Transfer user data between partitions, access denied, XP Home

[neilthrun]

Sorry to only show up on the forum when I have problems, but I'm hoping you guys can help me out.

I recently had to add a new partition to my hard drive and install a new OS, XP Home SP2, onto the hard drive. The old partition OS was having a boot error, resulting in a STOP: 0x0000007B. I tried repairing it and wasn't able to because of errors and mouse/keyboard failure.

So like I said, I installed a new OS in a new Partition. I now want to get files from my old partition to the new one, before I delete the old OS and drive altogether. I was able to take files from the C:\ folder where I had stored a few things. The majority of my data is in My Documents and Desktop, when I try to access those things I get an Access Denied message. I have the password for the old User account, but can't boot into that OS. What can I do to recover the data?

I now realize the importance of not keeping my files on the same partition as my operating system.

 

[neilthrun]

Doh, I just looked at similar topics below and answered my own question as to how to do this.

But I want to double check two things.

1. After I grab all the files I want and paste them into my new partition, am I entirely free to delete the old partition? I just want to make sure my copied and pasted files aren't simple pointers at files on the other partition. The path says F:\ which is my new partition, so I think I'm good.

2. How to delete my old partition. Do I just enter setup by hitting f2 durring start up? I believe that's where I created my new partition (sorry memory is getting fuzzy after being in so many different menus and screens.

3. Is there risk of my old partition infecting my new partition with visruses? So I'm not noting any abnormal behavior on the new partition. I've got the service pack updates and AVG on a flash drive to install them to my new partition before I try to connect to the internet with that PC. Any other precautions I should take?

 

[gbhall]

1. You are confusing Windows with Linux. If you can see the files and open them in Windows explorer, they are real copies.

2. Download and run GpartEd to manipulate partitions

3. Only if you execute some software on the old partition which is infected. 'Execute' means run a program, but in some circumstances, viewing an image or movie could also infect you, but the possibility is quite remote.

BTW just a few reminders - after you delete a partition, your drive letter will change. You can reclaim the unused space to become part of an existing partition by using a partition manager e.g GpartEd. If there was an OS in the original partition, it may still be referenced in the file boot.ini at the root of the drive. It might still be offered to you as an alternative boot at boot time, depending upon how you installed the new OS. Boot.ini can be edited by notepad etc if you make system files visible and temporarily remove it's 'system' attribute. Just delete the line pointing to the old partition.