Permissions Problem/Access Denied

[Idontwantspam]

Replying to Idon'twantspam:

I still haven't received my external backup device. Hope you have a grand vacation!

I did!

Now that I'm back, let's see what I can figure out. It sounds like you might have some "bigger" hardware issues going on here. I'm not that big of a hardware person, I know way more about the software than the nuts and bolts. None the less, I can still pitch in my $.02 First off, is this an internal hard drive you're talking about or an external one? That could make a big difference. Now I'm not sure, but it could be that this is all tied together on the hardware (CD, HDD, etc) problems. I hate to say this, since I really don't know, but it could be that there's a problem with your motherboard. That would really, really suck. So here's what I'd like to ask you to do for us:

• Write down type up all of the hardware you have. That would mean:
  • What exact kind of computer. I think you said before, but let's just get all this info in one place
    
  • What hard drive(s) you have. What size. Internal or external. Etc.
    
  • How much RAM do you have
    
  • What optical drives do you have? Floppy? CD? Is it a CD-RW or a CD-ROM drive? DVD? Is it DVD-R or DVD-RW? Etc.
    
  • Monitor. Type (LCD/CRT), size (this probably won't help, but just so we can know, who knows, it could pop up later)
    
  • ANYTHING else that is pertinent. Any other hardware basically that could be at all related.
    

  [*]Type up all of the CDs that you have in your possession that are install-like CDs. Such as:

  • Windows XP Installation disk
    
  • Dell Diagnostics
    
  • Drivers
    
  • Microsoft Office
    
  • Photo software
    
  • CD burning software
    
  • ANY other software (Whatever applications you had)
    

  [*]ANYTHING else that might be important and related that you haven't told us.

I think all that info will probably help us. I know you've said some of this already, but I just think it would help to have it all in one place for quick reference, rather than spread out in the thread. Like your 60gb hard drive you said you have. Is that the only one. That sort of thing. Thanks! I hope we can help you.

OH! And I almost forgot! About the "attrib -h -r -s *.* /S /D" thing. I haven't ever had to do this specifically, but I think I know what he's trying to say.

Do this while logged on as the corresponding user:

• Open Command Prompt (cmd.exe)
  
• Type

  CD "%userprofile%"

  
  

• Press Enter
  
• Now type

  attrib -h -r -s *.* /S /S

  
  

• Press enter
  
• Type Exit and press enter
  
• Reboot. All the files in your profile folder should be non-read-only now. I hope. I think.
  

OK, that's all for now. Good luck!

[Ponch]

Sometimes my hard drive won't power up. It did this 10 days ago. Tech had me open hard drive, remove and reinsert memory cards and pull some big white plug and reinsert it and it finally powered up.

You mean "computer" do you ? This is important for the comprehension of your problem. No tech will ever have you open your hard drive.

[Stoic Joker]

I hate to say this, since I really don't know, but it could be that there's a problem with your motherboard. That would really, really suck.

I'm thinking the Mboard is OK from the description. If Sophy was getting lights & fans but no output then maybe Mboard. But no lights, no fans, no nothing is power supply. It's probably "hanging" mid cycle where it can't start because it "thinks" it's already on. I've seen this quite a few times and it's really annoying but fairly easy to fix.

Unplug the machine

Hold in the power button for two minutes (god I hate that part)

Plug the machine back in and it should start.

If it happens frequently ... plan on buying a power supply.

I brought up the attrib think because of two statements earlier in the thread one about read only files, and one about not being able to recover (browse to/find) Emails. The mail stores are buried in one of two hidden folders, either Application Data or Local Settings. So for "recovering" mail from a dead install I usually remove the HSR attribs from everything on the drive, rename the Windows, Documents and Settings, and Program Files folders to WIN_OLD, DOC_OLD, and PROG_OLD then delete all the boot files. Then I can do a "Clean Install" without having to format the drive.

This makes reuniting users with the files they forgot to backup much easier, and nicely eliminates the hard to find drivers issue because they can be pieced together from the old install via C:\WIN_OLD\INF ... and a lot of browsing for the remnants scattered through out the System32 folder.

