Decrypting-Encrypting Files

[Patty Anthony]

Greetings:

Last month I was having hacker troubles. One step I took
was to go to file properties, and encrypt my personal
files on the 2nd drive. Later we had to reformat the c:
drive, then re-install Windows XP. Starting over, trying
to rebuild what was lost---now the files on the 2nd drive
are encrypted, and it won't let me access them.

 

[Kim Frank]

Hi,

Are your computer in a workgroup or is it a member of a domain?

If your computer is stand alone the only way to recover your encrypted files
is to have a backup of your EFS keys and restore the keys. The reason for
that is that if the hacker had stolen your computer there would be no way
that they could just format C and reinstall the operating system and then
access your files. The files are still encrypted.

If you are a member of a windows 2000/2003 domain you might have a recovery
agent that can recover your files. Contact your administrator and they
should be able to help you.

For best bractices on EFS see
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223316

And for Methods for recovering encrypted data files see
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;255742

Hope this helps

Kim Frank