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Laptop hard drive converted to external - how to access passworded data?
Probably a common issue but can't find an answer existing in the forum. My notebook was running XP using a primary user/administrator password.
The laptop's dead and I've put the hard drive into an external case to retrieve the data. No issue with any data from secondary users but cannot access my primary user data - presumably as the data is still password protected. How does one access/retrieve this data?
Thanks in advance.
osprey4
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November 2nd, 2009 04:00
Hi, wjp:
This procedure should work.
Good luck!
wjp12
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November 14th, 2009 13:00
Worked Perfect - thanks Osprey.
Quick follow up question. I was able to buy an identical model used laptop (had 600m now D600 - same motherboard and hardware slots) for a great price.
Having accessed (taken "ownership") of my personal user file using another computer would I now simply repeat the "ownership" process on my new notebook (with old hard drive installed) to restore the file as the default settings file or is it more complicated that that? Thought I'd check before experimenting.
For the moment the new computer is firing up fine but indicates with a "User Environment" pop-up something to the effect that it cannot find the users profile and so is logging me on with the default profile for the system (something like I would have expected having taken ownership of the main user file on another computer).
At the main XP welcome screen I see the names of the users including myself as per normal. I enter my old password as the main user, it indicates it is loading my settings and then a "Desktop" pop-up appears saying "C:\DocumentsandSettings\WJP\Desktop is not accessible. Access is denied. My old wallpaper appears but none of my applications.
I was able to access everything taking ownership on another computer so not so much a question of losing data as wanting to avoid reloading/rebuilding all my software, bookmarks, libraries, etc. if possible. No issues accessing the second user's account and all software is there etc. (secondary user was not originally password protected).
Thanks in advance.
WJP
wjp12
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November 14th, 2009 13:00
I've not run diagnostics but having taken ownership (effectively breaking the password) using another computer I have no issue seeing or accessing any of tthe files from this drive when put in an external case and accessed from another computer.
In simple terms it seems that my operating system just doesn't recognize it any more. I suspect its basically looking for a user folder that it created by the same name but is being thrown off by the password (or lack thereof) and maybe some other security related characteristics that are now missing/different.
WJP
ejn63
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November 14th, 2009 13:00
Have you run a full diagnostic on the hard drive? It sounds suspicously like a drive that may have developed some bad sectors.
ejn63
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November 14th, 2009 13:00
Safest way to proceed:
Create a new user and user profile. Copy the files you need from the old location using the new profile. Then delete the old user and files associated with it.