Getting into locked windows folders?

[LeadBullet]

I reinstalled windows and had some stuff on my desktop. It looks like the stuff that was in the documents and settings folder before are still there, but have .000 or something on the end of it, and it doesnt let me access it.

Is there anything I can do to get into it to see if some stuff I had on my desktop before reinstalling is still there?

[Bludd]

You need to change the permissions.
Right click and select security. Add your username or a group in which your username is a member and give it full control or something.

[Scream]

Bludd is correct, but I'll be a little more explicit as it can be irritating with a new XP install to try and figure out how to do this. I'm working from XP Pro, but I think XP Home is the same in this regard.

The first thing you need to do is turn off "simple file sharing". This will enable the security tab on all Windows objects so that you can change the security. To turn off simple file sharing, open My Computer (or any other folder really), go to the Tools menu, Folder Options, View tab, scroll to the bottom of the list of options and deselect "Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended)". Click OK.

Now that you've done that, go back to the folder you're having trouble accessing, right click on it, select Properties, the Security tab, and click the Add button. In the interface that pops up, type your username and click the "check names" button. You should see it resolve to yourPCname\yourUSERname. Click OK. Make sure the username you just added is highlighted in the "Group or user names: field", and at the top of the list of various permissions you can assign in the "Permissions for..." field below, select the "Full Control" checkbox. Click Apply at the bottom.

Next, click the Advanced button near the bottom. Check the checkbox that says "Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects". Click "Apply". This will force the permissions you just set all the way down through the directory tree of that folder, so you will gain access to everything in it. You now have full access to the contents of the folder.

Now that you know how to set NTFS permissions, be careful with it. Setting permissions incorrectly on certain Windows system folders can screw you to the point of reinstall.

edit: I missed a step here. Before you are going to be able to change the permissions on the folder, you are going to need to take ownership of it, otherwise you won't be able to change permissions. So, after you turn off simple file sharing, right click on the folder you can't access, choose Properties, Security tab, click the Advanced button, then the Owner tab. Highlight your user account in the "Change owner to:" list, tick the "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" tick box, and click apply. Once that's done, then go back and do what I said in paragraph 3 above.

[Bludd]

Oh yeah, I always forget about Simple filesharing. Evil feature. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Scream]

Bludd said:
Oh yeah, I always forget about Simple filesharing. Evil feature. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif



For power users, yes, I agree. Likely makes setting up a little home network easier for newbies though, and prevents them from accidentally applying file level permissions where they should not. Overall a good idea, but it's one of the first things I turn off with a new install.

[Bludd]

Same here. It's part of my standard routine after I have installed Windows.

[NutWrench]

I think it's a better idea to use a third party encryption system, instead of Windows encryption. That way, you don't have to worry about permissions and certificates and other stuff that might not survive a windows re-install.

[Scream]

NutWrench said:
I think it's a better idea to use a third party encryption system, instead of Windows encryption. That way, you don't have to worry about permissions and certificates and other stuff that might not survive a windows re-install.



It's not Windows file encryption that is keeping him out of the folder. It's simply NTFS file level permissions. By default, each user's profile directory located in Documents and Settings is accessible only by that user and administrators for that install of Windows. As soon as you blow away that install of Windows, none of those users exist anymore, so you have to force new permissions on the files so that the new users from the new install of Windows can gain access.

It's not really an encryption issue, although I do agree with you that the Windows File Encryption option is definitely the poor man's solution to file encryption, and there are better third party options that are safer and easier to manage so you don't lock yourself out of your files irrecoverably. There are ways to do the same things with Windows File Encryption. You just have to know how to back up your keys properly.

[Joonas]

Scream said:
scroll to the bottom of the list of options and deselect "Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended)".



It's not there! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/redface.gif

[Scream]

Joonas said:

Scream said:
scroll to the bottom of the list of options and deselect "Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended)".



It's not there! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/redface.gif



Must be a Home vs. Pro issue. I never work with Home. According to the MSKB, with XP Home you can boot into safe mode and log in with an account with admin rights to get access to the security tab.

See: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

[Joonas]

"Note You cannot turn off simple file sharing in Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition."

http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif

*Grrr.... ungrateful....*

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Use a bootdisk, I suggest the Windows Ultimate Boot CD.... ofcourse a knoppix cd will work too.

[LeadBullet]

Man you guys werent kidding. I did the first suggestions to get permission in my old my documents folder to take possession of a few files and then move them, then I turned that simple file sharing back on.

My computer ran a few days then today locked up while I was playing a game. After I rebooted Windows wouldn't ever load and I just had to reinstall.

Sure enough like a retard all those files I got were still dropped on my desktop, so I'm right back up shit creek where I was before. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif

Think I'll just do it again to get all those damn files back then reinstall to be sure, so I can format my windows partition in the process since I got like 4 different user profiles to my name now, and its had to start adding stuff like .000 because I always just use my first name for the windows account. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tinyted.gif

[LeadBullet]

I reinstalled windows and sp2 but now I don't have that security tab like I did before, so I can get my files back. Anyone know how to enable it? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tinyted.gif

[Scream]

LeadBullet said:
I reinstalled windows and sp2 but now I don't have that security tab like I did before, so I can get my files back. Anyone know how to enable it? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tinyted.gif



If it's XP Pro, turn off simple file sharing. If it's XP Home, boot to safe mode and you'll see it. Haven't you been following this thread? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[LeadBullet]

I did, a few minutes after posting I remembered the filesharing stuff, but we can't delete our posts anymore.

While I'm doing this stuff I think I might just download the free 64bit version of WinXP from the microsoft site and install that.

[Nessus]

Thanks for all the detail Scream. I was having the problem of not being able to take ownership of the folder and it was because I had simple file sharing enabled.

[Scream]

No problem. Personally, I hate simple file sharing, but I can see how it simplifies things for the average user. Ironic that what makes things easier for the average user makes them more difficult for the power user. I guess if you're a power user you're better equipped to handle the higher level of difficulty.