Can't retrieve files from hdd (currently in external enclosure)

My motherboard on my old computer running xp died but the hard drive was fine so when I got a new computer I put it into an external exclosure with the warped idea that I would be able to retrieve all my data files that I needed like pictures, documents, address book, etc. When I try to pull these files off of it, vista tells me I don't have permission. I did not have to log onto my old computer with a password so I don't understand why I need permission to access them. When my old computer was still running I was able to access some of these same files with my daughter's vista run computer thru our home network without a password. Why can't I access them now and how can I retrieve these files? Some of them are very important to me and can't be replaced in any other way.

These are NTFS permission problems. You can copy all the files if you log on as an administrator, right click the directory or volume, click the "Security" tab and take ownership of all files (including in subdirectories). You will need Simple filesharing disabled in the map options in Explorer preferences. Lookup on google on how to take ownership of files on Windows.

Once you are the new owner, you have access to all directories and files, so you can copy them to your own disk.

Thank you so much. Was able to find something thru google that made taking ownership of the necessary folders relatively painless since that taking ownership stuff was all greek to me. Hate to say it but in a lot of ways the old DOS made so much more sense to me than windows. Was just getting used to how things worked with xp after about 5 yrs of using it when I was pretty much forced up to vista by a motherboard death. Didn't even switch to xp until forced to by a similar reason. Thanks again sub.

have you tried unlocker? it will give you access to any protected file or folder.

http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/