Access Denied message in Windows 7?

[LFCJohnSmith]

I have had to do a re-install in windows 7 because of a hardware failure that was causing my PC to crash. I have backed up my files, and re-installed them into the my docs folder on the desktop, but when I try to open them it is saying that I don't have permission. I did actually change the security on the folders so that only I could access them but now I have re-installed my OS although the files are all there, I cannot access any of the files that was in the folder before I re-installed them.

How do I get access to the files again?

 

[KSoD]

Please check the Read First thread that talks about File Ownership. That will solve your problem.

 

[LFCJohnSmith]

Does this also work in Windows 7 as well?

I have done that but it still wont allow me to have access to the files. I cant even get it to change to share with everyone, it stays stuck on share with no one.

I did do something to the files and folders so that the names etc. was written in green.

EDIT: The problem has been solved, I have encrypted the files within the backup and thats why I can't access them. I haven't saved the key so I can no longer access the files, but alas all is not lost. After being told by Mak that you shouldn't just depend on your HDD for backups I actually kept copies of the backups in the form of the age old method of printing.

Thanks Mak for the sound advice, and I think you should be considerd for this years Nobel Prize in computing.

Regards