Windows xp reload, lost user id's and passwords

You will have to get another hdd and re-install windows to then access your old drive. This will be your easy wayout.

Please post back if you have anymore problems or questions.

From Microsoft KB;

How to take ownership of a folder

Note You must be logged on to the computer with an account that has administrative credentials. If you are running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, you must start the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an account that has Administrative rights to have access to the Security tab.

If you are using Windows XP Professional, you must disable Simple File Sharing. By default, Windows XP Professional uses Simple File sharing when it is not joined to a domain.

For additional information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
307874 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307874/) How to disable simplified sharing and set permissions on a shared folder in Windows XP
To take ownership of a folder, follow these steps: 1. Right-click the folder that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears).
3. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
4. In the Name list, click your user name, or click Administrator if you are logged in as Administrator, or click the Administrators group. If you want to take ownership of the contents of that folder, select the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects check box.
5. Click OK, and then click Yes when you receive the following message:
You do not have permission to read the contents of directory folder name. Do you want to replace the directory permissions with permissions granting you Full Control?

All permissions will be replaced if you press Yes.
Note folder name is the name of the folder that you want to take ownership of.
6. Click OK, and then reapply the permissions and security settings that you want for the folder and its contents.

Simple answer is you can not.

What you need to do is take ownership of the files and transfer them to a New Account. You then need to install all the software to bring the unit back to the previous condition.

For future Reference you should have performed what is called a In Place Install not a new install as that would have kept the existing Accounts and so forth working as well as the existing Software.

Directions for this are here

http://tinyurl.com/g4bv8

Please Note if you are attempting to do this from a System Makers Recovery Disc it will not work as the System Makers do not supply a Full Copy of Windows. To perform a In Place Install you need a M$ Branded Install Disc.

Also M$ recommend that you do the following for a failed M'Board so that you do not loose everything.

[i][b]Replace a failed motherboard[/b]
This scenario assumes that your existing motherboard has failed and that you cannot start the existing Windows installation on the hard disk.

To replace a failed motherboard with a new motherboard and to then reconfigure Windows to work with the new motherboard, do the following:1. Turn off the computer.
2. Replace the existing motherboard with the new motherboard.
3. Insert your Windows CD in the CD-ROM drive or the DVD-ROM drive, and start the computer from the CD.
4. Do one of the following:? For Windows Server 2003:a. When you are prompted To set up Windows now, press ENTER, press ENTER.

Setup looks for any previous installations of Windows Server 2003 on the hard disk and then displays a list of any previous installations that it finds.
b. Use the arrow keys to select the installation that you want to repair, and then press R to select the To repair the selected Windows installation, press R option.

This will start the repair of your previous Windows Server 2003 installation.

? For Windows XP:a. When you are prompted To set up Windows now, press ENTER, press ENTER.

Setup looks for any previous installations of Windows XP on the hard disk and then displays a list of any previous installations that it finds.
b. Use the arrow keys to select the installation that you want to repair, and then press R to select the To repair the selected Windows installation, press R option.

This will start the repair of your previous Windows XP installation.

? For Windows 2000:a. When you are prompted To set up Windows 2000 now, press ENTER, press ENTER.

Setup looks for any previous installations of Windows 2000 on the hard disk and then displays a list of any previous installations that it finds.
b. Use the arrow keys to select the installation that you want to repair, and then press R to select the To repair the selected Windows 2000 installation, press R option.

This will start the repair of your previous Windows 2000 installation.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen, and allow Setup to complete the repair of the previous Windows Server 2003 installation, Windows XP installation, or Windows 2000 installation.

Setup installs the HAL, the IDE controller drivers, and any other drivers that the new motherboard must have.
6. After the repair is completed, reinstall any service packs or hotfixes that you had previously installed.[/i]

The complete M$ Article is posted here

http://tinyurl.com/j9u7

Col