I'm copying her files to a cd, then reformatting the HDD.
After I'm done, she's going to reinstall windows.
One problem.
Access is denied for E:/documents and settings/administator.
Any way to get around this?
You could try going into the folder using DOS commands. (Off topic, sortof) I had that problem with a client's harddrive. Even after trying dos commands, I still couldn't get into it. For some reason, either the client (who said it was not password protected) or Windows itself somehow protected that directory from being accessed. No clue why or how.
Anyways, hope this helps.
From the log in screen you do ctrl + alt + del TWICE. This will bring up the administrator account, by default there is NO password, so you just type user as administrator, leave password blank and hit ENTER. Now you are in the Admin's account and can copy those files.
I have had to do this a few times. Oh, and this is assuming she is running Win XP :)
I doubt there's anything useful in there, though.
If you have a bootable Windows CD then you can perform the formatting operation while executing the Windows Setup and I am sure that it won't ignite any unwanted questions.
"fdisk"
or using the WinXP way, Delete Partition then format.
The problem is that you cant login at all, so i hooked her hardrive up to my comp, so that i could delete everything thats unneeded and burn the stuff that she asked me to save onto a disk.
ill try fdisk, then Dos.
thanks
Remove the harddrive for the computer, mount as a secondary hard drive in another computer, then just go in there and copy stuff.
If you have a mac or linux machine, then accessing the files should be easy and there should be no password trouble. But if not.... there is likely still some way with a windows machine.
...or.... did you already do this?
you should be able to get around the password/login. Try another OS. That's the best idea, I think.
ive been trying to get ubuntu running, theres a prototype EXE that installs it to the same partition as windows.
i just need to extract "ubuntu"(file, no extention) to "ubuntu"(folder).
but she cant function without her comp. if i dont have it by tonight she's going to get really pissed at me.
and i deleted everything except the docs and settings folder.
if she reinstalled windows, would it remain intact?
i also think ill try setting up a "administator" account, to see if i can get into the folder that way...
so dos, fdisk, and a new admin account. i have things to do tonight...
Another possible easy answer is this:
sometimes, I think, administrator accounts can block each other from accessing themselves.
However, if you have access to the main account, and that has admin privelages, you can change the administrator account... either the password, security settings, or just change it to a lower account, then gain access like that.
The other thing to consider here is that you may be duplicating the problem in the first place. If you are unsure as to what caused the problem, then copying the admin folder is a really bad idea... it could likely be in there.
there's not much in the admin folder that would be needed, except some preference files for apps and such, but that might be exactly what is causing the trouble.
There shouldn't be any personal files in Administrator's documents. The Administrator account is intended only for certain cases where it's needed to perform system maintenance, much like *n?x' root account (or it would be, if the other accounts could be limited properly).
Yeah, but this is just a 'normal' person. She may have used the admin account, as many do, for her personal stuff.
Could have, but in XP machines the Admin account is hidden from the log in screen, she would have had to do the CTRL ALT DEL twice thingy to get into it.
That or know enough about her Registry to alter the log in reg key to show it by default.
If that were the case she wouldn't be having this issue :)
That or know enough about her Registry to alter the log in reg key to show it by default.
or use Tweak UI (download from microsoft's website).
True... but I guess the issue is done, no point in arguing semantics now eh? :p
Well, i couldn't get the HDD backed up and wiped, so my mom gave it to Ryan, the Acton Computers manager.
and if i formatted it with fdisk, i would have lost the data i needed to save.
so... i need to learn how to mount a disk image properly.
so anyways, thanks for the help.
Err... mounting is more or less automatic.. it's the burning the ISO that is tricky...