Access denied to folder after reinstall

[javert]

Several months ago I had to reinstall Windows XP Pro due to a partition failure; I don't remember if I reinstalled it with the repair option or not. Anyway, I created the same administrator account as I had before. After doing so I noticed that there were two similiar folders in C:\Documents and Settings\: "username" and "username.computername", of course substituting my actual admin username and computer name for the placeholders. I soon noticed that the "username.computername" folder contained my documents and settings while the "username" folder was inaccessible (gave the " is not accessible. Access Denied" prompt). This didn't bother me, though, because in the properties of the folder it said it was 0 bytes.

However, during a recent backup using Windows' Backup utility I found out that the "username" folder is NOT empty and I can actually browse through the backed up data. The folder contains 5.5 GB of data, but Windows won't let me access or delete it. I need the extra space, so how do I go about deleting this folder? I've tried restoring the recently backed-up files over the folder while not using the option to "restore security settings"...it allowed me to overwrite all the files, but i still can't open or delete the folder.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[Grendel]

Boot into Safe Mode/Administrator account, then you should be able to access and move the data around.

[javert]

Thanks! It wasn't quite that easy, but you pointed me in the right direction. Here's what I did for anyone else who may have this problem...

When i tried opening or deleting the folder as Administrator in Safe Mode it still gave me the "Access Denied" message. However, I could go into the folder properties and change the ownership of the folder, subfolders, and contents over to Administrator. (In folder properties, go to the Security tab, then go click Advanced, then go to the Owner tab...Select the user to whom you want to give ownership, then check the box to "replace owner on subcontainers and objects"). This then allowed me to delete it.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!!!

[bystander]

I crashed my laptop and got everything back but my own files using Norton Ghost.

Under safe mode, I got everything back! Thanks a lot!

Raul

[gratefulbeth]

Originally Posted by javert

Thanks! It wasn't quite that easy, but you pointed me in the right direction. Here's what I did for anyone else who may have this problem...

When i tried opening or deleting the folder as Administrator in Safe Mode it still gave me the "Access Denied" message. However, I could go into the folder properties and change the ownership of the folder, subfolders, and contents over to Administrator. (In folder properties, go to the Security tab, then go click Advanced, then go to the Owner tab...Select the user to whom you want to give ownership, then check the box to "replace owner on subcontainers and objects"). This then allowed me to delete it.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!!!

I just wanted to drop by and thank you for posting this. I had done the same thing and wanted to get my documents back and was at my wits end. When I did this I got it all back. Thanks so much you were a life saver.

[scuba_steve]

Originally Posted by gratefulbeth

I just wanted to drop by and thank you for posting this. I had done the same thing and wanted to get my documents back and was at my wits end. When I did this I got it all back. Thanks so much you were a life saver.

Ditto. I registered on this board just so I could thank you folks. I reinstalled Win XP Home on my C drive and no longer had access to my old "My Documents" directory on my D Drive. Yeah, I should have backed up, but I didn't. What a lifesaver. Cheers!

[rayvolver711]

thank u to javert hu posted the problem on "Access Denied" message. tnx

[chattalker]

Javert and Grendel,

This one really baffled me, but thanks to you two and your very clear and complete instructions, weeks of head-banging are over. Your solution worked perfectly, first time.

I would like to join your followers and thank you both for your postings concerning this 'access denied' issue (and i have also registered here specifically to do so).

How amazing it always is to find that we are not alone with our IT problems.

Forward march,
thanks again
bryan.

[luka.ramishvili]

thanx u, i only registered to post a thanx-you reply

i reinstalled windows to my friends' girlfriend so she couldnt access D:\My documents.

assumed she didnt quite understand other boot modes, i made paper-instrctions and i wondered why everything worked at 1st try with me being at my office and the comp-owner - home :P

i read other ppls how-it-was so i thought it would not be "boring -skip - to next post" :P
th again :P

[Malandery]

Hey mate thanks for the tread, i get a invalid key from upgrading my home edition from sp2 to sp3, have to back up everything and re install windows because wont let me log into my only account on the computer. thanks