EFS problems after format

[Paul Crilley]

Please can somone help me. I have two partitions on my drive, C, and
D. I
decided to format and reinstall xp so I copied the documents and
settings folder across to the D: partition, but some of the files
would not go across (for example ntuser or something similar.)

After I installed windows I tried to access my encrypted word
documents in the My Documents folder I had backed up to D: drive so I
can put them back into C: drive, but XP
wouldn't allow me to access them or move them. I've been reading up
on this all night and it is an efs security issue. Now, the folders I
_do_ have from the old installation in my D:\Application
data\Microsoft folder are: AddIns.
Address Book. Credential. Crypto. Html help. internet Explorer. Media
Player. MMC. Office. Outlook. proof. Protect. SystemCertificates.
Templates. Windows. Word.

Now, I have two certificates in here somewhere that I managed to get
into the certmgr.msc\personal and the trusted certificates, but I
still cannot gain access to my docs. The certificates say that they
have private keys with them, but when I try and export them XP says I
don't have the private keys, but I'm pretty sure I do. I've read the
knowledge base
articles, but nothing is helping me. It's driving me mad. i have a
half finished novel sitting in the folder that I cannot get access
to. Is there any way to manually put the files from D: into the
proper folder on C:? I only need access to two word docuements. All
teh rest are backed up.

Anyone?

help?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

HOW TO: Remove File Encryption in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308993

Without a backup of the original Encryption Certificate Key, encrypted files
are unrecoverable as they will stay encrypted forever. There is no recovery
method since the encryption algorithm is now completely different with a
reinstall of Windows XP.

See if the following articles help in any way:

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

Best Practices for the Encrypting File System
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223316

Encrypting File System in Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prod
technol/winxppro/deploy/CryptFS.asp

EFS Files Appear Corrupted When You Open Them
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329741


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| Please can somone help me. I have two partitions on my drive, C, and
| D. I
| decided to format and reinstall xp so I copied the documents and
| settings folder across to the D: partition, but some of the files
| would not go across (for example ntuser or something similar.)
|
| After I installed windows I tried to access my encrypted word
| documents in the My Documents folder I had backed up to D: drive so I
| can put them back into C: drive, but XP
| wouldn't allow me to access them or move them. I've been reading up
| on this all night and it is an efs security issue. Now, the folders I
| _do_ have from the old installation in my D:\Application
| data\Microsoft folder are: AddIns.
| Address Book. Credential. Crypto. Html help. internet Explorer. Media
| Player. MMC. Office. Outlook. proof. Protect. SystemCertificates.
| Templates. Windows. Word.
|
| Now, I have two certificates in here somewhere that I managed to get
| into the certmgr.msc\personal and the trusted certificates, but I
| still cannot gain access to my docs. The certificates say that they
| have private keys with them, but when I try and export them XP says I
| don't have the private keys, but I'm pretty sure I do. I've read the
| knowledge base
| articles, but nothing is helping me. It's driving me mad. i have a
| half finished novel sitting in the folder that I cannot get access
| to. Is there any way to manually put the files from D: into the
| proper folder on C:? I only need access to two word docuements. All
| teh rest are backed up.
|
| Anyone?
|
| help?

 

[Paul Crilley]

The thing is, I don't have a backup (why doesn't Winxp tell you
this?!) but I do have the certificates in their folders, and the keys
in their folders. They look basically like a windows system file with
lots of numbers. I've managed to import them into teh certificates
snap on but for some reason I can't set up my computer as a recovery
agent, even thought I am the administrator.

Best,
Paul

P.S. Sorry, I think I pressed reply instead of reply to group.

 

[Jason Tsang]

Encryption is doing its job. If it was easily crackable, it would be a
useless feature.

In the future, make sure you back up your keys.

--
Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP

Find out about the MS MVP Program -
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx

 

[Paul Crilley]

I don't really wnat to crack it, though. I have the keys in their
folders.

And I would have backed up my keys if XP had told me about it when I
encrypted the MyDocs folder.

Best,
Paul

Encryption is doing its job. If it was easily crackable, it would be a
useless feature.

In the future, make sure you back up your keys.

--
Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP

Find out about the MS MVP Program -
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx

The thing is, I don't have a backup (why doesn't Winxp tell you
this?!) but I do have the certificates in their folders, and the keys
in their folders. They look basically like a windows system file with
lots of numbers. I've managed to import them into teh certificates
snap on but for some reason I can't set up my computer as a recovery
agent, even thought I am the administrator.

Best,
Paul

P.S. Sorry, I think I pressed reply instead of reply to group.

HOW TO: Remove File Encryption in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308993

Without a backup of the original Encryption Certificate Key, encrypted files
are unrecoverable as they will stay encrypted forever. There

is no
recovery

method since the encryption algorithm is now completely

different
with a

reinstall of Windows XP.

