can't copy old windows files...access denied

[trojannemo]

hey guys. i installed windows 7 pro x64 recently. i'm in the process of copying my own old windows xp files, as well as copying the backed up windows xp files from my friend's installation that were in my old hard drive.

i've been battling windows 7 with permissions left and right to copy the remaining files. i'm trying to delete my old windows installation folder. there's a file in sytem32 that's preventing me from deleting. i've established ownership, i've changed it so i have full privileges, i've changed it to enable sharing, disable sharing, i have UAC down to medium, still keep getting you need permissions and the try again message, and no matter how many times i click on try again it comes back up.

now this is also happening when trying to copy files from my friend's old installation to my portable hard drive. we're talking about movie files, folders, documents, etc. still keep getting permission requests and no matter how i go about it, it keeps asking again and again and the files never copy. i thought maybe if i renamed the documents and settings folder that i'm grabbing them from, but that made no difference.

it is so difficult to enjoy this new windows when at every step there is some assinine feature like this!

any help? thanks!

 

[DeaconFrost]

Ah, one of the reasons I always avoid using the "My" folders, and just keep all of my data on a data drive. Anyway, for your own files, if you had used the same username and password as your old install, you might not have had the issue. When I do that, I can't ever replicate your issue. Since you mentioned already taking ownership, try turning UAC off for now, and see if that lets you do it.

As for your friend's files, did you taking ownership of them?

 

[trojannemo]

yes i took ownership of the entire folder and the files inside. if i right click any one file it shows i have ownership of it. but wont let me move it to the other drive.

problem is neither now nor before have i used passwords in my account. previously it was my computer. now my wife and i built this so its "our" computer and the username changed. but no password in the previous account nor on this account.

i'll try disabling UAC and see how it goes. thanks.

 

[boohbah]

Be aware turning off UAC ,resets your system restore points , leaving no restore points to go back to

 

[trojannemo]

would have been nice if windows notified me of that.

anyways, made no difference. in trying to delete my old windows folder i get the following

"Folder Acccess Denied"
"You need permission to perform this action"

and then it tells me i need permission from MY OWN ACCOUNT to make changes to the folder.

i'm set to have ownership and full privileges. the files are in a secondary drive, not in the windows installation drive...yet i can't delete it...