Q. can't open folder

As long as you didn't protect the files with EFS encryption, they can be recovered, if they were encrypted with EFS then they should be considered lost forever because when you formatted the OS drive, you wiped out your private key.

If the folders encrypted, the name would show up in a color other than black.

Anyway, if the files aren't encrypted, all you need to do is to claim ownership of them and add your account with full control to the security access area.

First make sure your logged on with admin rights, open up My Computer, click Tools, Folder Options, View, scroll down and look for simple file sharing, if it's there un-check it.

Note: If you have XP home, you will need to login as an admin in safe mode in order to see the security tab.

Browse to the folder and right click it and select Properties, then
click the security tab, Windows will pop up a message similar to:

Your current security settings do not allow you to view permissions on this file or change any settings, however, you can take ownership and create audit trails.

Down in the bottom right there is a button named Advanced, click it, and a new window will open, click the tab 'Owner' change the owner's name to administrators or to your login account name, make sure to check both check boxes that say apply changes to folders and sub-directories and the other box, when it is done, click OK, then click the security tab, you will now be able to make changes, click add, add the admin group with full control and make sure your normal user account is listed with full control, click OK reboot normally (if you had to log on in safe mode) log in and the files should be available
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Answer:- As long as you didn't protect the files with EFS encryption, they can be recovered, if they were encrypted with EFS then they should be considered lost forever because when you formatted the OS drive, you wiped out your private key.

If the folders encrypted, the name would show up in a color other than black.

Anyway, if the files aren't encrypted, all you need to do is to claim ownership of them and add your account with full control to the security access area.

First make sure your logged on with admin rights, open up My Computer, click Tools, Folder Options, View, scroll down and look for simple file sharing, if it's there un-check it.

Note: If you have XP home, you will need to login as an admin in safe mode in order to see the security tab.

Browse to the folder and right click it and select Properties, then
click the security tab, Windows will pop up a message similar to:

Your current security settings do not allow you to view permissions on this file or change any settings, however, you can take ownership and create audit trails.

Down in the bottom right there is a button named Advanced, click it, and a new window will open, click the tab 'Owner' change the owner's name to administrators or to your login account name, make sure to check both check boxes that say apply changes to folders and sub-directories and the other box, when it is done, click OK, then click the security tab, you will now be able to make changes, click add, add the admin group with full control and make sure your normal user account is listed with full control, click OK reboot normally (if you had to log on in safe mode) log in and the files should be available

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