"Error Copying File or Folder" locking me out.

I just replaced a HDD over the weekend which I then installed a new copy of Windows XP onto. Then, I connected a second internal HDD that I need to transfer files from.

However, now when I try to do a simple drag and drop from the secondary drive to my new primary drive (the one running my OS) I get this error:

I've copied files and folders over from the secondary drive hundreds of times. Now I seem to be locked out with the new HDD. None of the files/folders and being used when I'm trying to transfer them so I've ruled that out.

Anyone know what's causing this and how to free up the drive?

Thanks!

 

Well, that happened to me a couple of times... I know it is a lot of work but what I did transfer not in block but rather folder by folder until I find the culprit most of the time is a folder with something downloaded, so I download that specific thing again.:-o

 

Worked like a charm. Actualy, now that I think about it, I had to do this about a year ago when I first did a clean install.

I'm switching to Windows 7 soon. I hope they changed this so it's not such a pain in the arse.

 

It is still a pain in Win7. Although, you can just right-click the folder and the take ownership command is built into the context menu.

Unfortunately, since taking ownership is such a rare thing to do, by the time you have to do it again it is just as confusing. I just click on the drive letter in Computer and take ownership of the whole partition but it is always a matter of figuring which Advanced and Adding users options are necessary to take over all the sub-folders and files.

 

EDIT:

Actually, I thought I had it fixed but it seems I'm still having issue. I booted into Safe Mode and changed some of the ownerships. Now however it seems that anytime I have a folder with many sub folders, THOSE I still do not have ownership of, thus generating another error.

What's the easiest way to take ownership of all folders and sub-folders simultaneously? I've tried taking ownership of the entire drive but that doesn't seem to work.

Thanks!

 

Any thoughts? I've tried every combination I can think of but nothing seems to work. When I boot in safe mode I have to log in options (Admin and my User Name).

When I select admin, I have no way of adding my current user name to the "Owner" tab in security. It just says Adminstartor 1, Adminstrator 2. Anyone know if this might be the issue. I have to log into the user name and to try and take ownership that way, but I've tried it several times and I'm still unable to copy folders from drive to drive.

 

I only change run into the take ownership problem once a year, so this is my best guess. If it doesn't work then I'll look for another option. Eventually, I always get it.

Try taking ownership of the Documents and Settings folder of the HD you want files off of.

So right-click the folder and select Properties.
Security tab.
Advanced button.
Change Permissions button.
Add button.
Type your current user name in the box.
Hit Check names button and accept the full name it finds.
OK button.
Check box to "Replace all child object permissions..." [I'm always unsure whether to leave the box for "inherit parent permissions" checked but I would try it checked first and then unchecked if it doesn't work]
Hit OK button.

 

I'll try that (although I think I may have already done this once) but just know that the HDD I'm copying from was never an OS drive. It was just raw storage for music, pictures, etc. so there is no Documents and Settings folder.

The weird thing is that if I drag and drop a folder that contains files ONLY, it will transfer fine. If I try to drag and drop a folder that contains files AND subfolders, it gives me an error.

 

Reading your original error message again it could be a corrupted file as chapincito suggested. Maybe a chkdsk /f on that drive would eliminate a bad index being the problem?

Right-click the drive letter in My Computer and select Properties>Tools>Check Drive for Errors and then check both boxes. See if it finds any problems.