Can't access XP documents from Windows 7

[Xax]

When I go to x:\documents and settings\user\my documents, where My Documents are from XP, I get shown my documents from Windows 7 instead, despite Windows 7 documents being stored in c:\users\user\my documents.

I performed a search within Windows 7 for some filenames of documents that I use in XP, and they're not showing up anywhere. It's like Windows 7 is designed to hide those documents.

I have no idea why they would have Windows 7 behave this way, but is there any way for me to access those documents from XP in Windows 7?

 

[Mark]

Try http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html?ltr=T to see if it helps!

 

[Xax]

I gave it a shot, but no change unfortunately. It's not that it won't let me access the My Documents folder, it's that it's displaying Windows 7 documents instead of XP's, but I'm 100% certain that the path I'm using is correct.

 

[Mark]

Have you assigned the XP partition a drive letter in disk management?

 

[Xax]

Yes. I can access programs that are installed on that partition, so I'm sure I have the correct partition.

 

[davehc]

Have you tried changing the default documents settings in Word. Might do the trick?

 

[Xax]

I'm just trying to access them with Windows Explorer, so they ought to show up. Is anyone else running a dual-boot XP/Win7 setup? If so, are you able to access your XP documents through Win7?

 

[Mark]

That count would be in the millions, but unfortunately for you I'm not one of them Sorry.

 

[Xax]

I should mention that it's not only documents that are showing Win7's instead of XP's... it seems to be anything in the x:\documents and settings folder, including my XP user account's desktop.

Ex: I should see my XP desktop icons in the x:\documents and settings\user\desktop folder, however instead my Vista desktop icons are displayed instead. And yes, I'm totally certain that XP's files are in that location; my x: drive is where WinXP, user documents, and all programs installed under XP are located. All of Win7's files, documents, and programs are installed on c:. If I do a computer-wide (not just a drive-wide) search, none of those XP desktop icons or documents appear... nothing from x:\documents and settings as far as I can tell.

 

[Mark]

Have you tried assigning a different drive letter, maybe it doesn't like X for some stupid reason, you never know!

 

[Xax]

I can't see that being the problem. Again, I can access x: without any problems, including programs that were installed on that drive through WinXP.

 

[thegr8anand]

Well I just tested it on my setup and I can access my XP desktop files without any problem. I am using same setup as yours, XP/7 dual-boot. Only mine is 7 32-bit. Though this should not cause the problem you are having. My path looks like:
J:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop

 

[Xax]

Well I just tested it on my setup and I can access my XP desktop files without any problem. I am using same setup as yours, XP/7 dual-boot. Only mine is 7 32-bit. Though this should not cause the problem you are having. My path looks like:
J:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop

Dang... but thanks for letting me know. I'll keep digging.

 

[Xax]

Here's something strange... I managed to find my documents in x:\users\user\my documents. But XP doesn't use \users, it uses \documents and settings. Whenever I need to access the documents in XP, I use \documents and settings. My problem is effectively solved, but does anyone have any theories as to why this would be the case?

 

[Xax]

I spoke too soon... those documents in the \users folder were from a previous Vista install. My updated documents are still inaccessible from Win7.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Xax, welcome to Se7en Forums.

I just went all through my XP, and using "Take Ownership" I can access anything I choose; I'm sorry I can't be more help with this issue. I just wanted to let you know others can access XP. I hope you can get some help with this; as I have no suggestions for you.














Later :shock: Ted

 

[johngalt]

Ummm - you mention a failed Vista install - cold Vista have overwritten some of ht permissions, and since the installation is failed, W7 cannot verify that that particular install is there and thus is not allowing you to take ownership of the files?

(just a shot in the dark)...

 

[Xax]

It's not that I can't access the folder, it's that Win7 is showing Win7's files/documents when it should be showing WinXP's files/documents. I boot back into WinXP, and there they are. I boot back into Win7, and there they aren't. Everything else on that drive is where it should be, but the WinXP files/documents are mysteriously not appearing under Win7. Again, I'm 100% certain I'm using the correct drive/partition/path. It's as though Win7 is intentionally hiding WinXP's files/documents.

Also, the previous Vista install wasn't a failed one. I had Vista installed quite a while ago, and I saved the Users folder from it before formatting the drive shortly afterwards.

 

[davehc]

I believe you are suffering from the junction folder problem, which was created in Vista originally. As you know,The Documents and settings folder, in Vista and 7, is only there for backward comatibility reasons, and is inaccessible. Any files saved from a legacy install, are tarnsferred automatically to the new documents folders in Vista/7. You may have found a serious bug! Perhaps 7 has an inability to sort out the problem and is automatically transgerring you to the new folders. Just a thought+??

You could try to test it, by writing a note in 7, and attempting to save it to the XP Documents and Settings folder. It would be interesting, if it ever allowed it, to see if the saved file pops up under the Windows 7 Documents folder.

 

[Xax]

If I understand what you're saying, Win7 transfers WinXP's documents to "\users" when upgrading. However, I didn't upgrade from XP to Win7; I'm running a dual-boot system with Win7 installed on its own partition. When I boot back into XP, the documents are in "\documents and settings" on the XP partition as they should be. When I boot back into Win7 and check that location, I'm shown the documents that are actually from Win7's partition (in "\users"), even though I'm looking on XP's partition (in "\documents and settings").

It may indeed be a bug; I can't find any other explanation for it.