when trying to start my computer I had an error message which i couldnt fix no matter how many tutorials and different ways i tried. dell gave me a new harddrive, but i need to access my old files.

it was recommended to me that i try getting a case for my old harddrive, and then hooking it up to my new one and using it like a removable usb drive, so that i can access my files that i need for school as well as my photos etc. but when i go to access my documents folder, it says i "cannot create or erase file: access is denied" please make sure the file isnt full or write protected". is there any way around this?

please please help, you will save me out huge

Whenever you hook up the hard drive by USB, does a drive pop up in My Computer?

What Operating System are you using?

If its XP/Vista...
Do you mean you are now using a new hard drive, and trying to get files of your old one?
If so, then the reason why you cannot get your files are because when you created your user account on your old hard drive, you made it so only you can access them. The only way I can think of getting round it is if you have a user account on your new Hard drive, named exactly the same as it was on the old one..

I could be totally wrong though, but thats what I would try

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Easiest and simplest way to do this is to use a cross-over cable. You can find them at most electronics stores and I believe Wal-Mart has one too. They look just like Ethernet cords that you can hook up two different computers and send info from one to the next. Off course you have to have two running computers to do that...

thanks for all the advice guys.
I ended up getting a program from a friend called gbdnt (not sure what the acronyms for). It scanned my old hardrive that I connected to my computer as an external usb drive, and hten allowed me access to the files which were previously unaccessable. It even showed me files that i had deleted. so this program would also be good if you accidentally delete something.

So if this ever happens to anyone else, try and find this gbdnt program. It takes a fairly long tiem to completely scan the drive, but its worth it. only shitty part is i needed to get a case for my old harddrive which i have to return to dell.
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and to add to my last post, jams idea is what i should have done, and i think thats what the tech guy i talked to said. but instead of jonny i put jon and so it wouldnt let me in.