Protected Directory - Help

OK, here's the problem:
Inlaws PC motherboard fried. They bought a new PC with XP Pro (same as prior
PC). Original PC had 3 user accounts. One (dads) was password
protected/admin.

Father-in-law took the old hard drive and installed it as a slave in the new
PC. He went into "C:\Documents and Settings" folder and copied 2 of the user
account files onto the new system. (He's just putting them all into his "My
Documents" directory at this time) Problem is, the directory containing his
files is locked. Can't view, copy, etc. I assume it was due to the
protection (via XP) he set up on the old system. I was just going to put the
HD into an old PC I have and change the permissions. Unfortunately, he also
wiped out the windows directory off the old HD.

Is there any way to un-secure the old user directory?

Thanks!

--
Smitty
Somerset, PA

HOW TO Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q308421

--
Mark L. Ferguson
e-mail subject line must include "QZ" or it's deleted
..
"Bill Smith" <kb3gun-nospam1@wpia.net> wrote in message
news:edM4F%23DZIHA.3964@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> OK, here's the problem:
> Inlaws PC motherboard fried. They bought a new PC with XP Pro (same as
> prior PC). Original PC had 3 user accounts. One (dads) was password
> protected/admin.
>
> Father-in-law took the old hard drive and installed it as a slave in the
> new PC. He went into "C:\Documents and Settings" folder and copied 2 of
> the user account files onto the new system. (He's just putting them all
> into his "My Documents" directory at this time) Problem is, the directory
> containing his files is locked. Can't view, copy, etc. I assume it was due
> to the protection (via XP) he set up on the old system. I was just going
> to put the HD into an old PC I have and change the permissions.
> Unfortunately, he also wiped out the windows directory off the old HD.
>
> Is there any way to un-secure the old user directory?
>
> Thanks!
>
> --
> Smitty
> Somerset, PA

Maybe its simply a question of "Taking Ownership"
see win help

"Bill Smith" <kb3gun-nospam1@wpia.net> wrote in message
news:edM4F%23DZIHA.3964@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> OK, here's the problem:
> Inlaws PC motherboard fried. They bought a new PC with XP Pro (same as
> prior PC). Original PC had 3 user accounts. One (dads) was password
> protected/admin.
>
> Father-in-law took the old hard drive and installed it as a slave in the
> new PC. He went into "C:\Documents and Settings" folder and copied 2 of
> the user account files onto the new system. (He's just putting them all
> into his "My Documents" directory at this time) Problem is, the directory
> containing his files is locked. Can't view, copy, etc. I assume it was due
> to the protection (via XP) he set up on the old system. I was just going
> to put the HD into an old PC I have and change the permissions.
> Unfortunately, he also wiped out the windows directory off the old HD.
>
> Is there any way to un-secure the old user directory?
>
> Thanks!
>
> --
> Smitty
> Somerset, PA

Thanks Mark (and DL)! Will try it as soon as I get off work.

Thanks again! -Bill
--
Smitty
Somerset, PA

"Mark L. Ferguson" <marfer_mvp@Yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:Oo$W7AEZIHA.5984@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> HOW TO Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q308421
>
> --
> Mark L. Ferguson
> e-mail subject line must include "QZ" or it's deleted
> .
> "Bill Smith" <kb3gun-nospam1@wpia.net> wrote in message
> news:edM4F%23DZIHA.3964@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> OK, here's the problem:
>> Inlaws PC motherboard fried. They bought a new PC with XP Pro (same as
>> prior PC). Original PC had 3 user accounts. One (dads) was password
>> protected/admin.
>>
>> Father-in-law took the old hard drive and installed it as a slave in the
>> new PC. He went into "C:\Documents and Settings" folder and copied 2 of
>> the user account files onto the new system. (He's just putting them all
>> into his "My Documents" directory at this time) Problem is, the directory
>> containing his files is locked. Can't view, copy, etc. I assume it was
>> due to the protection (via XP) he set up on the old system. I was just
>> going to put the HD into an old PC I have and change the permissions.
>> Unfortunately, he also wiped out the windows directory off the old HD.
>>
>> Is there any way to un-secure the old user directory?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> --
>> Smitty
>> Somerset, PA
>
>