Problems reading files from old NTFS HD in new machine

Hi

This may sound like a "permissions" issue, but I have tried taking
ownership using the Advanced section of the Security tab. Hope someone
can help point me in the right direction (typical that this happened 3
days before I got the CD-RW to back up my laptop!).

My laptop (running XP Pro) died - will occasionally get past the bios,
but no further - so I cannot access the files on the HD. I have removed
the drive and have tried to access it using an external USB caddy. This
recognises the drive and files, generally.

Unfortunately there are 2 places I cannot access; I get a ...

"[folderpath] is not accessible. The file or directory is corrupted and
unreadable."

.... error in both places (ironically, or maybe not, both places have my
MSMoney files/backup - ah well). As far as I can tell all the other
folders and files are accessible on the old disc. The 2 inaccessible
places are my old account login files under "Documents and Settings" -
I can't open the folder having the old account name; and the MS Money
folder in Program Files.

I have attempted to 'take ownership' as per the instructions in MSKB
#308421. Unfortunately, though I am using XP Pro and have disabled
simple file sharing, no sharing or security tabs appear on the MSMoney
folder - they do on EVERY other folder! I have tried going up a level
and taking ownership of the 'Program Files' folder - seems to work fine
(the activity light on the USB caddy flickers for 20 seconds and all
the subfolders proclaim on the security tabs that I am the owner).
Still no joy with the MSMoney folder though (

I try the same thing on my old user's 'Documents and Settings' file and
it seems to hang while trying to reset the ownership - I have left it
for up to 30 mins and NO file names appear on the activity box showing
the ownership and accessability rights changing. The USB caddy doesn't
flicker at all. I am wondering whether it might be because it is a
large folder woth thousands of nested subfolders and files? But then I
would have expected some caddy activity /

Now, when I 'hover' over both folders I get the pop-up info box saying
"Folder is Empty". The files ARE on the disc though, as it is showing
as more than 90% used when the 'visible' files take only 15%.

I cannot believe this is merely disc damage - I am assuming it is an
access right issue, but as far as I can see I have followed the advice
I could find by searching. Would having created a same-name user
account on the new machine have caused a problem? I wouldn't have
thought so as the ID is almost certain to be different and surely this
is used to define the access rights? Any ideas/suggestions?

Sorry for such a long post, but hoped the detail might help - if you
would like any more, please just ask. Likely to be 24hrs-ish before I
get a chance to check back though.

Many thanks in advance of any suggestions or ideas

Stuart

Looks like it *was* a corrupted disc - I have used "Handy Recovery 2.0"
to view the files and recover the ones it was more convenient not to
have to reconstruct ) - so not an access or ownership issue at all.

Thanks and sorry to anyone who spent time thinking this over /

Stuart