I cant open my encrypted files!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ryan ?Ericson G. Canlas
  • Start date Start date
R

Ryan ?Ericson G. Canlas

Lately, my cousin asked me to help him recover his lost
files from a damaged WindowsXP installation. We
reinstalled a new copy of XP and tried transfering
ownerships of his files to the new account. But we have
notices that most of the files cannot be accessed because
they were all encrypted without his knowledge. We tried
some steps described in Windows Help, we tried backup and
restoring all files to a FAT drive to get rid of NTFS
security but we failed.

Is there a way we can remove these encryptions so we can
access the files? We already have all the files but they
all give us a message " Access Denied!". /even the
admisitrator account cannot decrypt them. Please reply
back. Thanks.
 
Hi,

if you haven't exported or backed up encryption keys on running PC (PC where
files ware encrypted in the first place) your files are as good as gone...
Trying to take over ownership, restoring them to NTFS and even administrator
account won't help.
This is what encryption is supposed to do -- protect your files in case
e.g. your PC or HDD get stolen and another administrator get hold of your
files.
 
Ryan;
Are you sure it is not an Ownership issue:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

If the files are encrypted.
If you did not back-up the encryption key or the Recovery Agent and
are not on a domain, the files are as good as gone.
This must be accomplished while you have access to the files.
If you have not already done so, it is now to late.

If you can restore the original profile (not recreate) you may be able
to recover the data.
Recreating profiles and passwords is irrelevant.
Contact Microsoft if you can restore the profile.
Or:
http://www.beginningtoseethelight.org/efsrecovery/index.php

EFS is very good at what it does and there is no back door.
Read and understand these links before using EFS to keep from
permanently losing your data:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/administration/recovery/default.asp
(58 pages)
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=223316
 
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