Member Avatar for chibex

Hey guys

I had a problem with my laptop of which i raised the issue on this forum (the problem was that my Windows XP OS was not loading my personal profile on start up) and the solutions were suggested one of it been that i should create new user account. So after creating new user account with administrators role the problem were solved. Now what i did was to log on with the user account that was given me problems and copy all my files and folders on the desktop and my document folder of that account to a folder C:\backup, after that i logged out and logged in with the new account i have created and deleted the old account. The problem now is that if i try to access any of those files or folders i backed up from the old account that i've deleted my OS will give me alert message "Access Denied"

Please guys help me out to remove those access restrictions so that a can be able to access my files.

Thanks in advance.

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Dani AI

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Short summary: this is the classic NTFS ownership/ACL problem that resolved for — files copied from a deleted profile keep the original account’s security identifier, so a different user can get “Access denied” until ownership/permissions are changed. For the usual case that’s exactly what fixes it; Microsoft’s documentation on taking ownership explains the principle and how owners control permissions. (support.microsoft.com)

Why it happens and quick checks: NTFS permissions are stored as SIDs, not plain usernames; deleting the account leaves those SIDs orphaned and the new account has no rights. On Windows XP the Security tab can be hidden by Simple File Sharing (XP Pro) or only visible in Safe Mode on XP Home, so make sure you can view the Security/Advanced settings before changing anything. (support.microsoft.com)

If ownership doesn’t restore access, check for Encrypting File System (EFS). Encrypted files remain unreadable even after you take ownership unless you have the original EFS private key or a configured recovery agent. You can inspect a file’s encryption via Properties → Advanced or use the built-in EFS tools; if you use EFS, export the certificate/private key (or create a recovery agent) before deleting accounts. To back up a user’s EFS keys you can use the Certificates MMC snap‑in or the NTFS encryption utility (cipher). Example (run from an elevated command prompt to see options and back up a key):

cipher /?
cipher /x <backup-efs-file>

Follow Microsoft’s guidance for backing up EFS/recovery-agent keys because without the private key encrypted files cannot be decrypted. (learn.microsoft.com)

Prevention notes: always export EFS keys if you enable file encryption; make a verified backup of profiles before deleting them; avoid mass-changing ownership on system folders (C:\Windows, Program Files) — changing ACLs there can break the OS. If you need step‑by‑step help for a stubborn file, include the exact filename and whether it shows the encryption attribute and the OS edition (XP Home vs Pro).

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Member Avatar for Freaktech

Hey guys

I had a problem with my laptop of which i raised the issue on this forum (the problem was that my Windows XP OS was not loading my personal profile on start up) and the solutions were suggested one of it been that i should create new user account. So after creating new user account with administrators role the problem were solved. Now what i did was to log on with the user account that was given me problems and copy all my files and folders on the desktop and my document folder of that account to a folder C:\backup, after that i logged out and logged in with the new account i have created and deleted the old account. The problem now is that if i try to access any of those files or folders i backed up from the old account that i've deleted my OS will give me alert message "Access Denied"

Please guys help me out to remove those access restrictions so that a can be able to access my files.

Thanks in advance.

Try going into the security of the the c:\backup folder and taking ownership of the folder and have the rights to all child objects change.

Member Avatar for chibex

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Wooooooooooooooooow

Freaktech,

You are the man...

i have my files back, thanks man..

i appreciate that..

You know i i've tried that even sharing the folder but i did not select "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" Check box. And now you no what? all my files are back to me.

Thanks again again again and .............

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