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Question

Getting Permissions to access older HDD files

by Jan 19, 2012 12:33AM PST

I'm having difficulty getting through the steps needed to access ALL my files from my older Toshiba laptop HDD. The Toshiba died, I have the drive in a USB attached reader (Rocketfish) connected to my HP Win7/64bit notebook. SOME of the files and photos are available, but most are not. I try to follow the instr. on gaining ownership but must be doing something wrong or incomplete. It seems relatively simple, but I'm no expert by any means and would really appreciate an experts advice to retrieve my files many of which are in folders in my documents.

Thanks for any help.

Discussion is locked

9 Posts
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Answer
Not tried this but
by Jan 19, 2012 12:50AM PST

I wonder if you could just create the same security profile on the new laptop as the old. This means the same workgroup, machine name, user login and password. I am presuming your old and new laptops had different operating systems but you didn't tell that. Nor did you state specifically what you did as far as taking ownership. There is a little detail about parent and child objects and inherited permissions. If you didn't run across that in your attempt to take ownership, you might take another look.

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Getting Permissions to access older HDD files
by tincanraider Jan 19, 2012 1:13AM PST

XP-Pro on the older HDD. Parent/child permissions ? Not sure about that. As far as trying to take ownership, tried to follow what I thought was needed but at this point, I think I need step by step help to do it correctly the first time. I believe my security profiles are the same but again, going through it step by step is where I need help.

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Re: taking ownership
by Kees_B Forum moderator Jan 19, 2012 3:18AM PST

You might need to boot into Safe Mode before following the instructions. Most are step by step already.

If it fails, tell in your own words what you did (detailed) and what happens.

Kees

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Inherited permissions...this might help
by Steven Haninger Jan 19, 2012 6:12AM PST
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308419

It's a long read and full of information but basically in the folder structure there is a child/parent meaning that folders within the folders you take ownership don't automatically come with the same permissions of what you took ownership of. You need to use the advanced settings which allow you have the child objects inherit permissions of the parent objects.
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Other options to read the drive ?
by tincanraider Jan 19, 2012 11:39PM PST

Is it possible to swap the XP drive into my HP machine and read the drive ? Would I need to upgrade from Win7 Home Prem. to 7-Professional first ? The drives are both 2.5".

Another option would be to get another LT and install the drive in it running XP-Pro. The motherboard on my Toshiba P-25 is fried and that is why I have take the drive out of it.

What about formatting the XP drive ? That is an option that comes when accessing it in My Computer ?

Thanks again.

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Re: other options
by Kees_B Forum moderator Jan 19, 2012 11:52PM PST

Accessing this disk in any other Windows environment won't help. That covers your first 2 paragraphs.
Formatting should work, but then you lose all contents. I don't think that's what you want. That covers your third paragraph.

What's left: boot from a Linux Live disk (free) and copy what you need to whatever device you want.

Kees

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Answer
Getting Permissions to access older HDD files
by Jan 22, 2012 6:04PM PST

Firstly, make sure that you are running your account as "Administrator", or you will be locked out of many functions of W7.

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accessing files
by tincanraider Jan 22, 2012 10:51PM PST

I have been accessing files, takes several steps though. With photos, I have to go through the permission individually, I'm not able to select all (highlight) and gain permission. Am I doing something wrong, or is that how it works ?

Many of my Doc. files were done in PM6.6, I don't have a program on my HP that will open them. I looked for "file extensions" on line, but nothing good came from that. Wondering if there is a freeware I can use w/Win7 to open my PM65 files. I don't really need to change them as I use MSword for everything now.

Thanks again for help everyone.

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edit
by tincanraider Jan 22, 2012 11:02PM PST

Correction. PM6.5

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