C:\Docs and Settings folders are now files

[heresahandle]

This is the first time I've ever seen this happen and I couldn't find anything with Google.

We installed SP2 on an XP machine as part of regular maintenacne, then we get a BSOD and can't boot into Windows. We have since reimaged a hard drive (standard prcedure instead of possibly returning the laptop with an unreliable Windows installation) and got him up and running.

While trying to copy his existing files off of his still working original hard drive with an external reader, we've noticed that the FOLDERS that were formerly the C:\Documents and Settings\%username% folders are now FILES! They don't even have an extension!

We can't really do much of anything with them. I only want to get in there to copy his Desktop, My Documents, and Favorites folder...but you can't explore a file in the same way you can explore a folder.

Anybody seen this before? Is there an extension we can add to the "FILE" that will revert it back to a folder?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[linney]

Are you able to check the Properties of the "file" to see its size, date created etc?

Are you Denied Access to it?

What are the Permissions set for?

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP (Q308421)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/4/21.asp

Error Message: "Access Is Denied" When You Try to Open NTFS File System Folders

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q823306#appliesto

You could have a look at the Associations for Folders in Folder Options/ File Types and see what is listed under Advanced/ "Actions".

 

[heresahandle]

You can see the properties, which we looked at as soon as we noticed the problem, but there is nothing in there about changing it back to a folder.

It doesn't look like a permissions issue. There is no error, let alone Access Denied, when you try to open it. It just opens the window to select an application to open it with. Since it is just a "file", with no extension, there is no association.

Hope that helps. Thanks for the reply.

 

[TheLad]

You haven't by any chance got a lot of .CHK files on the hard disk have you?

Check out this thread from Annoyances, may not give you the solution you need but may be good for a read:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1131803939

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"Insert funny comment in here!"
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[heresahandle]

Nope, can't find any .chk files. I just searched the whole drive. It certainly is helpful, though.

 

[linney]

Try to reset and register Folder default associations:
regsvr32 /i shell32.dll

http://groups.google.com/group/micr...er+changed+to+file+xp&rnum=3#d807c7b007b738ff

Speaking of .chk files have you run ChkDsk /r on the drive?

file association of shell folders
thread779-230572

Easy File Associations for Windows XP

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_easy_file.htm

The Menus
thread779-1297485

 

[heresahandle]

As much as these suggestions make sense, it isn't anythinig to do with my Windows associations that causes the problem.

The folders themselves have been modified. Like if you took a .doc file and removed the extension, it would no longer been seen as a Word document. The entry under "file type" in Windows Explorer would be "File".

That's happening with these few folders, but not all of them. That's why I said that these suggestions are great, but the problem lies with the properties of these 3 folders...not the Windows association with folders.