External HD can't obtain permission

scanlessfool · 27 May 2011

Hello everyone.

Not to long ago, I removed the HD from my laptop and slipped into an enclosure so that I could access information I had saved. When I initially did it all, I thought it was just a matter of connecting the enclosure to my tower and having it pop up like it would on a USB. Little did I know I needed to obtain permission and take ownership.

After reading and searching for some time, I came across the below link, and followed the direction: You don't currently have permission to access this fold

When I click on the folder and then properties, everything as it should be. I even followed the exact same steps provided in the below links as well, but to no avail:

- Change the permissions and take ownership of your files and folders | Windows Vista, XP and Windows 7 Tutorials
- I dont have the "correct permission" to access any of my - Microsoft Answers
- Windows 7 Take Ownership & Grant Permissions to Access Files & Folder

I don't know, and am at a lost right now. For example, when I click on a photo from my laptop HD, it states "Windows photo viewer can't open this picture because you don't have the correct permissions to access the file location."

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

DocBrown · 27 May 2011

Welcome scanlessfool

It sounds like you can at least see some of the folders ? Can you give us a screen snip ?

I have had two laptop drives that were locked by the mfg, so if you put them in another computer or USB enclosure/adapter, the LOCKED message popped up

Your problem sounds simpler, we just have to find the right member that has done it before

What OS & version was on your laptop HD ?

scanlessfool · 27 May 2011

Will do. Give me a couple of minutes.

**I'm back with pictures. I really can't recall everything about my old system. It was windows XP and I'm almost certain it wasn't pro.

Please excuse me if the pictures are large.

Notice the locks on some folders and not on others.

Again, notice the lock on some folders and not others.

What's crazy, is that if you look in the lower left hand corner, you can see a preview of the picture, yet, in other folders, I can't obtain access.

Here is where I think it went haywire. I have no idea how all those titles for group or username came from. How would I and would deleting them pose any problems?

scanlessfool · 27 May 2011

Pictures up. Anyone have any advice?

James Colbert · 27 May 2011

scanlessfool said:

Pictures up. Anyone have any advice?

Hi Scanless. Welcome to the forums.

First...quite a few pictures you posted there, but all off site. Makes it somewhat tedious to view them. Try this method:

Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

This posts your images on site and, when clicked on, places an arrow on the image so that one might click through all of the images.

Now to your issue. When you remove a drive from one system and attempt to use it on another, Windows can see it as from a different user. There is a simple method that often remedies the situation and is simple to employ. There is a Seven Forums tutorial that will not only show you how to do it, but present you with the opportunity to download a reg file that will make the utility part of your right click context menu:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/112795-context-menu-take-ownership.html

Take Ownership Shortcut

That said, the warning against using it on system drives. This warning should be taken seriously, as there are many posts from people who have gotten in trouble trying to use it on C:\, system files and user files:

Warning

Do not take ownership of the drive that you have Windows installed on. If you do, you will end up having to reinstall Windows.

James