Forgot not everyone used Alternate Start. Using that mod, you start in the abandoned prison and there are a scattering of barrels there. I also went to Solitude docks and could not access any of the barrels or crates there. Then I stripped Skyrim to the bare bones, completely re-installing it. Went through the vanilla start, followed Helgar into the keep. I could open the chests but when we reached the first barrel, I couldn't access it. The words didn't come up when I 'looked' at it and I couldn't open it.