accessing private folders HELP

[ryanmc_06]

I had the My DOcuments folder set so that it would be private.Just recently my windows xp crashed. I reinstalled windows and made a new account. Is there any way to get the files from the folder on my old account and put them on the new one?Please help me... I have about 200 pictures in that folder and only about 50 of them are backed up on a cd.

[rik]

It depends on how you reinstalled Windows. Was it a full install, upgrade, or repair? Any additional info would help with an answer...

[sysk167]

Depends if you have Home or Pro. If Home: start the machine in safe-mode (hit F5 or F8 during boot) & then rigth-click the folder & choose the security-tab. There should be a button "advanced" & via that you have to take the ownership of the folder. You maybe have to change a folder setting before you can see the security-tab: I think the english version for that is "Enable simple filesharing". If that is checked & no security-tab, uncheck it or vice versa.
If Pro: exactly the same as above but you don't have to go to Safe-mode.

[SupaStar]

Good work sysk167. I tried your tip on a folder I had lyin around and it worked! Got pro and it worked running in normal mode :D

Cheers.

[sysk167]

Cheers! You may send me the beers to..... :-)
Nice it works. I have written this tip at many forums, mostly in Sweden & everyone is as happy as you. Bad info from M-soft I think.
So spred it out...
Bj

[egghead]

it's funny...

I had to do this exact thing on wednesday for a friend.

i thought his folder was gone forever but i took ownership and got everything back


just be thankful that you did not encrypt the files or they would all be goners

egghead

[sysk167]

That's true! If it had been an encrypted folder it would been gone to cyberspace for ever I think. It could been opened by a specialist at these yhing but it would cost big money. So if you encrypt, back-up the key for encryption AND the password to. Otherwise... cyberspace next or your purse will be empty...

[SupaStar]

Hehe...good point guys. When you make a folder 'private' is that the same as encrypting it?

[sysk167]

No it's not the same thing. Private folder means it's your folder & that nobody else can open it/edit any files in it. They can see it in Windows Explorer but that's it. If they try to open it they will see a message something like "The folder is not avilable. It's maybe moved or deleted". Encrypted is that the folder is complety "unreadable" before you support the folder with the password & decrypt it. After that it's avilable again.

[SupaStar]

Oh I see. So it safe to make a folder private...worst case you can always take ownership of it if you reinstall windows, but an encrypted folder requires a password to open.

Cheers

[joshsiao]

That's true! If it had been an encrypted folder it would been gone to cyberspace for ever I think. It could been opened by a specialist at these yhing but it would cost big money. So if you encrypt, back-up the key for encryption AND the password to. Otherwise... cyberspace next or your purse will be empty...
Actually I won't call it cyperspace, becasue from my understanding, cyberspace is the literally the internet. To me the encrypted folder would be lost to the depths of magnetism somewhere on your hard disk.

[sysk167]

True! but to me that's tha same thing. Working as a programmer & from wath I learned (by misstake...), if it's gone you will never see it again. It could been transported to Pluto from my view...