0

I have some backups which I need to retrieve files from. They are huuuge (8 TB drives).

Because I am not allowed to modify ANY BIT on the disk, I have a adapter that makes the HDD 'read-only'. Nothing can be changed/written. This means that when I connect the disk and try to access Backup Disk Letter:\Users\SomeUser Windows tells me to continue with an administrative prompt (to change ACLs?). This means windows will change the contents on the disk. Which is not allowed. I can't take ownership and clicking continue fails with an error that permissions could not be applied (duh, the disk is read-only!).

I don't have enough space to copy the disk to any other location.

How can I read the files in Backup Drive Letter:\Users\SomeUser (in Windows 10) if I don't have any permissions and can't change/take ownership [or changeeven one bit on the whole drive whatsoever]?

There must be some build-in Windows tools?

Improve this question
5
  • Apart from using this special connector, did you actually mount the disk read-only as described here? superuser.com/questions/213005/…
    – vic
    Mar 16, 2016 at 21:45
  • @vic Since that answer stores data (that bit) on the partition, it will fail here. That answer is good reading though.
    – Ben N
    Mar 16, 2016 at 23:42
  • I still hope you tried it. If it failed, then you will have to use third party tools to access the disks content (which is anyway the usual way of doing forensics). Often, the supplier of this special write block connector will have such software on offer, maybe even for free.
    – vic
    Mar 17, 2016 at 6:44
  • @Vic thanks for linking that answer, I did try it before asking this question, unfortunately this fails too.
    – Gizmo
    Mar 17, 2016 at 15:05
  • Try reading the files under linux, it does not care about Windows ACL's and does not need to modify anything to read the files or folders.
    – Moab
    Mar 17, 2016 at 16:06

0

Reset to default

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .