Windows XP - Can't access user files after re-install

[Chop]

I tried to install sound drivers last night, when I re-booted I got a blue screen. I tried safe mode and so on but in the end I had to re-install Windows XP.

Now I can't get into my user account as I don't have access to it. All my documents and so on is in this directory. How can I change the access on this file?

 

[AndyHui]

Log in as Administrator: you should be able to access the files.

If you encrypted them and did not back up your encryption key, the files are lost.

 

[Chop]

I only have the home edition so I don't think I can encrypt the files anyway. How do I log in as Administrator, I only have one user ID?

 

[Chop]

I managed to log on as administrator. I had to log on in safe mode to do that. I am still unable to go into my private directory. Is there any hope? Perhaps a crack or a back door.

Please help

 

[bruincal]

I believe your files are lost without that encryption key. There is no crack or back door to it. The original intent was to prevent people from installing another OS side by side the current and attempt to read off the files or plug the hard drive into another computer and try to read the files. This requirest the WinXP OS to decrypt the files using the encryption key as they are read. Without it, I don't think you can actually recover the files ... since this encryption is almost unhackable.

 

[Chop]

I didn't encrypt the folders, I can't. I'm sure you can only do that in the Professional version. I only made them private/restricted. Do these folders just get encrypted automatically?

 

[Chop]

I managed to change the permissions on the folders by loggin in as administrator (safe mode). You have to right click over the folder and then select permissions, you can then add users on the permission list.