i'v just re-imaged one of my laptops to find that one of my external hard
drive had been encrypted from that laptop. i've tryed every thing i can find
on recovery agents and cer and the cipher.exe /r but i cant get any thing to
work. How can i make myself a data recovery agent so i can decrypt my files

If you didn't make a copy of your certificates (and no other recovery agent certificates exist),
you won't be able to use your encrypted files. No back door exists, nor is there any practical
way to hack these files. (If there were, it wouldn't be very good encryption.)

HOW TO: Remove File Encryption in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;308993

Without a backup of the original Encryption Certificate Key, encrypted files
are unrecoverable as they will stay encrypted forever. There is no recovery
method since the encryption algorithm is now completely different with a
reinstall of Windows XP.

See if the following articles help in any way:

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;308421

Best Practices for the Encrypting File System
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;223316

Encrypting File System in Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...y/cryptfs.mspx

EFS Files Appear Corrupted When You Open Them
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;329741

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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"Colonel" wrote:

| i'v just re-imaged one of my laptops to find that one of my external hard
| drive had been encrypted from that laptop. i've tryed every thing i can find
| on recovery agents and cer and the cipher.exe /r but i cant get any thing to
| work. How can i make myself a data recovery agent so i can decrypt my files