Replacing Laptop HDD - USB HDD Cradle Problems

[Deviouz]

Im in the process of replacing my old laptop's HDD with a new one, but im having some problems with something.
Before I did anything i backed-up my whole system, just in case...
So then I swhitched HDD's and got the OS "XP PRO" installed on the new HDD, but when i put the old HDD into my USB cradle and plug it into my 2nd PC via USB cable, I can access everything except for some reason it wont let me access my User folder at F:\Documents and Settings\User
It says the folder is empty and when i try to open the folder it denies me access. but when i plug this old HDD back into the Laptop as the main HDD every thing is back to normal and I can access that folder with everything still in it.

So i put the New HDD back into the laptop with the freshly installed OS and put some text files in the desktop folder in my user folder at F:\Documents and Settings\User\Desktop then i took this New HDD out and put it into the USB Cradle plugged it back into my 2nd PC via USB cable and was able to open the User Folder and access all files within...

so on my old Laptop HDD, what would be causing it to not letting me access my user folder on it when i have it in the USB Cradle..??
i tried differnt jumper settings but still no luck..??
All PC's are "XP PRO SP2" with only one user on each = me as Admin.
anybody have any solutions or ideas on what i should try to fix this problem..??
-Thanks in advance for anyones help-

 

[Deviouz]

can anyone help me at all please..???

 

[N3051M]

Its possibly that you dont have permission to access that folder.. its a drawback with the ntfs system since /documents and settings/user is part of the OS or something..

Give people more time to answer your thread before bumping it..

 

[Tmagic650]

A fresh OS install is always best... Are you saying that the user file is actually your file? There are 3 user files on my system. Default, All Users, and my Hanson user file. Which one are you talking about?

 

[Deviouz]

its not a singular file, im talking about the folder F:\Documents and Settings\Deviouz when its in the usb cradle...

 

[Tmagic650]

Can you install the "cradle" drive back in your system as a slave and access the folder there? Move it to the new C and then you shoud be able to access it

 

[Deviouz]

im not sure what exactly you mean by that..??? do you mean put the original old HDD back into the Laptop then copy the C:\Documents and Settings\Deviouz folder to F:\Documents and Settings\Deviouz on the new HDD in the usb cradle..??

 

[Tmagic650]

Yes, exactly

 

[Deviouz]

ok, so why cant i still access my user folder on the old HDD when i put it into the USB cradle, but i can with the new HDD..???

 

[N3051M]

Ok. Your Old HDD has windows on it correct? and that USER folder is part of that windows yes? then its being "locked" because of the fact that its tied into the windows OS, as a security measure. When you try to access it using another login (just imagine you've created another user on that old HDD) you can't, right? Its the same with this. I know its silly and there are methods to fix this but i cant recall any right now..

You can either stick your old HDD in the laptop, copy it to another location on that HDD thats not locked (say the root) or unlock your account/folder somehow (maybe the user is password protected or something)

 

[Deviouz]

Ok. Your Old HDD has windows on it correct? and that USER folder is part of that windows yes? then its being "locked" because of the fact that its tied into the windows OS, as a security measure. When you try to access it using another login (just imagine you've created another user on that old HDD) you can't, right? Its the same with this. I know its silly and there are methods to fix this but i cant recall any right now..

You can either stick your old HDD in the laptop, copy it to another location on that HDD thats not locked (say the root) or unlock your account/folder somehow (maybe the user is password protected or something)

thats the thing though neither my user folder or user accout is not password protected or anything at all...so i should be able to access it when it in the usb cradle...but still cant..
but for some reason i am able to access my user folder fine on the new hdd with the fresh OS when its in the usb cradle.. it just doesnt make sense..??

 

[Tmagic650]

I've never done this with a USB based hard drive but if you see both in My Computer, try using a Disk copying utility like Seagate's Disk Wizard... Windows based. Set up using "install new boot drive, keeping the old boot drive". Once this is done, you should have an exact copy of your old drive, on the new boot drive...