Restore access to encrypted folder/data

[Guest]

CRISIS !!! I have completed a full/clean reinstall of WinXP Pro, but now I
can no longer access my (encrypted) "My Documents". (I forgot that I had
activated "Make this Folder Private" on the system's second hard drive.) I
understand why this condition now exists - I just need to restore access to
'My Documents' by ANY MEANS POSSIBLE !!! (or copy the data into another
folder.) Please HELP !!!! Hackers invited.

 

[Kerry Brown]

CRISIS !!! I have completed a full/clean reinstall of WinXP Pro, but
now I can no longer access my (encrypted) "My Documents". (I forgot
that I had activated "Make this Folder Private" on the system's
second hard drive.) I understand why this condition now exists - I
just need to restore access to 'My Documents' by ANY MEANS POSSIBLE
!!! (or copy the data into another folder.) Please HELP !!!!
Hackers invited.

If all you did was "Make this folder private" then the files are not
encrypted. You have to take ownership of them.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

If the files were encrypted with efs then you have lost them unless you
backed up the certificates used to encrypt them.

 

[Guest]

Crisis averted - THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Kerry !!!
I was able to re-take ownership of the data folders.
I'm relieved that activating "Make this folder private" did not envoke
actual encryption, only modified access rights. Disabling 'Simple File
Sharing' was the key - that is why I was unable to find the Security/Access
features that I was expecting, so that I could re-establish access control.
I'll know better next time.
Thank you once again, Dennis

 

[Kerry Brown]

Crisis averted - THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Kerry !!!
I was able to re-take ownership of the data folders.
I'm relieved that activating "Make this folder private" did not envoke
actual encryption, only modified access rights. Disabling 'Simple
File Sharing' was the key - that is why I was unable to find the
Security/Access features that I was expecting, so that I could
re-establish access control. I'll know better next time.
Thank you once again, Dennis

You're welcome.