My previous computer died and I now am setting up its replacement. I have my old hard drive in an external hard drive enclosure so the old date is potentially retrievable. I'm trying to find my old Identity Safe file with the passwords to copy onto the new system. Does anyone know where it is located on the hard drive? Both systems are XP and using Norton NIS 2009.
Unfortunately, these presume that one has an .NPM file as a backup. Unfortunately, I didn't do that.
I did find what I think is the file in:
I:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Norton\{random_numbers_that_I_deleted}\Norton\IdentitySafeDataStore\more_random_numbers\IDDStore.dat
However, the system apparently has these file copy/write protected so I have been unsuccessful so far in copying them over.
1. Uninstall NIS (not full remove to keep IS data)
2. Go to the IS data folder, and try to replace the files
3. a. If successfull, install NIS, and check the IS data files (after it save a back-up in IS settings)
3. b. If no, install NIS, then remove it in the full mode, create the folders for the IS data, and copy the files to the new folders, install NIS again, and see how is it working
Sorry to hear about your computer. Normally we would recommend backing up the Identity Safe data to a NPM file through the "Backup Identity Safe Data" option in the UI, then restoring that backup on the target machine through the "Restore Identity Safe Data" setting. Since your computer can't be started, copying the files manually is a viable alternative. What you are trying should work. In addition to copying the IDDStore.dat file, you should also copy the other files that reside in the same directory, like IDDStore_bak.dat, *.ico and *.png files (if any). Here are some steps to follow:
1) Install NIS on your new machine, if you haven't already done so.
2) Turn off Tamper protection. Open the NIS Settings dialog, go to the "Miscellaneous Settings" category, and click the "Norton Product Tamper Protection" slider so it switches off. Set the duration "until system restart".
3) End the process that is holding the file in use. At a command prompt, type the following command: net stop "Norton Internet Security"
4) I'll refer to the folder that contains IDDStore.dat as the "user profile folder". Copy the files from the user profile folder on your external drive into the user profile folder on the new drive.
Don't copy the folder itself, just the contents. For example, copy I:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Norton\{random_numbers}\Norton\IdentitySafeDataStore\S-1-5-21-1229272821-484061587-1176238915-1005\*,* into C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Norton\{random_numbers}\Norton\IdentitySafeDataStore\S-1-5-21-2052111302-73586283-682013330-500\*.*
Worked like a charm. Thanks to all for your help. For anyone reading this thread, go do your back-up now!
For anyone reading this, I didn't find the "duration" setting mentioned in step 2, but I didn't seem to need it either. Also, when you are done, you probably want to turn "Norton Product Tamper Protection" back on. (And of course, go do your back-up.)