Cannot Access Desktop Folder

[SilentBob3208]

Gateway computer - Intel Celeron - Win XP SP2

I just had to reinstall Windows on my computer. I backed up all of my files into a folder called "My Backup -- --/--/--". So I go into that folder to make sure my important files are still there but when I double-click on the desktop folder I get this message.

" C:\My Backup...Desktop is not accessible. Access is denied."

The same thing happens when I try to open a couple other folders but others, like Windows and the documents folder, can be opened. Is there any way I can access the desktop folder? The user account was password protected, does that have anything to do with why I cannot access the folder?

[khakilang]

How do you back up your data? What software do you use to back up? Which drive do you back up to USB drive, 2nd. hard drive, external hard drive or CD/DVD writer? Backing up data to my understanding is to use a back up software like Nero and store into another storage. Once I re install the Window than I will use the same back up software to restore back the data files. So what is the procedure you follow to back up your data?

[SilentBob3208]

How do you back up your data? What software do you use to back up? Which drive do you back up to USB drive, 2nd. hard drive, external hard drive or CD/DVD writer? Backing up data to my understanding is to use a back up software like Nero and store into another storage. Once I re install the Window than I will use the same back up software to restore back the data files. So what is the procedure you follow to back up your data?

I used my system recovery CD and took all the files and had them placed into this "My Backup" folder in the C: drive when reinstalling Windows instead of completely reformatting the hard drive. I did this because I didn't want to lose all my data.

[gerbil]

So you backed up your files to a folder on your desktop, then reinstalled Windows to that same drive without formatting it. Fine. It is one risky backup method, should be safe, may not be... this is windows.
Anyway, a new version of Windows, a new User. May even be the same name you used before, but to Windows you are a hash, and with the possibilities available in a 128? bit hash, you are not known as the User of old. You must take ownership of the old user's files [know that his desktop is a folder inside his Docs n Setts folder].
User profiles are given a unique Security Identifier. So even if on a new installation you create a user with the same name the account will not have the same SID. My Documents folder is a special Windows folder; it is related to the owner by SID. You can take possession of it [if XP Pro] by using the Security tab in Properties. If XP Home Edition then to get the Security tab to show on folders you must start in Safe mode, log on with an account that has administrative rights. Access to the Security tab is required in order to change security permissions. Rclick a folder on the drive, select properties, > security tab, > advanced tab, click owner, click edit, click your user name in the list [or Administrator if you logged in as such] and check Replace owner on subcontainers and object, and Ok. Answer Yes to the question regarding replacing permissions.
Finally copy the contents to your own My Docs, and delete the original folder - it does not belong to any user now.
There is this, also: http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2004/12/15/get-it-done-recover-a-damaged-windows-xp-user-profile/

[SilentBob3208]

So you backed up your files to a folder on your desktop, then reinstalled Windows to that same drive without formatting it. Fine. It is one risky backup method, should be safe, may not be... this is windows.
Anyway, a new version of Windows, a new User. May even be the same name you used before, but to Windows you are a hash, and with the possibilities available in a 128? bit hash, you are not known as the User of old. You must take ownership of the old user's files [know that his desktop is a folder inside his Docs n Setts folder].
User profiles are given a unique Security Identifier. So even if on a new installation you create a user with the same name the account will not have the same SID. My Documents folder is a special Windows folder; it is related to the owner by SID. You can take possession of it [if XP Pro] by using the Security tab in Properties. If XP Home Edition then to get the Security tab to show on folders you must start in Safe mode, log on with an account that has administrative rights. Access to the Security tab is required in order to change security permissions. Rclick a folder on the drive, select properties, > security tab, > advanced tab, click owner, click edit, click your user name in the list [or Administrator if you logged in as such] and check Replace owner on subcontainers and object, and Ok. Answer Yes to the question regarding replacing permissions.
Finally copy the contents to your own My Docs, and delete the original folder - it does not belong to any user now.
There is this, also: http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2004/12/15/get-it-done-recover-a-damaged-windows-xp-user-profile/

That worked! TY