Permissions error on files on external hard drive after system restore

I recently purchased an HP Pavillion desktop running Window 7 home premium 64 bit. About 3 days after purchase, we came home to a blue screen error loop, meaning it was getting the blue screen error, shutting down, restarting, blue screen error...

During one of the restarts, I was able to hit F11 and do a system restore back to factory settings (which didn't seem like that big of a deal, since we had JUST purchased the computer and there wasn't a lot of time invested). However, after the system restore, many folders on my externam hard drive (Maxtor 500GB) now give me an error saying that I must be an administrator of this machine to view them. My user IS the administrator. My username and password is exactly the same as it was prior to the system restore. I was able to view and edit ALL of these folders and files prior to the system restore. When I change the ownership of a parent folder, for instance one containing photos, and then try to open a photo, I get another error saying the photo cannot be viewed. If I go into the individual photo file, and change the security to add my username to the security, then I can view the photo. However, it doesn't appear that I can do it for the whole folder of files at once. There are thousands of photos on this hard drive.

I brought the hard drive to work with me today to copy photos off of my work computer (running XP) onto the hard drive to solve the problem, and when I look at the photos on my work computer, I can view and/or edit them with no problems.

Why arent the security settings from the parent folder transfering to the files in the folder? Does anyone know how I can globally fix this permissions issue?

Have you attempted to grant rights as instructed in this guide?

Yes, I have. I changed ownership first, and then granted Full Control Access.

Check your PMs.

I'm sorry...PMs?

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