Viewing hard drive from another computer - Permissions

yerOP

New Member
Messages
5
Im a computer repair tech, so I'm always hooking up hard drives from other computers to backup data or run certain off-line tasks

With windows 7, I could access the entire contents of a drive without any issues (via external USB dock)

including \documents and settings\<user name> (Windows XP drives)

or \users\<user name> (Vista, 7)

But with Windows 8, when I try to view the contents of the users folder, I always get

"You don't currently have permission to access this folder" - Click continue to get permanent access....etc

I never had to do this with Win7.

Now if I hit continue, I can indeed view those files and do my thing...but here's the issue: If Im trying to get a backup of somebody's dying drive, I can't afford the added stress of Windows making permissions change to an entire user folder...nor do I really want to make changes on the files (which the hard drive will be going back into original computer) by adding my credentials to every file/folder in there.

I just want to be able to get the files without any of the permissions prompts, something Windows 7 never asked for.

Is there some sort of setting I can do, registry or whatever....to eliminate this? I have UAC turned off, made some changes in secpol.msc.... so far no luck

Thanks,
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8
I have Acronis, which I use for other tasks....

but not in the case of just trying to grab a "My Documents" folder or any component of Windows.

Just trying to not have to go thru a permissions thing....If there is a lot of data in those folders it can be a time consuming process.

on a drive that is about to die, it's not something I want to do.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8
If you use MS Networking rather than the default Home Group, you can gain access to all all areas of that mapped HD by using the Administrator account to access it.

You go to the PC that is sharing, shut off Homegroup, use MS networking, that will be "Use User name and password" for sharing. Then activate your Administrator account and give it a simple password, you can do this in Pro versions of Windows by going into Manage/Users and Groups" and set a password for the Admin account, I use 12345, use whatever can be remembered quickly.

You will have to re-create your Share by right clicking on your Drive, advanced sharing, add ADMINISTRATORS to the permissions, and give them ALL permissions.

Then you will be able to get to any folder on the mapped drive, cos you are connected to it as an Admin and have all access to it.

I've moved entire drives like this, but it is better to use a Partition Cloning Program to do it. Acronis is not the best, but it works if you got Seagate drives. I use a Boot Disk I made with Paragon to do it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Im not doing this over a network, Im removing the hard drive from a non-bootable computer, attaching it to a bench computer using a USB to SATA/IDE drive dock and having the drive mount on my PC.

I thought I was pretty thorough in my OP, just want to make sure it's clear what Im trying to do. This is for data recovery purposes, not networking or anything else
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8
Ah, I get it. My mind inserted the networking cos that's how I do it.

If the Drive has an OS on it, you could clone it and try to move it to a new system. If the OS on the drive is still viable, boot to it and activate your Administrator account, give it a simple password, that will activate the Sharing. Then share the whole drive. Then move the HD to the other system and see if you can get in. I think when you share the drive through MS Sharing, it unlocks a bunch of previously locked folders and files, thats just what I surmise from my experience with how it acts.

You also might try "Malwarebytes File Assassin" and see if it will unlock any locked folders and files and allow you to move them- I usually use "Unlocker" to do it, you can get it from Major Geeks. But the Unlocker Installer has a nasty virus embedded in the installer, you have to use advanced setup to bypass installing the toolbar it wants to implant into your PC.

With Unlocker, you can use the Unlocker Assistant to tell it to move the locked files, I've had to do it a bunch of times. you can copy the whole Users folders to another location.

Whenever I install a new OS, I always activate the Administrator account. You may have to access the files while logged in the Administrator account. Also remember to slide your UAC all the way down if you havent done it.

It's the whole Users folder? Right click on it and go into Security, get into Advanced Security options and use Auditing to add Administrators, give them permission for everything. Do the same thing, for Permissions. Then change the Owner to Administrator.

You may want to do that while the drive is in it's native system, add an Administrators to Permissions with Full Read/Write rights.

Finally, try it on a different computer, I've had drives that came up solid locked every folder, but when moving it to another computer, it would let me in.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Here's what you have to do with "File Assassin"

lockedhandles.png

see if that works, if not then download Unlocker from Major Geeks, remember to use Advanced Setup and uncheck Delta Toolbar. Here is how that will look:

unlocker-copy.png

If you do it from the computer you put the drive into, it should not have the locking handles as it shows here.

This is the only app I have found that can do this kind of thing, you have to get around the bad software it is bundled with.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
I appreciate the responses.

I guess Windows 8 handles permissions differently than 7.

What Im trying to avoid is setting any type of permissions or ownership to the drives in order to view the files. Not only do I not want to alter permissions on the customer's drive, I do not want to risk pushing a dying drive over the edge by doing all that permission changes before I get a chance to just make backups.

Windows 7 does not require this. I NEVER get prompts to change ownership when opening folders.

There's no way to emulate that behavior?

Worst case I'll just keep my bench computer on Win7 to avoid this problem.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8
You could use a computer running Linux, or use a live Linux disc to boot your bench PC.

Linux does not care about MS permissions.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 & W10 Tech Priview
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 15R
    CPU
    Intell i3
    Internet Speed
    6 Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Boot the PC using a bootable Linux mint CD and you can copy anything off using the drive that way without any issues with permissions.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Memory
    6 GB
    Screen Resolution
    1280 x 1024
    Hard Drives
    12 TB in 6 disks
    PSU
    TX650
    Keyboard
    G15
    Mouse
    Intellimouse 3.0
    Internet Speed
    100 Mbits
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Trend Micro
You could use a computer running Linux, or use a live Linux disc to boot your bench PC.

Linux does not care about MS permissions.

Boot the PC using a bootable Linux mint CD and you can copy anything off using the drive that way without any issues with permissions.

Yes! Actually when I was finishing up the last reply I was thinking about how Testdisk does such a nice job copying files, but I usually only use that when a drive is showing up as RAW or won't mount. And you can run the Win version of it. Might be the best solution as of yet.

I bought Windows 8 on release date last year, and quickly abandoned it due to this and other issues. Windows 8.1 release has prompted my return. Still trying to hold out and give it a fair chance.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8
I appreciate the responses.

I guess Windows 8 handles permissions differently than 7.

What Im trying to avoid is setting any type of permissions or ownership to the drives in order to view the files. Not only do I not want to alter permissions on the customer's drive, I do not want to risk pushing a dying drive over the edge by doing all that permission changes before I get a chance to just make backups.

Windows 7 does not require this. I NEVER get prompts to change ownership when opening folders.

There's no way to emulate that behavior?

Worst case I'll just keep my bench computer on Win7 to avoid this problem.

I've bumped my head against this problem a lot, I never had any trouble with Windows 7 either. And it's not all the time I get this problem either, cos I attach drives to my system from other PCs all the time. Usually, I can move files around or copy them off. It's just that every 10th HD I stick in, has this issue. Ive never found a solution for it. If I get the issue, I take it out of my Windows 8 system and stick it into XP or 7.

The Linux Solutions should work, you have to mount the NTFS drives. I don't know how to do that, but these other guys do.

Hiren's Boot CD has a Linux OS you can use, I think it's parted magic.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
The Linux Solutions should work, you have to mount the NTFS drives.

The few times I have used a live Ubuntu disc I never had to do anything special to access the files in Windows.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 & W10 Tech Priview
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 15R
    CPU
    Intell i3
    Internet Speed
    6 Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
The one I have won't read em, I'll have to get that version.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Back
Top