Please help!! - location is not available???

[Elbon]

Hey People,

system specs
Windows Vista Ultimate, 64 bit, SP2

I was playing around with the permissions for one of my secondary drives that holds data e.g videos, mp3s so that my pal couldnt get into them and mess around with it and know it gives me this message everytime i try and access the drive.

Location is not available (this appears in the title bar of the error message)
I: is not accessible (this appears in the main part of the error message)
Access is denied (this appears under the above message in the error message)
And there is only an OK button i can press.

So here is how this all came about.
I right clicked on the drive,
selected properties,
Clicked on the security tab,
clicked on the "users" option under the "Group or user names" section,
Clicked on "edit",
clicked on the "users" option under the "Group or user names" section,
selected "deny" for every box under the "permissions for users" section,
clicked apply,
an clicked "ok" until the windows were all closed.

The drive name was then changed to "Access Denied" after i had done this with no letter assigned to the drive.
I went into computer management and assigned a drive letter but still no good.
I now right click the drive and select properties and the security tab is no longer there, so i cannot reverse the permissions.
I am logged in as an administrator.
I have tried to turn off UAC with no luck.
I have attempted to create another administrator account and change the permissions from there but no good.

So does anyone out there know of how i can get this drive accessible so i can access my files???

Thanks for tuning in guys,
Your help or assistance is greatly appreciated.

Cheers from Australia!

 

[niemiro]

Hi,

I have included a little program that will remove all permissions from a folder or drive. DO NOT misuse this program. What you need to do is:

• Download the small program and put it on your desktop.
• Start Command Prompt.
• Navigate to your desktop ("cd C:\Users\{Account Name}\Desktop" and press enter)
• Type "Takeown.exe D:\" and press enter.
• Right click on your D:\ drive and give full access to SYSTEM and then CAREFULLY re-assign your permissions. If this does not work, you can try it from Safe Mode.

If you cannot follow any of these steps, post back and I will go into details, but you seem quite competent.

Richard

 

[Elbon]

Hey there Richard,
Thanks for your prompt reply!

SO far i have downloaded the little program to my desktop.
Opened command prompt.
I have now changed directories in the command prompt so it displays "C:\Users\{Account Name}\Desktop>" in the command prompt.
I have then typed "Takeown.exe D:\" and pressed enter.
I then receive a message in the command prompt stating "Takedown.exe is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."

I have executed the downloaded file from the desktop to see if that would help but still the same problem.
The size of the file downloaded is 5.8kb, is this correct??

Thanks Richard,
from Australia!

 

[niemiro]

I will repost the file tonight in .zip format as it was working perfectly for me yesterday! Typical! Sorry I cannot post it now, as sending this off my iPhone.

Richard

PS Thanks for the friendship!

 

[Elbon]

Hey Richard!

Thanks alot for your assistance,
Hopefullly this works for me...
I have alot of files at stake here lol
Should of have been paying attention to what i was doing at the time lol

Cheers mate!

 

[niemiro]

Hi Elbon,

I have included the file again in .zip format. Just to confirm that you are using the program right:

• Make sure you exchange "{Account Name}" with your actuall account name such as "Richard". Sounds obvious, but it has been done.
• Make sure you included the ".exe" after "takeown" i.e. "takeown.exe". In theory it should not matter, but best to do it.
• Make sure there is a space between "takeown.exe" and "D:\" i.e. "takeown.exe D:\
• Double click on the exe from the desktop to see if you can make out "Must specify a file name:" to check the .exe works

Hopefully this will now work. Your problem is very strange.

Here are my sample commands that I would enter into Command Prompt:

"cd C:\Users\Richard\Desktop"
"takeown.exe D:\"

Richard

 

[Elbon]

Hey Richard,

OK just got the ZIP file and unzipped the takedown.exe to the desktop.
I have opened a command prompt window.
from that screen the first line shows "c:\users\{account name}>" ("account name" obviously being the user profile i am logged into.)
I have then typed "cd desktop" into the command line.
Command line now shows "c:\users\{account name}\desktop>"
Then i type "takedown.exe d:\" and receive the same error message - "Takedown.exe is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
I have then placed the file you posted to the "c:\users\{account name}" directory instead and attempted to run "takedown.exe d:\" but get the above error message.
Once again the file size is still 5.76kb.
I have ran the file from the desktop and the command window does briefly appear on the screen and by briefly i mean it literally flashes on the screen, and from what i can make out it says "Must specify a file name:" in the window that flashes up.

Thanks again Richard!

 

[64bitBanshee]

I know it sound a cop out but does a system restore not work?

When you assign permissions, set up a group and include all the users you wish to restrict. Then add the deny permissions to that group.

 

[Elbon]

Hey 64bitBanshee,

Sorry but i dont completely understand what you mean :s.
As a last resort i will attempt to take out my hard drive and attach it externally and see what happens, but for now i am waiting for a reply from Richard to see if he is able to assist.

Thanks for your input, it is greatly appreciated

 

[niemiro]

Hi,

This is very strange, so I will attempt another tactic. You can see that message just, which means the .exe is fine so:

Create a shortcut to the .exe on your desktop.
Open the shortcut's property page.
Under the Shortcut tab,
In the target box,
Add a space and then D:\ after the last quote.
I.e.: "C:\Users\Richard\Desktop\takeown.exe" D:\
Then double click the shortcut.

Really hope this works,

Richard

 

[Elbon]

Hey Richard,

I managed to solve the problem!
My computer shut down unexpectingly due to a power failure in my home,
It then booted up giving me a few options on how i wish to start windows e.g normally or in safe mode.
I selected safe mode.
I then went to the drive with the permissions problem and was able to correct the problem!
Now it all works fine!
Thanks for your help and input guys!

Cheers from Australia!

 

[niemiro]

Hi,

Glad you have got it fixed, there are some ways of locking it out of Safe Mode too, but they are less common. If you have any more problems, we are happy to help.

Richard