Re: Unlocking private folders in XP after an OS reinstall

From: David Candy (david_at_mvps.org)
Date: 05/28/04 

Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 23:30:52 +1000

Ownership
Every object has an owner, whether in an NTFS volume or Active Directory. The owner controls how permissions are set on the object and to whom permissions are granted.

Ownership can be taken by:

  a.. An administrator. By default, the Administrators group is given the Take ownership of files or other objects user right.
  b.. Anyone or any group who has the Take ownership permission on the object in question.
When an object is created, the person creating the object automatically becomes its owner. Administrators create and own most objects in Active Directory and on network servers when installing programs on the server. Users create and own data files in their home directories and some data files on network servers.

Ownership can be transferred in the following ways:

  a.. The current owner can grant the Take ownership permission to another user, allowing that user to take ownership at any time. The user must actually take ownership to complete the transfer.
  b.. An administrator can take ownership.
Although an administrator can take ownership, the administrator cannot transfer ownership to others. This restriction keeps administrators accountable for their actions.

To take ownership of a file or folder
  1.. Open Windows Explorer, and then locate the file or folder you want to take ownership of.
  2.. Right-click the file or folder, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.
  3.. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
  4.. In the Change owner to box, click the new owner.
  5.. (Optional) To change the owner of all subcontainers and objects within the tree, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box.
 Notes

  a.. To open Windows Explorer, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
  b.. If you are not joined to a domain and want to view the Security tab, see To display the Security tab.
  c.. You can transfer ownership in two ways:
    a.. The current owner can grant the Take ownership permission to others, allowing those users to take ownership at any time.
    b.. An administrator can take ownership of any file on the computer. However, the administrator cannot transfer ownership to others. This restriction keeps the administrator accountable.
  d.. In Windows XP Professional, the Everyone group no longer includes the Anonymous Logon group.
To display the Security tab
  1.. Open Folder Options in Control Panel.
    a.. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
    b.. Double-click Folder Options.
  2.. On the View tab, under Advanced settings, clear Use simple file sharing [Recommended].
PS If Home you need to log on in safe mode (and that all) to display the Security Tab 

-- 
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http://home.comcast.net/~wizardofwhimsy/index.html
"kernewek" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:D297552D-356E-4FB5-A20E-48CD31AD420B@microsoft.com...
> 
>      Hi
> I have also had this problem, but can't seem to get the relevant assistance in help when taking your advice and typing "taking ownership". The link in the Knowledge Base deals with taking ownership specifically on Win2000 and not XP, so the dialogue info is wrong. All I get is Access Denied when I try to open my previous folders. Can you give us a little more info?
> 
>      ----- David Candy wrote: -----
>      
>      Type
>      taking ownership
>      in help.
>      
>      -- 
>      ----------------------------------------------------------
>      http://home.comcast.net/~wizardofwhimsy/index.html
>      "gleppley" <gleppley@cox.net> wrote in message news:68F99914-72E6-4003-89AC-BBBD9A3B7770@microsoft.com...
>      > I had to reinstall Windows XP. The register file was corrupted so I had to delete the old OS and reinstall. How do I get access to the folders from my previous installation that were private. I can see the old folders in the "Documents and Settings" folder but can only open the ones that had not been tagged private.
>

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