cannot access old files after reboot

I recently had to reboot Windows XP Home Edition and now can't access my old files folders. I can use R-Studio to remove some of the smaller ones but the rest are 'Not Accessable' - Is there any software available that will enable me to access my old files, or a programme in Windows XP that can do it for me- I have tried using same passwords etc but to no avail! I have over 4 GB of stuff buried in my PC that I can't get to, Please help!!!!!

 

What do you mean by old files, after reboot. Old files from a different Operating System? If it is just files from the same OS, perhaps you just have a error on the drive and should run chkdsk /f /r
takes a while but it will scan the whole drive for and repair errors including free space.
If something got out of whack so to speak this may help to correct the issue

 

I rebooted windows and my old documents are no longer accesssible to me as the main user- I've tried scan disk etc bit Windows won't let me open the personal folders I had originally before the reboot.

 

By "reboot" do you mean you restarted the computer (the usual meaning) or that you reinstalled Windows?

If it's the latter, the information in the MS KB article, Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP explains how to gain control of those files and folders.

 

I believe that if your logon is not an Administrator, if you try to access the files/folders in C:\Documents and Settings that are associated with another logon, you will be refused access.

Is it possible that upon rebooting, you or the system created another user? Presumably your documents are in My Documents....have you tried accessing them through windows Explorer?

Check in C:\Documents and Settings and see if you have more than one logon that is similar to your original: User and User0. Then check to see if you can copy and paste your docs over to the one that is missing them.

Just my two cents.

MBN