EFS Encrypt Files

[Waleed Akleh]

Hello,
I have some encrypted files on my D:\ , I formatted it C:\ forgetting about
the encrypted files, after i reinstalled the windows XP I can’t seem to
access those file "Access denied". Is there any way to access those files?
Waleed Akleh.

 

[jorgen]

Hello,
I have some encrypted files on my D:\ , I formatted it C:\ forgetting about
the encrypted files, after i reinstalled the windows XP I can’t seem to
access those file "Access denied". Is there any way to access those files?
Waleed Akleh.

No, there is no "regular" way to recover encrypted files, when you have
deleted the encryption key. If you are very very lucky, the sectors that
hosted your old key might still be intact, so some recovery software can
go in and fish it out

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

Hello,
I have some encrypted files on my D:\ , I formatted it C:\ forgetting
about
the encrypted files, after i reinstalled the windows XP I can't seem to
access those file "Access denied". Is there any way to access those files?

(No sure why my post was blocked/deleted)

No. Your files are gone. If it was possible, there would be little
point in EFS.

Your only hope is to recover the EFS certificate from your formatted disc.
But as it is not a file that is easily accessed (I only know how to extract
it using the wizard, which requires the OS to be functional), even that
looks like a pretty impossible task.

Next time you ever use EFS, remember to save the EFS certificate offsite -
maybe on an online storage site like www.esnips.com or Microsoft SkyDrive.

ss.

 

[John Wunderlich]

Hello,
I have some encrypted files on my D:\ , I formatted it C:\
forgetting about the encrypted files, after i reinstalled the
windows XP I can’t seem to access those file "Access denied". Is
there any way to access those files? Waleed Akleh.

Simply restore your encryption certificate from the backup you made
when you started using EFS per the following article.

"Best practices for the Encrypting File System"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223316/en-us>

My Humble Advice:
NEVER trust ANY OS to manage your encryption certificate/keys for you.

HTH,
John

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

I have some encrypted files on my D:\ , I formatted it C:\
forgetting about
the encrypted files, after i reinstalled the windows XP I can’t
seem to
access those file "Access denied". Is there any way to access those
files?
Waleed Akleh.

If you did not export the EFS certificate (to floppy, CD, whatever) to
let you import it under a new install of Windows, you won't be getting
into those EFS-protected files. There is no backdoor to EFS. You'll
have to restore the C: drive from your backups to the old instance of
Windows under which you defined the EFS certificate and export it.
Then when you install the new OS (or for whatever reason you formatted
the C: drive which is probably where Windows got installed), you'll
have to import that cert. The cert holds the keys needed to encrypt
and decrypt those EFS files that used that cert.

 

[Lem]

Simply restore your encryption certificate from the backup you made
when you started using EFS per the following article.

"Best practices for the Encrypting File System"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223316/en-us>

My Humble Advice:
NEVER trust ANY OS to manage your encryption certificate/keys for you.

HTH,
John

IMO, it's a *major* flaw in the implementation of Windows EFS that it
does not *force* the user to create a restore agent and export their
certificates and private keys (and to positively confirm that this has
been done) *before* permitting encryption to be selected. It would
require a few more mouse clicks (and thus be certain to draw complaints
from those who demand the minimum possible interface), but it would save
a *ton* of grief for unwary users.

Encryption is at least as dangerous as file deletion, and it should have
the same "are you sure you want to do this" protection from foolishness.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

IMO, it's a *major* flaw in the implementation of Windows EFS that it does
not *force* the user to create a restore agent and export their
certificates and private keys (and to positively confirm that this has
been done) *before* permitting encryption to be selected. It would
require a few more mouse clicks (and thus be certain to draw complaints
from those who demand the minimum possible interface), but it would save a
*ton* of grief for unwary users.

Encryption is at least as dangerous as file deletion, and it should have
the same "are you sure you want to do this" protection from foolishness.

Vista goes through a wizard for backing up the EFS certificate as soon as
you first encrypt anything, and you can store them in the online digital
locker. At least there are a few things that are actually improved in
Vista.

ss.

 

[Lem]

Vista goes through a wizard for backing up the EFS certificate as soon as
you first encrypt anything, and you can store them in the online digital
locker. At least there are a few things that are actually improved in
Vista.

ss.

Thanks for the info. I haven't "upgraded" to Vista yet.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[NoConsequence]

Hello,
I have some encrypted files on my D:\ , I formatted it C:\ forgetting about
the encrypted files, after i reinstalled the windows XP I can’t seem to
access those file "Access denied". Is there any way to access those files?
Waleed Akleh.

What State secrets did the Federal Government give you to store on
your computer? I can think of no other reason to use Encryption on
your home computer. It is nothing but a recipe for disaster for the
average user. There are easier ways to hide your porn collection.