Can't get corrupted encrypted files to decrypt, open, or move

[Kevin]

My computer is running Windows 2000 with a Pentium 4, 1.5
GHz processor, 512 MB RDRAM, and 75 (71.5 formatted) GB
HD. I have two partitions. My first partition (the C-
drive) is 10 GB and has the OS and all my applications.
My second partition (the D-drive) contains all of my data
files, such as documents, pictures, audios, videos...that
sort of thing. Oh yeah, both partitions are NTFS.

I do not know what came over me, but one day I decided
that I wanted to encrypt all of the files on my D-drive.
So I selected all of them, went into properties, and
attempted to do it. For some reason that I can't
remember, the encryption did not complete, I rebooted, and
pretty much left it alone.

Shortly after, I installed the free version of Maya just
to try it out because it peeked my curiosity. Well, it
caused all sorts of problems, really slowing my computer
down and causing several programs not to run. I could not
even uninstall all of it, so I decided to format just the
C-drive, which once again is using NTFS.

On my D-drive, I have a folder for all of my program
installation files so I do not have to take the time to go
back and find them on the internet again. When I tried to
install one of them, I got an error message that said:

Access to the specified device, path, or file is denied.

I originally thought it was just the EXE files, though I
could not figure out why. Later, I discovered that it was
the folders with the files that were "corruptly encrypted."

I tried decrypting, opening, hacking, slashing, deep-
frying, the pressure cooker, begging, asking nicely...just
about everything you can think of. I even tried
compressing them using the Windows properties option,
because Windows won't allow files to be both compressed
and encrypted at the same time. Same error as above no
matter what.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how I can get these
files decrypted or even moved off of the hard drive?

 

[Salt_Peter]

Using NTFS's encryption without a backup of the encryption keys, at least
the system and recovery agent keys, is akin to playing russian roulette with
a loaded gun. In this case, your gun fired since you pulled the trigger once
when the encryption failed to complete, twice when you failed to backup
relevent encryption keys and you emptied the magazine when you formatted the
OS.

Course, you could send the data to the hospital (data recovery agency) but
if that's 128 bit encryption, you'll probably die from a heart attack when
the price is announced. Your other option might be an EFS recovery tool
like: http://www.elcomsoft.com/order.html#43. The problem with that is there
is no guarentee it will work.

Back up encryption keys or don't use encryption at all.