XP Repair Install gone to hell...

Hmm that still didn't let me move it to my external FAT32. Weird.

 

Can you move or copy anything to the external drive?

 

Yes I can use the same edit/move to folder command on other files and they are transferred to the external FAT32

 

Are there any other users listed in permissions? If so, try removing them. You might also try adding the username 'Everyone' and allowing full access. Can you copy or move those files to another location on the local hard drive(s)?

 

These are the things listed in permissions:
[AMFANGEL is my computer name]

Administrators (AMFANGEL\Administrators)
S-1-#### (my SID)
SYSTEM
Users (AMFANGEL\Users)

All have full control.

Interesting. I can only move it to other folders on my P:\ drive. I can't move it to the C:\ or T:\ drive.

 

That is interesting. Can you cut/paste or copy/paste them to another drive vs moving them?

I'm a bit puzzled at this point, and tired as well. I'll sleep on it and maybe have something else to suggest tomorrow evening, if someone else doesn't figure it out first

 

Nope, I can't copy or cut and paste either. I'm not sure if it matters, but the P:\ where all this is stored is a SATA drive whereas C:\ and T:\ are both IDE drives. I checked the security of P:\ and checked full control for all the users and groups that were listed. Still no dice. Let me know if there's anything else you can think of. I hooked up my floppy just to try that and it doesn't work either.

 

Are these the only files on P:\ that cannot be copied/moved to another drive?

 

Yes. I used the same command (edit/move to folder) for other files on P:\ and they were quickly moved to C:\

 

Open a command prompt and type the following command, using the proper path and filename(s), then hit enter.

copy /d "P:\enter\the\path\and\filename\here" "P:\enter\a\different\path "

Example
copy /d "P:\pics\summer\dayone\sunshine.jpg" "P:\pics\summer "

Be sure to leave the spaces as shown.

See if the copy placed in new location is still encrypted.

 

"The system cannot find the file specified "

 

What is the name and path of any of the files?

 

I really only have one file I need:

P:\Chicks.xls

I can move it to any folder on P:\, rename it to whatever I want, but I can't copy it nor move it to folders on other hard drives.

 

Create a new folder named test on P: then paste the following command in a command window and hit enter.

copy /d P:\Chicks.xls P:\test\Chicks.xls

Check the new copy in test folder for the encryption attribute.

 

"Access is denied.
0 file(s) copied. "

I should have clarified earlier that I can't copy the file anywhere, even on P:\

 

Right click the file and select Properties. Click the Advanced button on the general tab. Check the box to 'compress contents to save disk space' and uncheck the 'encrypt contents to secure data' box. Click OK and OK to exit the properties window. Check if encryption was removed.

 

It says access is denied.

 

When I look at the details of the Chicks.xls encryption I see:

"Users who can transparently access this file:
Sage(Sage@AMFANGEL) "

If I encrypt a random file I see this:
"Users who can transparently access this file:
Sage(Sage@SAGE-3) "

However currently my computer username in the system properties dialog is AMFANGEL.

 

Sage@amfangel is the user account on the original installation. That is where the encryption certificate is stored as well.

See if you can send the file to a compressed folder (zip it), then copy the zip to the fat32 drive. Extract the file there if successful.

 

WinZip Log:
Action: Add (and replace) files Include subfolders: no Save full path: no
Include system and hidden files: yes
Adding Chicks.xls
Warning: could not open for reading: P:/Chicks.xls
copying Zip file

Since I still have my original Docs & Settings I have the encryption keys from the original install still. I'm not sure if this matters.