Can't access C drive or download files after refresh?

[liquidmountain]

I was recently forced to refresh my Vaio E14P laptop because it got stuck on a black screen after the "welcome" screen. However, after refreshing it I was not only unable to access the C drive, furthermore I couldn't download any of the files I had lost through the recovery process from the Internet. Please help!

 

[mat4404]

Exactly the same for me. Personalised Vaio E14. Blank screen on start up > eventually managed to get to a screen whereby I could 'refresh' my PC > on refreshing my PC now leaves me in a state where I can't persoanlise my desktop, can't access C Drive, can't install programs, can't access settings etc.

Fairly worrying how often it seems to be happeining to people all on Sony Vaios - particularly the newer E14.

If anyone find the answer, please share. For now I'm trying a full reset rather than refresh.

 

[ICTAddict]

I think the problem isn't your laptops. I had this problem after a system refresh (because windows would stop on a black screen)
after refreshing, I can't access C Drive, all the programs I installed aren't working and I found an html file on the desktop called 'Removed Apps'
containing this information:

"Apps removed while refreshing your PC

App name Publisher Version


AutoHotkey 1.1.09.02 Lexikos 1.1.09.02
Avant Browser (remove only) Avant Force 12.5.0.0
Core Temp 1.0 RC5 Alcpu 1.0
FileBox eXtender Hyperionics Technology LLC
Gizmo Central Arainia Solutions, LLC v2.7.9
Google Chrome Google Inc. 27.0.1453.110
Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 Microsoft Corporation 6.0.156.0
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729 Microsoft Corporation 9.0.30729
Oracle VM VirtualBox 4.2.6 Oracle Corporation 4.2.6
SciTE4AutoHotkey v3.0.02 fincs v3.0.02
USB2.0 PC CAMERA USB 2.0 PC CAMERA 1.00.0000
winKeyLock version 1.0.1.3 winKeyLock 1.0.1 "
check this file if you found it on your desktop and maybe we can find something in common that casued this problem.

When I try safe mode, I can access C Drive, so I tried to 'take ownership' of it, but this didn't work :\
for me it's not important to repair it, I've just installed windows 8 few days ago and I'll just install it again.

 

[Saga Lout]

Try setting up a new account, give it administrative privileges and post back if that allows you access to C:\.

Sony Vaios have the partial advantage of having the Assist button so at least you can get to the advanced boot options of Windows 8 - that puts them just ahead of other makers but unfortunately, parts of its facilities clash with part of Windows own.

If you can avoid using the Assist button and just keep restarting until the words Please Wait appear under Vaio on the startup flash screen, you get a better chance of a proper Refresh.

 

[emace]

I had the exact same problem and same symptoms. Wouldn't boot, did the refresh, which wiped installed apps from the system. I could boot to windows and log in but couldn't access my C: drive (where windows was installed) but I could access other drives no problem.
Hard drive is fine as was able to boot widows. So this felt like a user permission problem.

Indeed I was able to gain access to C: again with the following method.
1) go to desktop and open file explorer
2) right click on Computer->C: and select properties.
3) Click the Security Tab
Here's where my memory is getting a little foggy but you essentially need to add "Users" back to access list for C: drive.
I think there was a couple of steps I had to do here to enable me to continue but I can't recall exactly or reproduce this. (maybe someone can add the details...?)
4) click "Edit"
note that only Administrators and SYSTEM have access to the C drive. Now even though my logged in user was originally an Administrator, it appears the refresh process removed those permissions.
5) click Add
6) in the "Enter the object names to select" box type "users" and hit Check Names button, should replace with [your system name]\Users
again don't recall exact details but essentially checked "allow" for nearly all permissions.
7) click Apply. get some warning from Window security about changing permissions of root directory of startup disk. .... can reduce security of computer... do you want to continue? I said yes. then it went through basically the full C: drive and tried to change permissions on all files. got hung up on some system files that were in useby the SYSTEM but at this point I didn't care.

I'm interested in hearing from other what these settings should actually be!

this appears to be a problem with Microsoft's Refresh mechanism. It probably locks down the permissions to the SYSTEM only for the refresh but the developers probably forgot to restore user permissions to the C: drive.

 

[Saga Lout]

Nice one, emace and deserving of a Best Answer. I don't think it was Microsoft but more likely the Vaio people who tried but fell at the last fence when they developed Refresh. No other manufacturer I've come across has the option built-in.

I sorted out the Vaio system I was working on by using Refresh and I didn't have the Permissions problem but there were issues I wasn't expecting. It might be sufficient in Permissions cases simply for the USERS group to take ownership of C:.

 

[emace]

Thanks Saga Lout. My issue was on an older HP desktop system which I had upgraded from Vista to Win8. No VAIO software on my system. Pure Win8 had been working great for months. When my system mysteriously wouldn't boot, I had the Refresh option as one of my windows repair options. so I think it's a MSFT problem.

 

[Saga Lout]

You're quite right of course - I forgot about the Advanced Troubleshooting options and assumed it to have been something unique to Sony Vaio systems.

 

[ady2]

I had the exact same problem and same symptoms. Wouldn't boot, did the refresh, which wiped installed apps from the system. I could boot to windows and log in but couldn't access my C: drive (where windows was installed) but I could access other drives no problem.
Hard drive is fine as was able to boot widows. So this felt like a user permission problem.

Indeed I was able to gain access to C: again with the following method.
1) go to desktop and open file explorer
2) right click on Computer->C: and select properties.
3) Click the Security Tab
Here's where my memory is getting a little foggy but you essentially need to add "Users" back to access list for C: drive.
I think there was a couple of steps I had to do here to enable me to continue but I can't recall exactly or reproduce this. (maybe someone can add the details...?)
4) click "Edit"
note that only Administrators and SYSTEM have access to the C drive. Now even though my logged in user was originally an Administrator, it appears the refresh process removed those permissions.
5) click Add
6) in the "Enter the object names to select" box type "users" and hit Check Names button, should replace with [your system name]\Users
again don't recall exact details but essentially checked "allow" for nearly all permissions.
7) click Apply. get some warning from Window security about changing permissions of root directory of startup disk. .... can reduce security of computer... do you want to continue? I said yes. then it went through basically the full C: drive and tried to change permissions on all files. got hung up on some system files that were in useby the SYSTEM but at this point I didn't care.

I'm interested in hearing from other what these settings should actually be!

this appears to be a problem with Microsoft's Refresh mechanism. It probably locks down the permissions to the SYSTEM only for the refresh but the developers probably forgot to restore user permissions to the C: drive.

I have Vaio but I was not able to change permission of C drive within Windows, only on Safe mode command Prompt.
I had the same issue, after refresh, Drive C is inaccessible.
I tried everything what was written here but without luck.

What really worked was boot in recovery mode by pressing ASSIST instead of Power button.
Chose "recover or maintain your system"-> Troubleshot->Advanced Options->Command Prompt

input the following commands:
Tke care of the next coomad: Remove the space after Administrators: etc. I put it just to avoid the smily. 🙁
icacls c: /grant Administrators: (OI)(CI)(IO)(F) /T /C
icacls c: /grant SYSTEM: (OI)(CI)(IO)(F) /T /C
icacls c: /grant Users: (OI)(CI)(GR,GE) /T /C
Each command takes very long time so be patient.

exit-> Continue