Need To Retrieve Files off Seperate Partiton

[Existence.]

Hey everyone, Existence here.

Recently, I have been having problems with Windows XP. Due to various reasons, Windows refused to boot. I tried fixing it, but failed.

I gave up, created a new partition on my 250 GB harddrive, and installed another copy of XP there. I tried to explore my old XP partition, and I can see all my files, except files located in C:\Documents and Settings. I can see every folder in Documents and Settings, just no files.

I have fairly important files located on my Desktop, and I need to retrieve them.
Any help is appreciated,
Thanks.

-Exist.

 

[saitekx50]

the drive might be defective some bad sectors. You could try using the latest version of ubuntu to copy the files from the drive to the 250gb had drive. You can get a live cd from http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download

when you get the file download the Standard personal computer (x86 architecture, PentiumTM, CeleronTM, AthlonTM, SempronTM) version even if you have 64 bit. get Ubuntu version 7.10. You will need to burn the image to a cd. Use nero to do that.

 

[Lafinass]

You're mis-reading his situation.

So, you're booting of Partition B and reading off Partition A? And the file structure for a specific directory is coming up empty? I've got some disk recovery tools that might help you but they're at home. Let me see if I can walk the wife through emailing them to me.

 

[USCG Hammer]

Have you tried using Safe Mode? I had this problem and Safe Mode allowed me to copy the files I needed to a disc

 

[Lafinass]

Except that the files on his old partition would register as system files to the new install of Windows. Putting windows in Safe mode shouldn't affect their ability to be copied, much less their visibility.

Edit: Actually, it is possible that you were running in a multi-user mode, essentially 'protecting' your files from other users of the computer. I've never heard of such flags carrying over between installs, but Safe Mode is worth a shot. Be sure to log in as the Administrator when you do.

 

[Existence.]

Yep Lafin, that's correct. I'm booting off my new XP partition and need to access files on my old XP partition.
I can view every folder on my old XP partition, but just no files (in Documents and Settings).
And I tried using Safe Mode, didn't work.

 

[Lafinass]

Those folders are the one part of the system that are 'exclusive' to individual users, this really sounds like some kind of 'protection' against one user accessing another's files. That junk is all disabled on my install of windows, so I'm not sure exactly how to solve your problem, but I'm surprised that would persist between installs unless it uses some kind of encryption.

 

[NinjaFluff]

perhaps he could take ownership of those folders?

 

[Existence.]

[quote1208223047=NinjaFluff]
perhaps he could take ownership of those folders?
[/quote1208223047]
How?

 

[MenOpaws]

RIght click on the folder, and select "properties". Then select the "security" tab, and click on the edit button. On the new popup window, click on the "add" button, and type "everyone" in the "Enter the object names to select" field and click on "Check names", and then hit "OK" Then highlight "everyone in the previous screen, and check "full controll"and hit "OK" 2 more times to close the last two windows. As Ninjafluff already indicated, this is an "ownership" issue. You lost ownership of those files by creating a new partition/user. Setting the ownership to everyone should allow you access to those files again. Good luck!

 

[Flippy the Squirrel]

If you can see the folders, but the files don't appear, that it's not an encryption or ownership issue. You'd just receive an error message when trying to access them. I think you might have some corruption there.

 

[-nocturne=-]

Have you tried booting into the Recovery Console on the original XP install? To do so, boot to a XP install cd (load RAID/SATA drivers w/ F6 if needed), and press 'R' to load the Recovery Console when the menu pops up. You'll then have to log on to that install's admin account, and any of it's files (I'm pretty sure you can use a flash/usb drive to backup to, provided the XP install's Group Policy is specifically set to deny it).

Otherwise, you can also use the Recovery Console to fix the old XP install, in most cases. If you're getting a BSOD, you can transfer the dump file to a drive/floppy and debug it on another computer, and then disable the problematic driver/service from the Console.