problem getting files of HDD

Gdetrailer wrote:

Bucky Badger wrote:

HappyKayakers wrote:

Bucky Badger wrote:

CloudDriver wrote:
For what it's worth, this is what I did a couple of weeks ago when installing an SSD.

Backed up all data files from the old 500GB hard drive to an external hard drive. Disconnected old hard drive and connected the SSD. Installed Win 7 on SSD. Installed new 2TB hard drive for data storage to avoid filling up SSD. Set Windows to write documents, music, pictures, videos to new 2TB hard drive. Restored data files from external backup onto new hard drive. Installed programs onto SSD. Left old hard drive in machine just in case I missed something in the original back up.

This is exactly what i'm doing, Like I said in my OP I do have a back up , but am wondering why i can't get the files off the old drive.
I'm goig to look into MrWizards comments a little later about the read only being checked

Read only has nothing to do with it. All files on a CD-R are read only but you never have problems opening to view them. Your access issue is a security problem. Here's a link to a MS site to get you started: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/Windows7/How-do-I-open-a-file-if-I-get-an-access-denied-message. Since that user folder was created in the previous OS installation, you probably have no current users in the permissions list.

Thanks, worked perfect!!!!

Glad that fixed it..

Sometimes though with Win7 (and possible W8x) you will run into a another "protection" problem..

In a nutshell The Windows OS you booted up with will "see" the second drive with a bootable OS (same or different) and the disk manager will block all access to the "competing" OS drive. Supposedly this action is taken to prevent corruption of your Windows OS files..

So, if the drive does not show up at all you will need to Go to your control panel.

Select Administrative tools

Then Computer management

Then Disk management under Storage.

You should now see the second drive in the disk manager but in order to access the files on the drive you will need to force Windows to accept it (little fuzzy on how that is done since I ran into this once but you should be able to figure it out by at least right or left clicking on the drive in question)..