Recover password protected files on external drive WITH password/PIN

[jude525]

I've spent an hour searching the web for an answer on this, but can't find this specific situation.

I have a drive from a dead PC that I am trying to retrieve files from. It is a SATA drive that was running Win10. The drive is NOT encrypted, and there is no drive password. The drive was not damaged, as far as I know. I think the problem was the case. Sometimes it would power up, sometimes not. Just when I decided to back things up and junk it, it stopped booting.

The drive is in a USB enclosure and shows up fine on my new laptop. But, as expected, it's denying me access to the user folder. I have my PIN and password, i just don't know how to use them to get into my stuff. None of the solutions I've seen apply to Windows 10. Everything was XP, 7 etc... None of the instructions for taking ownership that I've seen seem to apply since I never even get to the right dialog. Once site got into editing a registry entry, but I don't see how that would apply for an external drive that was not created by my system.

So, help, please?

EDIT: I've tried simply booting my new laptop from the old drive, but I just get an eternal spin. The original install must not like the new hardware.

 

[androbourne]

You wont be able to simply plug in and boot from the old hard drive on new hardware. The hardware changes between your old and new system are to great and it wont be bootable.


As for using a USB encloser. When you plug it into your laptop. Are you able to open the drive and see files? it is simple saying you don't have access to the file? Or are you not even able to get that far?

 

[jude525]

The file structure is fully visible. As expected, when I try to open the old user folder it tells me that I don't have permission. Because I have administrative access on my system it tries to override, but it just gets stuck. When I right click on the user folder I have "access" to all the tabs, including Sharing and Security. So if the solution is in here, I just need directions.

 

[rgd1101]

Take Ownership of a File or Folder

 

[jude525]

Yeah, lots of people say that on the web, but no one has explained it in a way that makes sense for Win 10. At least not for me. They all talk about an "owner" tab that doesn't seem to exist on my system.

 

[androbourne]

Click on security tab then "advanced" there is an "owner" at the top. Hit change and put it to your login name or the administrator as the owner.

Its not a tab. Its in the advanced tab at the top.

Below are screenshots from my windows 10 machine. It is there for sure.