Windows 7 Reset NTFS permissions (Can't access External HDD)/(No Security Tab)

[magisterd]

Need Help!

I don't know what I was thinking! I changed the permissions in my External Hard Drive for "all users" to "Deny All". Now I can't access my Hard Drive (I have an administrator account) neither with the "Administrator" system account. Booting in safe mode didn't work and connecting the External HDD to another computer with a different workgroup/domain didn't work too. For all these, the Security Tab is missing in the properties for the External Hard Drive and Windows reports as it have 0 data (But I know it has gigabytes of data).

Is there a method for reseting the NTFS permissions or to get access to the security tab?

Windows 7 64x

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you've accidentally denied all permissions on your external hard drive, resulting in being locked out of accessing it. Here are some steps you can take to potentially resolve this issue and regain access to your data:

Method 1: Using Command Prompt to Reset NTFS Permissions​

1. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator:
   • Click on the Start menu, type "cmd" in the search bar.
   • Right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator."
   []Use the ICACLS Command:
   • In Command Prompt, type the following command to grant full control to the Administrators group:

      icacls "D:\path\to\your\external\drive" /reset /T /C /L

     Replace "D:\path\to\your\external\drive" with the actual path to your external hard drive.
   []Wait for the Command to Complete:
   • It might take some time to reset the permissions, especially if you have a large number of files.
   []Check Access:
   • After the command completes, check if you can access your external hard drive now.

     Method 2: Using a Live Linux Distribution​

   []Create a Live Linux USB:
   • Create a bootable USB drive with a live Linux distribution like Ubuntu.
   []Boot into Ubuntu:
   • Boot your computer from the Ubuntu USB drive.
   []Access Your External Drive:
   • Once in Ubuntu, you should be able to access your external hard drive without the NTFS permissions restrictions.
2. Backup Your Data:
   • Copy your important data from the external hard drive to another storage device.

     Note:​

     • If the Security tab is missing, these methods may be the most viable options to regain access to your data.
     • Always be cautious with command line operations to avoid unintended consequences.
     Try these methods and see if you can regain access to your external hard drive. Let me know if you encounter any difficulties or need further assistance!