Accessing folders on old HD

The harddrive form my old PC has some really important files on it that I have to retrieve. I connected it to my new PC and while it shows up in explorer I cannot accessing my folder due to some permissions thing.

I thought I'd boot up from the old harddrive but when I do this I get two options: the first is a repair/restore option (recommended) and the other is to boot up normally. The normal boot up causes a BSOD, the restore method completely freezes all peripherals so I can't do the restore.

Before I spend 200+ quid on a professional recovery service is there any way I can retrieve these files myself?

bigseb said:

The harddrive form my old PC has some really important files on it that I have to retrieve. I connected it to my new PC and while it shows up in explorer I cannot accessing my folder due to some permissions thing....

...Before I spend 200+ quid on a professional recovery service is there any way I can retrieve these files myself?

Yes, you just need to change the permissions of the folders on the old drive that you want to copy, presumably those are the User folders. Existing permissions are for the user accounts of the old system, accounts that don't exist on your new PC (even if the account has the same name as an account on the old PC windows sees it as a different account).

To gain permission you'll first have to take ownership of the folder, then you can add your account and grant it full permission.

Change Owner of File, Folder, Drive, or Registry Key in Windows 10

Change Permissions of Objects for Users and Groups in Windows 10

Alternatively, any free Linux live CD will enable you to access/copy those files.

Thanks guys. I'll try those.

Fixer said:

Alternatively, any free Linux live CD will enable you to access/copy those files.

Used this method. All is recovered now. Thanks!

Good to hear

In a somewhat related question, is it correct to assume that if you restore your c:\ drive with Macrium Reflect to a time prior to making permission changes, that those changes revert back to the original permissions?

RichardC said:

... is it correct to assume that if you restore your c:\ drive with Macrium Reflect to a time prior to making permission changes, that those changes revert back to the original permissions?

Yes, restore a Macrium image and you get exactly what was there when you made the image, including all the file permissions.

thanks, Bree
I thought so, but it's always comforting to here it from one of the guru's.