Permission error on files copied over from another pc

I got a new pc (windows 8.1) and am trying to move files over from my old xp-sp3 machine using my My Book Essentials.  I installed WD smartware on the 8.1 machine and then went to the retrieve tab.  I successfully retrieved 10gb of files from the My Book into a folder on my new machine.  I thought I was home-free until I tried to open a file and got permissions errors.  Help!  If someone could give me some straightforward instructions on how to fix this, I sure would appreciate it. 

Thanks.

Hi, follow the steps from the link below to take ownership of the files. 

Data cannot be accessed on a secondary drive after reinstalling Windows (XP, Vista, 7, or 8) on the primary drive