mario is sporting a sweet suit...No dice, what a drag.

aka. that didnt work

a little further clarification - I can copy files from any other folder on the hard drive except that one where i backed up the files too...it;s just that one folder with messed up ownership/permissions/whatever...

save me

 

[KSoD]

Have you tried to take ownership of the files, folders and what not in XP? That might solve the problem. Also are the file systems the same on both drives? It could be that the file system you use with XP is NTFS while the other is FAT32. This shouldnt be a problem since you can see the other drive the file systems cant be reversed.

I would see if you can take ownership of the stuff. That might work.

 

[kurt2439]

Yeah that is what I have already tried. Despite the fact that it says I have ownership of the files, I cannot access them

 

[Osiris]

You tried this:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

 

[kurt2439]

Yes that is what I have been following, BUT I just found this which I believe relates directly to me...In fact I know it does hah.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;250494&sd=tech

I realized the destinction when I noticed I could copy SOME files from the different directories in this folder and not others...and upon further observation, the ones I couldn't copy were encrypted. This happened because I saved a bunch of different folders from the original computer. I BELIEVE that the folders that have encrypted files in them were shared on the network, so maybe that is how they are encrypted?

Microsoft says they become encrypted by using the Encrypted File System (EFS) does anyone know if sharing a folder uses this system by default? I dont know how they would have been encrypted otherwise. And now how can I remedy this situation?? Microsoft says only the user that encrypted them can decrypt them, but the original user has been wiped in a reinstall...they mention being able to decrypt them using "the designated recovery agent"...any ideas what that is in reference too? Thanks for any help

 

[kurt2439]

So I also found this command to decrypt files on NTFS Volumes but it says ERR Error Access Denied because probably you have to be logged in as the user that encrypted the files to use this command...but it was worth a try. Maybe it will help someone in the future

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/encrypt_overview.mspx

Proper usage to decrypt files within a folder and all subdirectories would be

cipher /d /a /sathname



Anyways, still need help

 

[derrmc]

I saved some data from my aunts computer onto a hard drive with a useless installation of windows 2000 on it (I wish I had formatted it but I didnt think it would matter!). So let me explain this a little more in depth because I think you'll see this isnt as straightforward as you think.

The drive I copied the data onto had a previous installation of windows 2000, however it wasnt running off this disk. I pulled it out of a different computer and was only using it for temporary storage. After I reinstalled windows XP on my aunts computer I went to copy the files from that windows 2000 drive (still had not been booted, only a slave in my aunts computer) and when I copy the files it has access denied error. Im sure many of you are familiar with this problem.

So I went to try and change the owner of the folder to an administrator but I didnt have permission to even do that and it was locked to some rediculous user like "83279-32-dlkajf3285u2ds". I made that up but it was random like that...I dont think I have any user names like that on my old computer... Anyways so after some cursing I booted the computer with sherpyas XPE and I was able to change the owner to administrators.

When I booted the computer back up I was able to take ownership of the folder but still not copy or even execute the files. So thats very confusing to me. I even tried putting the windows 2000 drive back in the computer it came out of to see if I could access the files then, but no. Now It's in my computer as a slave and I still havnt been able to access these files. Ive seen a lot of links to microsofts solution to this...chaning the ownership...but it doesnt work for me! And I cant figure out why. I really need help guys, Im out of ideas

ARe there any programs that will copy these files somehow without ownership? I was using Beyond COmpare originally...I dunno. HELP!

the problem is the difference between the original xp of your aunts and the reinstall, and i can't seem to understand what that is yet. working on it!

 

[kurt2439]

derrmc: According to what I read while I was poking around the key's that windows uses for encryption/decryption are randomly generated so a a later install on the same machine will have totally different keys. I'm really bummed about the whole situation as it looks like there is absolutely no way to get the data decrypted without professional data recovery services. Even programs that claim they can decrypt EFS files can only do so if you still have the installation of windows with the keys!
This seems like too much power to have over potentially important data to be initiated with a checkbox. My aunts family has no idea how it was even turned on. I dont have a problem with the system in general, but they should prompt you to save the keys when you turn it on and WARN you of the danger. I'll be on a much higher lookout for efs in the future, but it really sucks to get burned like that in the present!

>=o(