Do an on-site reinstall for a client that has a lot of peripherals, no install CDs, and a dial-up connection, once ... and you'll understand just how handy this trick can be.

[Tarun]

For the permission problems, have you tried Dial-a-fix?

[Sophy]

Hello all!

The reason for the silence is that I haven't been able to get my tower to power up since my last reply, until tonight. Every day I've come in here and done all the steps I mentioned previously and got nothing. Then tonight after work I walked in the computer room and the lights were blinking so I'm up for now. The frustration over this whole mess was about to push me over the edge so my husband took pity on me and told me to order a new computer and he would pay for it. I did. I'm just going to leave this one running until it gets here.

As to the fix with unplugging the tower, holding the power button in and then plugging it back in -- I've done that I'm sure 50 times. The only difference is I only held the button in for 30 seconds as that is what the Dell tech said. It didn't work, but maybe if I held it in for 2 minutes it would. The way Stoic Joker described things in his recent post it sure sounds like he could be right -- power supply

I must tell you all something pretty funny. Earlier someone commented, with regard to the problem of not being able to read CDs after the reinstall -- that if I were to install all the same drivers I had before I could probably read them. I decided to try that before I checked into this forum. I put the disc in that came with my computer that had Device Drivers on it and would you believe ... it wouldn't read the disc!! It showed as a blank disc. I do so wish I could do something to figure this deal out because the one disc has several hundred family photos taken over the past 18 months since my grandson was born. I'm going to try a program that was mentioned by someone -- IsoBuster. I'll check back in and let you know what happens.

I think this reinstall which Dell led me through was a botched deal.

I hope I'm not going to have to come right back here with a bunch of problems when I get my new machine.

I'll check back unless this thing blows up on me. I want to thank each and every one of you because you've all been totally fantastic about taking your time and trying to help me. I can't express how much I've appreciated it!

Sophy

[Sophy]

I'm back! I purchased IsoBuster. It was able to read the two CDs in question. I was so thrilled! I did notice that apparently both of these CDs were UFD. That was mentioned and I have no idea what it means.

So, I extracted my Kodak pictures to my hard drive C. Then I thought I would burn them to a new CD-RW disc. I put a new CD-RW in my CD ROM drive/F. I drug the folder labeled Kodak Pictures from my hard drive to drive F and I got a sign that said

F/is not accessible. Incorrect function.

Further, now I am not even able to copy additional data to a CD-RW disc which I could copy to about a week ago. For instance, as I create new logins in my RoboForm program they are also in My Documents. I would put my CD-RW in drive F, go to My Documents and drag any new logins to the disc. It worked fine. Now it tells me

Files on this CD-ROM drive are read only. You can not copy or move files over to this CD-ROM drive.

So now what has changed that I can't do what I could a week ago?

Sophy

[Sophy]

It's not 100%, but I did start in safe mode and got things back to where I can copy. I guess it'll get me by until I get my new computer.

Thanks for the advice on trying that IsoBuster. What a life saver!

Sophy

[Idontwantspam]

Sorry I haven't responded until now; I was out of town. I guess now that you've gotten a new computer, this is slightly irrelevant, but heck, if you can make the old one work, too, then you can have two working computers. I agree that the reinstall was a bit of a bad deal. Next time, ask here first. At any rate, I'm kind of stuck. Is there a neighborhood nerd or some computer shop in your area where you could go to ask for help, someone who can physically see the computer? They could help you maybe. Also if you can't get the drivers CD to work, try downloading them from the web. Dell's site has most of that stuff, usually in the form of an exe file.

Good luck. I hope your new computer is better. Oh, and let us know what you got. I'm curious. I hope you got Windows XP instead of Vista.

[Sophy]

My computer isn't here yet, but I got another Dell -- XPS 410. I did some researching online and this particular model of Dell was recommended on several independent rating sites. Also I have one of their preferred accounts so no interest if it's paid within 12 months. I didn't have any choice on operating system. I wanted XP. They have some models that you can still get XP with, but not this one. I have QuarkXPress 5.0 which I just love to use for importing photos for printing because it's so versatile -- it's just a great progam all around -- and the way it sounds I won't be able to use it with Vista.

