A password-protected account in a WinXp system had its password removed and the name changed to 'Owner'. Other accounts were deleted. When that modified WinXP system was cloned to the second partition of a HDD in a different PC, \owner\ was inaccessible in \Documents and Settings\ of the 2nd partition. In an earlier test, before the other accounts had been deleted, the other accounts were accessible in the second partition on the 'new' PC [but the 'owner-original' was not.] There had been a mention of 'administrator' in the name of the 'owner-original', although it existed alongside an 'administrator' account. How can I get access to the contents of the 'owner' account in the 'new' PC ? Basty

Maybe this will work -- http://support.microsoft.com/defaul... How to take ownership of a file or folder in Windows XP

On a new install of XP, "Owner" is indeed the owner's account name and profile name. There is also the default Administrator account. Are you sure you're not referring to a Profile Name rather than account name? Just out of curiosity, who was the person who removed all the accounts? Are these computers in a work environment, or a home environment? I'm sure there's more to this than just renaming an account. "So won’t you give this man his wings What a shame To have to beg you to see We’re not all the same What a shame" - Shinedown

"I'm sure there's more to this than just renaming an account." You may be right, Jennifer. It wouldn't be the first time we've been given less than the full story. Please let us know if you found someone's advice to be helpful.

Chuck2 I am familar with 'taking ownership' and have previously used it with success. However, in this case the crucial Security tab is missing in the Properties for the required folder. More-over, the folder's properties show a volume of 0 bytes, yet I KNOW it contains megabytes. In Sharing tab; 'Local sharing & security' MAKE THIS FOLDER PRIVATE is not ticked, but it IS greyed out. There is a suggestion to drag to folder to \Shared Folders\, but when I try, "Cannot create or replace owner : Access is denied" Jennifer SUMN "Are you sure you're not referring to a Profile Name rather than account name?" I was the one who changed the name to 'owner' so I KNOW it is the name of the Account. "who was the person who removed all the accounts?" I was - I did it because those users no longer have access to this system - their accounts are obsolete. Both computers are in a home environment. "there's more to this than just renaming an account" Of course there is, but I have only related the technically relevant details. However, since you seem curious.... That operating system had become dysfunctional to the extent that new programs (antivirus, Nero etc) could no longer be installed. Also, the owner wanted a more compact system. I had a Pioneer ZPC available and thought that if I copied that 'old' system to its second partition, then the healthy system on the first partition could access the 'old' data and programs. I experimented with that before removing the obsolete accounts and found that assumption correct, except for the 'owners' account. I figured that removing the password from the owner's account would bring it on par with the obsolete accounts, and thus render it accessible to the healthy operating system, but that has not happened. Sci-Guy Do not hesitate to ask for any info you think is needed and not yet provided. Basty

You said that the OS had become dysfunctional, but after copying it to the second partition, you refer to the first load as "healthy." How is that possible? "I figured that removing the password from the owner's account would bring it on par with the obsolete accounts, and thus render it accessible to the healthy operating system, but that has not happened." Unless you're booting to that second partition, you won't be able to access/delete the accounts on it; only the profiles for any accounts that existed on the original (copied to second) partition. You also said "How can I get access to the contents of the 'owner' account in the 'new' PC ?" What new PC? Are you referring to the second partition? I'm very confused. What's the intent? To just access the Owner's profile? If so, why are you unable to access it on the original partition? "So won’t you give this man his wings What a shame To have to beg you to see We’re not all the same What a shame" - Shinedown

"You said that the OS had become dysfunctional, but after copying it to the second partition, you refer to the first load as 'healthy'. How is that possible?" I installed a healthy fresh system in the first partition of a different PC, and cloned the sick one into the second partition. I deleted the obsolete accounts BEFORE cloning to the second partition. I do not expect to be able to boot from the second partition because that O/S was originally installed in a different PC. If I move the account's data into Shared Folders, I WILL be able to access it in its new location. I'll do that if I need to, but was hoping that would not be necessary. The sick O/S is in the second partition of a 'new' PC. I don't know what you mean by 'accessing the owner's profile'. What I want to do is access the data and programs in that sick system which is now in a PC different from the one it was originally installed in. Basty