Can't access my documents

braddie77 · 06 Sep 2009

I have searched for an answer to this question and noone seems to have this exact problem. I have copied from XP my "my documents" folder, it is all there and in a previous install of windows 7 i was able to access all the files contained in it. Since then I have deleted both copies on XP and previous win7 and re-installed win7. Now I can't access the files in my documents except for "all users - application data" and the files contained there. I have tried adding ownership of the file and everything I have read, but for some reason i can't access it. I just want the files inside so i can move them as there was things on my desktop that I now want on my win7 desktop. How the F do I access it? Please help! the folder is located on a separate drive to the win7 install.

kegobeer · 06 Sep 2009

What error message do you get? Please post the exact message.

SquonkSC · 06 Sep 2009

braddie77 said:

I have searched for an answer to this question and noone seems to have this exact problem. I have copied from XP my "my documents" folder, it is all there and in a previous install of windows 7 i was able to access all the files contained in it. Since then I have deleted both copies on XP and previous win7 and re-installed win7. Now I can't access the files in my documents except for "all users - application data" and the files contained there. I have tried adding ownership of the file and everything I have read, but for some reason i can't access it. I just want the files inside so i can move them as there was things on my desktop that I now want on my win7 desktop. How the F do I access it? Please help! the folder is located on a separate drive to the win7 install.

That's an easy one.

When you copied the folders, the NTFS rights were adopted from the then current OS.
Taking ownership isn't enough, need to add your username too, and give it full permissions.
To have it apply to all your folders the best thing is to do it on the partition.

Do this:

1. Right click the partition and chose properties
2. goto security tab
3. take ownership (like you did before, but now it will apply to whole partition)
4. after a few ok's take you back to explorer, rightclick partition again
5. chose properties, and security tab again
6. click the "edit" button under the user list
7. click add
8. in the next box type your username, and click ok
9. check the full permissions checkbox and click ok again.

that's all

good luck

braddie77 · 07 Sep 2009

Thanks squonksc, but it didn't work. I think I need a step by step on the permissions bit. It isn't displaying the folders inside that I know are there, but it is displaying application data. Is it possible that XP had ownership, then another win7 did so now there are conflicting ownership problems or something?

Also, no error messages. Files just don't appear, even with "show hidden files" checked...

Orbital Shark · 07 Sep 2009

Hi braddie, welcome to the forums.

Here's a step by step for ya :)[indent]
1, Open up explorer and navigate to where the 'My Documents' folder is

2, Right-Click the folder and select 'Properties'

3, Click the 'Security' tab then click 'Advanced'

4, Click the 'Owner' tab then 'Edit'

5, Click 'Other Users or Groups'

Next: Type in your username (or "everyone") and hit 'Enter'. Now select the user you wish to give 'Ownership' to, the check the 'Replace owner on subcontainers and objects' then click 'OK'

6, Click the 'Edit' button

followed by the 'Add' button

then follow the (Next:) section and click 'OK' until the 'Properties' box is gone.

You should now be able to access all the files within the folder

Hope it helps :)

OS

braddie77 · 07 Sep 2009

Ok, Thanks heaps for that. But I think I've worked it out. All my files aren't there anymore. They've been deleted. Does windows do that? It is 564mb, I think it used to be more like 3gb...

Orbital Shark · 07 Sep 2009

Windows would not delete the files, it could be that not all files were copied due to the security issue. You might want to try copying them again but after you've changed the ownership to 'Everyone' in XP, then again to your username within Se7ev

braddie77 · 07 Sep 2009

I think that is what has happened. I "moved" the files without correct permissions thus deleting them. I think they are gone. The original was on a drive I formatted. Maybe I can recover them with a program? any suggestions?

Orbital Shark · 07 Sep 2009

There are various free 'Undelete' programs out there but i'd advise searching for "Undelete software" and check to see which is best for you

Note

Some are free to download but require registration/activation in order to actually undelete something, so check that the software is 100% free :)

OS

SquonkSC · 07 Sep 2009

braddie77 said:

I think that is what has happened. I "moved" the files without correct permissions thus deleting them. I think they are gone. The original was on a drive I formatted. Maybe I can recover them with a program? any suggestions?

If you move files without the right permissions they don't disappear.

You'll get a notification.
The process stops as soon as a file without proper perms is detected.

The rest of the files that were not yet moved, remain where they are.

What I imagine is that you thought they were moved, and then deleted the source files.

Like Orbital shark said, find an undelete tool asap.

Don't save, copy or move anything on the affected disk, because that could overwrite the sectors containing the files.

Good luck.

PS. Most undelete tools that are free to try can only salvage a limited number of files.
You need to find a real freeware tool, or buy a full version.