Can't take ownership of NTFS partition.

Discussion in 'Windows Vista' started by bradj1109, Aug 12, 2009.

  1. bradj1109

    bradj1109 MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2009
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    I have a removable hard disk that has very important information on it. There are 2 partitions on it: one FAT32 (which works fine), and one NTFS.

    The XP-based computer I had it attached to needed to be wiped and reloaded. After the reload, I discovered that, no matter what computer I attached it to XP or Vista, I could see the partition (it has a drive letter and everything), but was denied access to it.

    Having read other posts about related situations, it seems I need to take ownership of the partition, but, when I bring up the drive/partitions properties, there's no Security tab. I've tried forcing the Security tab's appearance through the registry. I've tried using the right-click Take Ownership utility. All to no avail.

    Please help me get access to this drive. I currently have the drive connected to a Vista 64-bit notebook, but could easily attach it to a 32-bit XP machine.
     
  2. bradj1109

    bradj1109 MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2009
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    Not looking to format

    I don't need to format it. I need to get to the information on the "locked" partition. Some of it has no back up yet. I need to change the permissions on it, so it can be opened on another PC.
     
  3. Lenmaer

    Lenmaer MDL Addicted

    Jul 3, 2009
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    Could you please attach a screenshot? It's difficult to me to really understand what you mean by locked.
     
  4. bradj1109

    bradj1109 MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2009
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    Screen shots

    Thanks for trying to help. There's not much in the screen shots, but here are 2. One was taken trying to open the drive in Windows Explorer, and the other is the view from Disk Management.

    Access Denied - Explorer.jpg

    Access Denied - Disk Mgmt.jpg
     
  5. bradj1109

    bradj1109 MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2009
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    Deactivate UAC

    Did it. Didn't work.

    It seems like a lot of the research I've done works with folders, but not partition level security (which seems to be what I'm dealing with). I didn't even know the partition would have security like this.
     
  6. Lenmaer

    Lenmaer MDL Addicted

    Jul 3, 2009
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  7. bradj1109

    bradj1109 MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2009
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    Takeown

    OK. I tried Vista's TAKEOWN earlier, but couldn't figure out the right switches, since I can't even get into the partition itself.

    I tried your version of TAKEOWN with the command line you recommended, and got the following reponse:

    Impossibilite de définir Administrateur comme propriétaire
    Ouvrir une session comme Administrateur et réessayer

    Translated to English by Google, I got:

    Administrator unable to set as the owner
    Log on as Administrator and try again

    The account I originally tried it in was an administrator, but I also logged in as Administrator, and got the same message.

    I also tried Vista's version of TAKEOWN with your command line, and got the following:

    ERROR: Invalid argument/option - 'G:" /s'.
    Type "TAKEOWN /?" for usage.
     
  8. Lenmaer

    Lenmaer MDL Addicted

    Jul 3, 2009
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    Can you access it in Safe Mode?
     
  9. acs

    acs MDL Novice

    Jul 16, 2009
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    This has worked for me in the past

    explorer > tools > folder options > view > untick Use Simple File Sharing > Apply > Right click E:\ > Properties > Security > Advanced > Owner > go to change owner to: field, and select your user name > apply.


    or use this as a reg file --- AT YOUR OWN RISK !!
    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00


    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
    @="Take Ownership"
    "NoWorkingDirectory"=""

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
    @="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"
    "IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
    @="Take Ownership"
    "NoWorkingDirectory"=""

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
    @="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"
    "IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t"
     
  10. bradj1109

    bradj1109 MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2009
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    Registry change

    Didn't need to change my registry. The entries you listed were already in place.

    One interesting note, however, is the fact that I don't see an entry for Use Simple File Sharing (checked or not). I usually deactivate Simple File Sharing when I configure one of my computers, but I don't even see it at all now.
     
  11. bradj1109

    bradj1109 MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2009
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    Safe Mode

    Tried Safe Mode. Still no access.
     
  12. ltgmaddog

    ltgmaddog MDL Novice

    Nov 20, 2009
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    =(

    I'm having this same problem... Was there any resolution to this issue? There is no security tab it keeps asking me to format on 3 different paritions... they show up but are inaccessible after a Windows 7 Install... I am now back to xp. Has anyone figure out how to force permissions or at least pull the raw data off the drives? any help would be appreciated
     
  13. Michel

    Michel MDL Expert

    Jul 29, 2009
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    try this one.

     
  14. ltgmaddog

    ltgmaddog MDL Novice

    Nov 20, 2009
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    gave that a try as is... still says I need to reformat. Am I reading that correctly its taking ownership of Drive F? or C?
     
  15. el6

    el6 MDL Novice

    Jan 31, 2008
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    try disable "Simple File Sharing" first, then you can take ownership of the drive.
     
  16. ltgmaddog

    ltgmaddog MDL Novice

    Nov 20, 2009
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    Like I said I'm having the same problem as the original poster... its not as simple as disabling the simple file sharing... there is no Security tab because Windows believes the drives have not been formatted yet... But before installing windows 7 the drives were accessible. Someone mentioned a windows 7 file permission bug... what Is this bug? I tried to find more info on it but cannot.. this is the key here. not some setting... I've used multiple recovery tools, re wrote the partition tables... nothing is working... I need to some how convince windows that the original permissions are in place so I may see my original data. Is there a fix for this bug?
     
  17. ltgmaddog

    ltgmaddog MDL Novice

    Nov 20, 2009
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    Michel I'm trying to read through this code what exactly is it doing I think I need to alter it to conform to my situation?
     
  18. bradj1109

    bradj1109 MDL Novice

    Aug 12, 2009
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