Hardware

Can you create a boot disk on a usb drive using the current pc setup, then place the old hard drive in as the master drive. Boot from the usb drive then copy all the settings files onto a folder on that hard drive away from the doc&settings folder. Swap drives around and you will have all files in another folder without restrictions.

If there was just a Password used and no Encrypted File System all you need do is to Take Ownership of the Files by following the directions here

http://tinyurl.com/3aw7

If your friend was using EFS you'll also need to save a copy of the Encryption Key by following the directions here

http://tinyurl.com/orpmf

When you get the data recovered show him how to start some form of DR Planning so that when they have a HDD Failure all their data isn't lost and cost thousands of $ to recover. They now have a spare HDD which can be placed into an external USB Caddy and used to save the data as required.

You can also pickup any E-Mail and address Book by unhidding the folders and tracing the various folders in the Account of the user & then import them back into the proper E-Mail client through the File Import option on the Menu.

Col