Have you ever gotten one of those ...Access is denied error messages, and you are certain that you should have access. Worry no more, there is a way to grant yourself access. Follow this guide…

There are a few differences in the procedure depending on whether you have Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Media Center Edition. The differences are:

Windows XP Home Edition

If you have Windows XP Home Edition, you must restart your computer in SAFE MODE (To start in safe mode, tap the F8 button on your keyboard as your computer is booting up, when the options screen comes up select Safe Mode). At the Windows Login Screen Select ADMINISTRATOR.

Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Media Center Edition

If you have Windows XP Professional or any of the versions of Windows XP Media Center Edition, you won't have to restart your computer in Safe Mode, but you will have to Disable Simple File Sharing. To do this,

Click Start then Run, then type control folders then click OK

Then Click on the VIEW tab

Then Scroll down and uncheck Use Simple File Checking

Navigate to the folder or file that you want to gain access to. Once you locate it, Right-Click on it with your mouse and select Properties

You Should See a Tab For Security, click on it, and then click on Advanced

When the window comes up you should see 4 tabs, like this:

To ADD a user on the permissions tab click ADD

Then when the next window opens Click Advanced

Then when the next window opens Click Find Now

Now, scroll through the list, and select the username you want to add, and click ok

Then when the next window pops up, go through the list and Allow or Deny If you want them to be able to access everything, check mark Allow for each box.

Reboot and you are done