I also hate to lose my Outlook Express. I've heard they are having some trouble with that replacement program, Windows Mail.

I'm usually up for a challenge but honestly, with all the computer problems I've had I'm really not looking forward to learning Vista. Especially since I remember reading something about having to set permissions for practically everything you do. After all the trouble I've already had with that it's not a pleasant thought.

I am curious -- exactly why did you say you hoped I got XP instead of Vista. I sure hope I don't mess up the works right off the bat because I can't figure out how to use it.

I'm 100 miles from the nearest computer store -- live in a little rural town.

Thanks!

Sophy

[Idontwantspam]

Ummm, oh dear. How did you order your new computer? Because when I searched Dell.com for XPS 410, and clicked on Customize, it had a button for Customize with Windows XP and one for Customize with Windows Vista. So you could've gotten XP, it appears.

So yeah, I guess that's too bad. You've already mentioned some reasons to hate Vista. Most things (not all) that I've heard about it have been quite negative, and there have been few glowing reviews. I'm comfortable with Windows NT 5 (XP, 2000, and Server 2003) and know how to use it; all my necessary apps work on XP, so there's no need for me to switch. I've heard that UAC is annoying, and that many apps break with Vista. Drivers are still buggy. Your CDs may or may not work. It's full of DRM. It requires lots of resources just to run. It just doesn't seem worth it. So that's why I said I wish you had gotten XP. You should have. Now of course, I think there's something in the EULA about downgrade rights, so if you have an XP Pro CD anywhere, and you have Vista business or ultimate, you could in theory "downgrade" (read: upgrade) to XP. I think. Good luck!

[submix8c]

Sophy :

I'm back! I purchased IsoBuster. It was able to read the two CDs in question. I was so thrilled! I did notice that apparently both of these CDs were UFD. That was mentioned and I have no idea what it means.

So, I extracted my Kodak pictures to my hard drive C. Then I thought I would burn them to a new CD-RW disc. I put a new CD-RW in my CD ROM drive/F. I drug the folder labeled Kodak Pictures from my hard drive to drive F and I got a sign that said

F/is not accessible. Incorrect function.

Further, now I am not even able to copy additional data to a CD-RW disc which I could copy to about a week ago. For instance, as I create new logins in my RoboForm program they are also in My Documents. I would put my CD-RW in drive F, go to My Documents and drag any new logins to the disc. It worked fine. Now it tells me

Files on this CD-ROM drive are read only. You can not copy or move files over to this CD-ROM drive.

So now what has changed that I can't do what I could a week ago?

Sophy

I agree with Idontwantspam on the Vista thing; can you check and see if it has shipped? If not, perhaps you can get them to change the order...

IsoBuster - you're welcome

You mean "UDF", don't you? This is a special format that allows using a CD/RW "as if" it were a e.g. HDD or memory card. You must have had some software (UDF Reader / Formatter) like Nero or Roxio (read Adaptec) installed. It may have installed with your Kodak software. This would have allowed you to I/O to the CD/RW. As you are now "set up", XP only recognizes any CD inserted as a "burnable" CD never to be written to again. Chances are, you had some CD/RW's "pre-formatted" to UDF, hence the nasty error message. BTW, any Burning Software you install usually requires you to separately install the UDF-thingy separately. Check what you have and see if you can install that "special" software; then the "Format / Read+Write UDF" functionality will return. WARNING! for any disks you already have in that format, you MUST use the same version of the software to allaow accesses. Otherwise you will have to use (whatever) to Full Format them (not UDF), which basically turns them into "unused" CD/RW's.

Luck to ya....

edit: DOH! Just remembered; the XP re-install is what got ya! It probably blew away a bunch of stuff you had installed (depending on the reinstall method - thx Dell!). Just find the "burning" software you used before and re-install it. MIGHT just fix your probs...

Edited June 30, 2007 by submix8c