EFS, Data Recovery Agents, Lost Certificates Problem Issue?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sammy
  • Start date Start date
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Sammy

....Greetings...

I have a serious problem hopping that someone will be able to guide me to a closest and positive troubleshooting answer.

I am trying resolving some issue on EFS (Encrypted File System).
I'm still looking and searching for one as it's very vimportant.

Problem: I have encrypted a folder on my XP Pro.
Afterwards, I reinstalled my XP System but forget to decrypt the folder and didn't saved the original certifucate as well.
Now, from my new XP, freshly installed, I can no longer access my files/folders saying that I have no right to access the specified files or folder.
!!! DAMNE !!!
Please, could you give me some tips? Do you have a tool that can resolve this for me?
I have tried everything that some sites could say to do to try resolving this.
I have used "cipher.exe" but haven't managed to do so cause it seems that the certificate is generated by cipher only after; and as I understood so far, each certificate is generated with the SID of the user using it and even after changing your password, the SID will change so preventing you from having access to a specified files or folder.
In my case, I have lost it, so I'm looking for a work around to make the system think that I have the correct SID by maybe changing the file holding the first part of my lost certificate... with maybe a new one (hope you understood :o)
I have also tried the following tool "subinacl.exe" but there, I found it dificult to try resolving my problem. I guess there's a way to undo the EFS Attribute since there's must be a backdoor but which one and how?

I hope to hear from someone..

Thx in advance...

Sam
 
Sammy,

Without the certs/keys or a full and complete backup of your user profile prior to the reinstallation of the OS then your files will never be recoverable.

--
Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these newsgroups

...Greetings...

I have a serious problem hopping that someone will be able to guide me to a closest and positive troubleshooting answer.

I am trying resolving some issue on EFS (Encrypted File System).
I'm still looking and searching for one as it's very vimportant.

Problem: I have encrypted a folder on my XP Pro.
Afterwards, I reinstalled my XP System but forget to decrypt the folder and didn't saved the original certifucate as well.
Now, from my new XP, freshly installed, I can no longer access my files/folders saying that I have no right to access the specified files or folder.
!!! DAMNE !!!
Please, could you give me some tips? Do you have a tool that can resolve this for me?
I have tried everything that some sites could say to do to try resolving this.
I have used "cipher.exe" but haven't managed to do so cause it seems that the certificate is generated by cipher only after; and as I understood so far, each certificate is generated with the SID of the user using it and even after changing your password, the SID will change so preventing you from having access to a specified files or folder.
In my case, I have lost it, so I'm looking for a work around to make the system think that I have the correct SID by maybe changing the file holding the first part of my lost certificate... with maybe a new one (hope you understood :o)
I have also tried the following tool "subinacl.exe" but there, I found it dificult to try resolving my problem. I guess there's a way to undo the EFS Attribute since there's must be a backdoor but which one and how?

I hope to hear from someone..

Thx in advance...

Sam
 
Sammy;
Your data is most likely gone for good:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/encrypt.htm

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


...Greetings...

I have a serious problem hopping that someone will be able to guide me to a closest and positive troubleshooting answer.

I am trying resolving some issue on EFS (Encrypted File System).
I'm still looking and searching for one as it's very vimportant.

Problem: I have encrypted a folder on my XP Pro.
Afterwards, I reinstalled my XP System but forget to decrypt the folder and didn't saved the original certifucate as well.
Now, from my new XP, freshly installed, I can no longer access my files/folders saying that I have no right to access the specified files or folder.
!!! DAMNE !!!
Please, could you give me some tips? Do you have a tool that can resolve this for me?
I have tried everything that some sites could say to do to try resolving this.
I have used "cipher.exe" but haven't managed to do so cause it seems that the certificate is generated by cipher only after; and as I understood so far, each certificate is generated with the SID of the user using it and even after changing your password, the SID will change so preventing you from having access to a specified files or folder.
In my case, I have lost it, so I'm looking for a work around to make the system think that I have the correct SID by maybe changing the file holding the first part of my lost certificate... with maybe a new one (hope you understood :o)
I have also tried the following tool "subinacl.exe" but there, I found it dificult to try resolving my problem. I guess there's a way to undo the EFS Attribute since there's must be a backdoor but which one and how?

I hope to hear from someone..

Thx in advance...

Sam
 
Mike,

Hello. Suppose you do have a complete backup. How would you recover them then
without restoring the entire system? The keys are in the registry for stand alone
WinXP, right? Thanks

Cameron
 
Douglas said:
Suppose you do have a complete backup. How would you recover them then
without restoring the entire system? The keys are in the registry for stand alone
WinXP, right?
Click to expand...

Hi

No, they are in the user profile folders for the user that encrypted the
files. You will also need to know the password that was used for that
user when that user profile was active.

Take a look at this site for more details and a procedure to salvage
those files if the above conditions are met:

http://www.beginningtoseethelight.org/efsrecovery/
 
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