Locked out of App Data after restoring Thunderbird Profile
I ran Backup of all files from Windows XP using TI 2013, build 6514. Then reformatted the HD and installed Windows 7 Home Premium. I installed Thunderbird and then restored the Thunderbird Profile to User1/AppData/DataApplications/Thunderbird/Profiles. (I have done this many times before when rehab'ing my machine under XP.) I UNchecked the Restore Option that would preserve original security to the restored files.
As soon as the restore finished I wanted to visually check the files to confirm they were in correct position. I found that I could not open Documents and Settings. Could not access AppData under this User. I then moved over to User2 to determine if I had been blocked from these areas in that user account; and I had.
As a work-around, and to get the User2 Profile "closer to home" I restored it to User2 Documents. I can see my User2 Profile and mail files there. But I cannot access their correct destination.
Any idea what's going on here and how to overcome the problem?
Thanks! Dean
Dean,
I hope you made a new backup image of your Windows 7 system before doing the restore.
I'm afraid that when restoring files from the XP image to the Windows 7 system, the security permissions must have somehow have been changed on the parent folders. This may be a bug in True Image 2013 build 6514 or a result of the difference between XP and Windows 7 security permissions.
You will need to change the security permissions/ownership on the user folder/subfolders that have problems, to gain access to them again. Start at the parent folder \users\user1 for example, and drill down checking the effective permissions at each level.
If you made a backup image of the Windows 7 system after installation, I would recommend that you restore Windows 7 from your backup and start over instead of attempting permission changes on the currently installed copy, as this may create additional/new problems if you are not familiar with assigning permissions on Windows 7 systems.
When restoring any data files from the appdata folder contained in a backup to a new/different system or different user account, it is best to do so to a new (temporary) location and then move or copy them to the current appdata folder, eliminating permissions issues.
To follow up... I started over, installed Windows 7 64bit to a clean local drive. Then used TI-2013 to restore my Documents and Settings to extra space on one of my external hard drives. So I have all my docs and Tbird files in native format waiting to copy into the appropriate folders of W7.
The last obstacle is that W7 will not allow me access to Documents and Settings. I have opened Properties and done some trial-and-error with Sharing and Permissions -- without any result. It's time for me to stop and study W7. I assume I can find material at Microsoft.com.
Thank you, tuttle and James F, for the advice and direction given to me here. -Dean
Dean,
On the folder that contains your restored Documents and Settings, be sure to take ownership of the folder (and all sub folders) as well as give your user name full permissions.
http://www.w7forums.com/take-ownership-files-and-folders-t2345.html