If you are getting a “User Access Denied error” in Windows XP
-try this-

If you move a hard drive from a computer running Windows XP and install it into another machine running Windows XP.

You will see this error because when a user in Windows sets a password for their account, Windows encrypts the data within that account.

Meaning, all your folders (My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, Your Desktop, etc.) are locked onto that drive.

And any way you hookup the drive to another machine you will get a My Documents or Documents and Settings folder error.

Saying “User Access Denied”. This is because a different copy of Windows is trying to access a folder another copy of Windows encrypted.

It will give this error by default until you “take ownership” of the drive in the copy of Windows you want to copy to.

Follow these steps and take back your files.

Or Backup a friends drive so they can reinstall without losing anything..!

And be the hero of the day…!

1. Start Menu > Control Panel > Appearence and Themes > Folder Options >Click on the tab View and look along the bottom for a box that says “Use simple file sharing (Recommended)” and UNCHECK it.
2. Go to the Documents and Settings folder or the My Documents folder.
3. Right click on it and go to properties
4. Then click on the security tab.
5. Find the advanced box, click on it
6. Click on the Owners Tab
7. Then click on the check box saying “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects.”
8. Click “Yes to all”
9. WAIT! And finshed!!! :)

Now (assuming it all worked right..) you will have full access to the drive.

Any files contained therein can now be accessed and edited.

Yea I am THAT GOOD lol.

Your Welcome and Enjoy..!

If this post helps anyone out there I'm glad to help.

Please comment so I know about it.

Article tags: Access, Back up, Backup, Denied, Error, Fix, Ownership, Take Ownership, User, User Access, Windows XP