Access Denied Solution allows XCopy

This solution allows you to get command line and XCopy access to folders within a True Image backup you are trying to Explore.

It is based on various other threads, and is summarized here.

Scenario: Person 1 creates a True Image XP NTFS backup on a server.
Person 2 (you) wants to be able to grab a document out of Person 1's
backup on the server. You can Explore/map the backup successfully,
but when you try to access \Documents and Settings\Person 1's
My Documents you get an error message: "Access is denied".

As others have mentioned, this is due to Windows SID security.

Fortunately, it is possible to get access to files within that My Documents
folder by using the Windows command line via the Task Scheduler,
which allows System access.

I.e. You do NOT have to restore the image to get at the My Documents
(or other secured) folder, and you do NOT have to use Safe mode.

Steps:
=====

1) Log onto Windows XP on Person 2's PC, into an account with Administrator rights. Make sure that True Image is NOT running.
2) Click on the Start button, Run, cmd.exe
3) A DOS command window opens (Note: it does NOT have System privileges, but that is okay).
4) Make sure the Task Scheduler is started with this command:
C:\> net start "Task Scheduler"
5) It will either show that the Task Scheduler is starting, or that it
is already running. Either is fine.
6) Look at the Windows clock in the bottom right of the screen,
and pick a time about 2 minutes in the future. For this example
it is 10:00 am in the morning.
7) In the DOS command window type:
C:\> at 10:02 /interactive c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe
It will show that the job got added.
9) Now you wait for 2 minutes or so. Then the second DOS command
window will open. This window does have System privileges !
10) Start True Image, and Explore/map the backup you want access to.
For this example, the mapped drive letter is F:
11) Click inside the second DOS command window, and type the mapped
drive letter and then press enter: C:\> F:
12) You are now accessing the True Image backup from DOS.
13) Navigate to the My Documents folder you want to get at. For this
example Person 1 is named Carolyn:
C:\> CD "Documents and Settings"
C:\Documents and Settings\> CD Carolyn
C:\Documents and Settings\Carolyn\> CD "My Documents"

14) There you are! You just gained access to the folder that gave
you "Access is denied" before!

15) Now you can use the CD and XCOPY commands to copy a file to
somewhere on your own hard drive. Example:
XCOPY "garden tips.doc" C:\

Cheers !

 

Hello Timehawk,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Disk Backup Software.

Sharing your experience is very much appreciated.

If you have any further experience to share, please feel free to post it on this forum.

Thank you.
--
Kirill Omelchenko

 

In summary, Timehawk, you just described a way to gain console access as SYSTEM. But what if the image folder you are trying to access does not allow SYSTEM to read?

 

YOU ROCK!

Solved my problems!

Rich