See if the following articles help in any way:

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

Best Practices for the Encrypting File System
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223316

Encrypting File System in Windows XP

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/pr
od

technol/winxppro/deploy/CryptFS.asp

EFS Files Appear Corrupted When You Open Them
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329741


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

------------------------------------------------------------------- C,
and

| D. I
| decided to format and reinstall xp so I copied the documents and
| settings folder across to the D: partition, but some of the files
| would not go across (for example ntuser or something similar.)
|
| After I installed windows I tried to access my encrypted word
| documents in the My Documents folder I had backed up to D:

drive
so I

| can put them back into C: drive, but XP
| wouldn't allow me to access them or move them. I've been

reading
up

| on this all night and it is an efs security issue. Now, the folders I
| _do_ have from the old installation in my D:\Application
| data\Microsoft folder are: AddIns.
| Address Book. Credential. Crypto. Html help. internet

Explorer.
Media

| Player. MMC. Office. Outlook. proof. Protect. SystemCertificates.
| Templates. Windows. Word.
|
| Now, I have two certificates in here somewhere that I managed

to
get

| into the certmgr.msc\personal and the trusted certificates, but I
| still cannot gain access to my docs. The certificates say

that
they

| have private keys with them, but when I try and export them

XP
says I

| don't have the private keys, but I'm pretty sure I do. I've

read
the

| knowledge base
| articles, but nothing is helping me. It's driving me mad. i

have
a

| half finished novel sitting in the folder that I cannot get access
| to. Is there any way to manually put the files from D: into the
| proper folder on C:? I only need access to two word

docuements.
All

| teh rest are backed up.
|
| Anyone?
|
| help?

 

[Crusty \(-: Old B@stard :-\)]

Why didn't you read a bit about encryption in Windows XP help before you
began experimenting with something so powerful?

 

[Paul Crilley]

I didn't know it was so powerful. A small warning sign about backing
up certificates would have been all I needed.

Speaking of which, I can read the certificates that were in the
documents and settings folder. They have numbers next "thumprint" and
"Public Key" and "serial number." Is thee no way I can use this
certificate to access the encrypted files? The date on teh
certificate matches the last time I installed windows, so they must
match up.

Best,
Paul

Why didn't you read a bit about encryption in Windows XP help before you
began experimenting with something so powerful?

I don't really wnat to crack it, though. I have the keys in their
folders.

And I would have backed up my keys if XP had told me about it when I
encrypted the MyDocs folder.

Best,
Paul

Encryption is doing its job. If it was easily crackable, it

would
be a

useless feature.

In the future, make sure you back up your keys.

--
Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP

Find out about the MS MVP Program -
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx

The thing is, I don't have a backup (why doesn't Winxp tell you
this?!) but I do have the certificates in their folders, and

the
keys

in their folders. They look basically like a windows system

file
with

lots of numbers. I've managed to import them into teh certificates
snap on but for some reason I can't set up my computer as a recovery
agent, even thought I am the administrator.

Best,
Paul

P.S. Sorry, I think I pressed reply instead of reply to group.


HOW TO: Remove File Encryption in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308993

Without a backup of the original Encryption Certificate Key,
encrypted files
are unrecoverable as they will stay encrypted forever.

There
is no

recovery
method since the encryption algorithm is now completely different
with a
reinstall of Windows XP.

See if the following articles help in any way:

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

Best Practices for the Encrypting File System
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223316

Encrypting File System in Windows XP

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/pr

od
technol/winxppro/deploy/CryptFS.asp

EFS Files Appear Corrupted When You Open Them
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329741


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

------------------------------------------------------------------- drive,
C,

and
| D. I
| decided to format and reinstall xp so I copied the

documents
and

| settings folder across to the D: partition, but some of

the
files

| would not go across (for example ntuser or something similar.)
|
| After I installed windows I tried to access my encrypted word
| documents in the My Documents folder I had backed up to

D:
drive

so I
| can put them back into C: drive, but XP
| wouldn't allow me to access them or move them. I've been reading
up
| on this all night and it is an efs security issue. Now, the
folders I
| _do_ have from the old installation in my D:\Application
| data\Microsoft folder are: AddIns.
| Address Book. Credential. Crypto. Html help. internet Explorer.
Media
| Player. MMC. Office. Outlook. proof. Protect. SystemCertificates.
| Templates. Windows. Word.
|
| Now, I have two certificates in here somewhere that I

managed
to

get
| into the certmgr.msc\personal and the trusted

certificates,
but I

| still cannot gain access to my docs. The certificates say that
they
| have private keys with them, but when I try and export

them
XP

says I
| don't have the private keys, but I'm pretty sure I do.

I've
read

the
| knowledge base
| articles, but nothing is helping me. It's driving me mad.

i
have

a
| half finished novel sitting in the folder that I cannot get
access
| to. Is there any way to manually put the files from D:

into
the

| proper folder on C:? I only need access to two word docuements.
All
| teh rest are backed up.
|
| Anyone?
|
| help?

 

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

Speaking of which, I can read the certificates that were in the
documents and settings folder. They have numbers next "thumprint" and
"Public Key" and "serial number." Is thee no way I can use this
certificate to access the encrypted files? The date on teh
certificate matches the last time I installed windows, so they must
match up.

Hi

Take a look at this one:

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

 

[Crusty \(-: Old B@stard :-\)]

If you did not backup your certificate to a floppy prior to reloading your
system, the files may as well be deleted. I know of no way you can access
them. EFS encryption IS powerful, and very secure (as is meant to be). I
have not heard of anyone breaking the encryption as of yet!

But you may want to search on Google to see if there is some company that
you can send the drive to for recovery (doubt it).

 

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

If you did not backup your certificate to a floppy prior to reloading your
system, the files may as well be deleted. I know of no way you can access
them. EFS encryption IS powerful, and very secure (as is meant to be). I
have not heard of anyone breaking the encryption as of yet!

Hi

If the OP have the complete profile unmodified of the old account
that had encrypted the files, and he knows the password of that
account, then he may be able to recover the files. See the link
in my other post in this thread.

 

[Paul Crilley]

I did. Confused the hell out of me.

I saved it to the desktop though and will try to muddle through it to
see if it will help.

Thanks, though.

Paul

 

[Paul Crilley]

I don't have the password; I didn't set one, so I assume it is a
random string. the key seems to be cracking the password but I do't
think it was stored in the Documents and Settings folder.

Paul