Grant access to User folder on external drive

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I have recently replaced my notebook's HDD with an SSD, and reinstalled Windows 7 on the SSD. I bought a caddy for the "old" HDD, and I can successfully boot windows from the SSD.

I can see the old HDD as an external drive; however, I can't access my user folder on it. When I try to open the user folder, I get this error:

enter image description here

If I click on Continue, nothing really happens. The green bar shows and loads (like "I'm getting your files!"), but once it reaches the end, I cannot enter the folder.

Any ideas?

BeNdErR

Posted 2014-01-05T18:05:33.373

Reputation: 191

2takeown – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2014-01-05T18:10:15.583

http://superuser.com/questions/268445/force-change-owner-of-windows-7-user-folder – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2014-01-05T18:16:12.873

1@techie007 please add your response as an answer so that BeNdErR can mark it and close this question. Else please flag it as duplicate – Ganesh R. – 2014-01-05T18:31:12.980

possible duplicate of Can't delete folder, need permission from adminstrator?

– Ganesh R. – 2014-01-05T18:31:32.980

@GaneshR. I'd have marked it as a dupe, but I'm out of close-votes for the day. – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2014-01-05T18:32:29.317

possible duplicate of Unable to delete folder in windows 7?

– Tog – 2014-01-06T17:08:27.187

possible duplicate of Lack of permission to open user folder

– RedGrittyBrick – 2014-06-09T20:14:15.807

Answers

7

You can use the command takeown to take ownership of user folders and thus regain access to your files (or anyone elses's) on the old hard-disk.

(from techie007's comment above.

C:\>takeown /?

TAKEOWN [/S system [/U username [/P [password]]]]
        /F filename [/A] [/R [/D prompt]]

Description:
    This tool allows an administrator to recover access to a file that
    was denied by re-assigning file ownership.

Parameter List:
    /S           system          Specifies the remote system to
                                 connect to.

    /U           [domain\]user   Specifies the user context under
                                 which the command should execute.

    /P           [password]      Specifies the password for the
                                 given user context.
                                 Prompts for input if omitted.

    /F           filename        Specifies the filename or directory
                                 name pattern. Wildcard "*" can be used
                                 to specify the pattern. Allows
                                 sharename\filename.

    /A                           Gives ownership to the administrators
                                 group instead of the current user.

    /R                           Recurse: instructs tool to operate on
                                 files in specified directory and all
                                 subdirectories.

    /D           prompt          Default answer used when the current user
                                 does not have the "list folder" permission
                                 on a directory.  This occurs while operating
                                 recursively (/R) on sub-directories. Valid
                                 values "Y" to take ownership or "N" to skip.

    /?                           Displays this help message.

    NOTE: 1) If /A is not specified, file ownership will be given to the
             current logged on user.

          2) Mixed patterns using "?" and "*" are not supported.

          3) /D is used to suppress the confirmation prompt.

Examples:
    TAKEOWN /?
    TAKEOWN /F lostfile
    TAKEOWN /F \\system\share\lostfile /A
    TAKEOWN /F directory /R /D N
    TAKEOWN /F directory /R /A
    TAKEOWN /F *
    TAKEOWN /F C:\Windows\System32\acme.exe
    TAKEOWN /F %windir%\*.txt
    TAKEOWN /S system /F MyShare\Acme*.doc
    TAKEOWN /S system /U user /F MyShare\foo.dll
    TAKEOWN /S system /U domain\user /P password /F share\filename
    TAKEOWN /S system /U user /P password /F Doc\Report.doc /A
    TAKEOWN /S system /U user /P password /F Myshare\*
    TAKEOWN /S system /U user /P password /F Home\Logon /R
    TAKEOWN /S system /U user /P password /F Myshare\directory /R /A

Example from Vista. It should be similar on Windows 7.

RedGrittyBrick

Posted 2014-01-05T18:05:33.373

Reputation: 70 632

Awesome, and I can confirm this works on windows 10 too – Numeron – 2017-04-27T11:52:20.710

1+1 because TAKEOWN /F E:\Users\* worked for me though i suppose i sholdve done: TAKEOWN /F E:\Users\user\* – John D – 2018-04-27T23:24:09.687

I had to run the cmd as administrator and also recursive: TAKEOWN /F E:\Users\* /R – Felix – 2018-05-23T18:51:17.020

Asked: 2014-01-05T18:05:33.373

Viewed: 14 926 times

Active: 2014-07-24T15:15:11.447