Have lost permission for access to mounted drive

Hi
I have lost the ability to access a mounted drive.
Previously, I would mount the drive as Q: and it would immediately open, saying it was Q: Microsoft Office Click-to-run (Protected). I have never had a problem before today.

The drive is from a True Crypt encrypted file - I can mount the drive by entering the password to True Crypt, no problem. It mounts, shows up as local disc Q:, but when I click on it, it will not open and I get a message saying 'You don't currently have permission to access this folder'.
When I follow the directions to security, and access the properties, a tab for sharing comes up but nothing labelled Security - is that a problem?

In sharing, I give full control to 'Everyone', go back to the advanced sharing and select apply but it then says:
'An error occured when trying to share Q, access is denied. The shared resource was not created at this time.'

Also, I chose Q: to mount the encrypted drive at random.
I just googled click-to-run and realise that choosing Q: was probably unfortunate as it means something in relation to click-to-run (I had no idea about what the click-to-run meant, it just appeared that way the first time I mounted the drive, which worked, so I didn't think it mattered)
Is the choice of the Q drive causing the problem here?

Please could I have some help - it would be much appreciated!


(This is complicated by the fact I have been having other problems today. Basically,
I used HP Support Assistant to download updates for my laptop, since then I cannot open the devices and printers box - it just hangs and does not populate. I have done system restores, followed instructions from this forum about turning on bluetooth support, printer spooling, resetting explorer, but nothing has worked. I have then gone to open this mounted folder and found it doesn't work.
Getting rather stressed about the whole thing.)

(Running Windows 7 Professional 64 on an HP Probook 4330s)

 

Greetings, vickyj93, and welcome to MajorGeeks...

I'm not understanding why you're trying to access and/or mount that Q: drive. As far as I know, that's a protected virtual drive created by a Microsoft Office installation - I have the same on a couple of my machines (see attached screenshot), and I have never had occasion to try to access the drive, yet MS Office works just fine.

As far as your other problems: do you have a Windows disk and/or the HP recovery disks?
.

 

Thanks and hello too - know I'm probably not being that clear, I have a basic understanding of my computer and I'm not always sure what is important!

When I got this laptop I set up True Crypt on it to create an encrypted file - when I open this and mount it, I have to choose a drive. In my ignorance I chose Q at random, not realising this had other significance. I have quite a lot of files within this encrypted file that I would like to access (mostly backed up but a few bits that aren't).

As the encrypted file seemed to mount on Q with no problems, I ignored the Click-to-run label and just continued to use it since April 2012 until now.

I have had no issues until today, when suddenly it started saying I was denied access. It is listed under Computer as Local Drive Q: now, rather than saying Q: Microsoft click-to run 2010 (protected)'. When I click on it, I cannot open the drive.


For the 2nd issue, Windows came installed on the Laptop, and there are no separate recovery disks but a drive called HP Recovery E:, which I can see in explorer under Computer.

 

You mentioned earlier that you could not find a Security tab - have you tried right-clicking on the drive and accessing its property sheet that way? If doing that uncovers a Security tab, you might try drilling down into the Advanced > Owner sections and try to manually take ownership of the drive.

I have no idea if that will work. The encryption algorithms may be affecting your (or Windows') ability to access the drive, and the fact that the 'Q:' drive is normally a restricted virtual drive may be compounding the problem.

I know nothing about True Crypt - I hope some other MGs will jump into this thread and lend a hand. Be patient. I've got a feeling that you might also need assistance from True Crypt support.

***********

Is there an HP CD Recovery CD-DVD Creator listed in your Programs group? If so, you might consider beginning preparations for creating a recovery disk set - looks as if you may be needing it, especially in light of your multiple problems.

 

For reference:

TrueCrypt Forums

TrueCrypt FAQ

 

Thanks for advice.
I have posted on True Crypt Forums, waiting to see if I get a reply.
I can't see any HP program for creating a recovery disk set, the HP Support Assistant directs me to the Windows instructions on Advanced Recovery.

 

Good morning...

Probably the easiest and safest solution would be to contact HP and request a recovery disk set for your machine - if the warranty is still valid the disks should be free, but even if not then they shouldn't cost much at all.

From the searches I've done about the subject there may be methods for creating your own disks, and I hope other MGs will weigh in with their opinions - but I'd feel better if you let HP handle the task.

I was thinking about the possibility of uninstalling Office (if in fact you have Office installed), but I'm afraid that might further complicate matters (especially since you have important data within that Q: drive).

Let us know if you hear anything from TrueCrypt.

 

Hey vickyj93, I use Truecrypt v7.0A all the time and when you go to mount the drive why not select another available letter from the list? You can manually mount the drive to another available letter other than Q:\ unless you have Truecrypt setup to automatically mount the drive when detected. If this is the case you will have to open Truecrypt from the icon and dismount the drive so you can then manually mount it with another letter. I don't have this 'MS click to run directory' on any of my PCs and have never seen it so can't really help with this part of the problem. Sorry.

BTW If you already see the Truecrypt drive as Q:\ before Truecrypt has started then you can change the drive letter in administrative tools. Go to control panel then administrative tools then click on computer management then storage then disk management. You should see all the drives that windows can see in the right upper window pane. You can change the drive letter by right clicking on the drive you wish to change and then select the option 'change drive letter and paths' and select a drive letter other than Q:\ and OK. If you have set drives for when you plug in a memory stick or external USB HDD and they are not plugged in then don't select that drive letter either. Generally I use S, T or U for Truecrypt but whatever works for you is good.
Good luck

Hope this helps
Cheers

 

Sorry, joffa, but that won't work in this case. The Q: drive is a protected virtual drive created by a Microsoft Office installation - it does not show up in Disk Management.

 

What I was trying to say was if you can see the Truecrypt drive as Q:\ before Truecrypt has started then it has already taken the MS click to run drive letter. The drive with the Truecrypt container on it would show up in disk management and if this was Q:\ then it could be changed. I only added this on my last post in case the Truecrypt container is on a different HDD or on an external device and that drive had been given drive letter Q:\

I probably could have been a bit clearer in my explanation

 

I've worked out what to do -I finally manged to open the file!

(Thanks Joffa, I had already tried to do what you suggested but I was also denied permission when mounting it as a different letter drive).

I copied the encrypted file onto a network drive I have, downloaded Truecrypt onto an older laptop and managed to open it that way. Big sighs of relief!!!! I'm gradually extracting the files now.

When I try to access the file from the different location on my original laptop, it mounts again but still denies me access. I do need to be able to encrypt confidential files for work, but I'm hoping that if I delete the original encrypted file, I can set up a new file that I will be able to access (though obviously I will do a test run!). And uninstall and reinstall Truecrypt if necessary.

I still have the other issue (an empty box when I select devices and printers), but first of all I need to deal with the encrypted files etc first over the next few days.

Thanks for your time on this. I may repost under a different heading about the secondary issue when I'm ready to deal with it - I have seen uninstalling/reinstalling printers and their drivers as an option which I haven't tried yet as well. I guess recovery will be an option if I still can't get it to work (and if eventually I find I cannot get access to a newly set up encrypted file in the future). But I'd rather avoid if possible!

 

Glad you're getting things sorted with the TrueCrypt, Vicky. When you're ready to tackle the other problems, we'll be here - and yes: it would probably be better to start a new thread with the different symptoms.

@ joffa: Pardon me for the confusion - thank you for pitching in.

 

No problem I should have explained myself better