I broke my computer...HALP

[Tyche]

I changed my SID (don't ask why) and now all my shit is gone. Well, it's still there, the hard drive space is still the same as before. When I go to the "My Documents", it says "access is denied". I upgraded to SP3 for XP today and I haven't gotten this fucking thing right since. I'd prefer to just fdisk this fucking thing, but I need some shit out of the folders where the access is denied, namely, every picture of my daughter since she was born. I need serious HALP.

[Skjie]

Can you log into safe mode and uninstall SP3?

(Also, backup external HDD is your friend)

[Tyche]

didn't think about restarting into safe mode. I'll try that. And I really need to buy a backup external HD, I think target has a 750gb for like 80 bucks =/

[Tyche]

No go on safe mode. I logged in as admin and still getting "folder is not accessible, access is denied". I don't think unintstalling SP3 will work, it has something to do with me changing the SID. I created a restore point before I did this shit and restored it, but it did nothing for me

[Kohan]

Try this: Error Message: "Access Is Denied" When You Try to Open NTFS File System Folders

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Start Windows in Safe mode. To do so, follow these steps:
1. Restart the computer, and then press F8 while the computer starts.
2. On the Windows Advanced Options Menu, use the ARROW keys to select Safe Mode with Networking, and then press ENTER.
3. Use the ARROW keys to select what operating system to start, and then press ENTER to start Windows XP in Safe mode.
2. Log on as a user with administrative credentials.
3. Locate a folder that you want to open, right-click it, and then click Properties.
4. In the Properties dialog box, click the Security tab, and then click Add.
5. Under Enter the object names to select, type your user name, and then click OK.

This step adds your SID number to the permission settings for this folder.
6. Under Permissions for the user name that you added in step 5, click to select the Allow Full Control check box.
7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 for each folder that you want to open.
8. When you have added your user name to all the folders that you want to open, restart your computer as usual.

[Tyche]

Try this: Error Message: "Access Is Denied" When You Try to Open NTFS File System Folders

I have appx 5,000+ files/pictures I need. This will require every single file individually. I thought this was my saving grace, and it is, but it will take weeks

edit: nvm, I think I got this...

[Day]

Looks like just the folders mang

[Kohan]

Yup. It's for the folders, you shouldn't need to apply any permission changes to the individual files.

[Norellicus]

For the least amount of effort on your part, just do those steps on the root of C, and then click the Advanced button on that security tab. On the resulting popup, check the box that says "Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects"

You'll get a warning, and then it'll crank for a while as it modifies everything. Once done you should have access to everything. I only suggest doing it this way because you never know what else might have been locked to your SID, so this covers all the bases and doesn't cause any problematic changes anywhere.

Be aware that you'll lose custom permissions though, if you have any, for folder shares and such. If it's not listed on that list on root C, it won't be there on the lower folders.

[Tyche]

I <3 you Norellicus

[Akucaen]

Yeah, Norell gave you your answer. This happened to me a few years back when I stupidly enabled NTFS encryption on my slave HDD and formatted my primary. God that was a pain in the ass.