Please help me with my encrypted data

[Guest]

My old XP pro box has died with some of my files still encrypted.

The problem is I accidently did it as an experiment and I could still access
and edit those files without a key or anything (Obviously because I was the
one who encrypted the files).

I formatted several times before my machine died and I couldn't open those
files.
Of course I didn't back up the certificate.
I thought there should be a solution to it and didn't worry.
Now the machine is gone and my new laptop is running on Vista Home Premium.

I connected that old problem drive to my laptop and could move files EXCEPT
those encrypted ones.

Even though those files were encrypted for whatever reasons, any system
should at least recognize the original certificate or key, whatever to do
"open sesame".
If that's the case (if I'm understanding it correctly), there should be a
clue in that drive, otherwise how could it know if the key or certificate
matches to the original?

Please don't say THEY'RE GONE.

 

[Mike of Wrexham]

My old XP pro box has died with some of my files still encrypted.

The problem is I accidently did it as an experiment and I could still
access
and edit those files without a key or anything (Obviously because I was
the
one who encrypted the files).

I formatted several times before my machine died and I couldn't open those
files.

As you formatted the hard drive, you have lost the data anyway.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for trying to give... information but I'm afraid you missed the
part that says I could move the data from my old drive to my new laptop
except those encrypted ones.
Thanks again.

 

[Malke]

Thank you for trying to give... information but I'm afraid you missed the
part that says I could move the data from my old drive to my new laptop
except those encrypted ones.
Thanks again.

Well, you did say you had formatted the drive and so this information
you are giving is ambiguous. In any case, if you did not backup your
encryption keys the data is probably lost.

You can contact Elcomsoft to see if their program can retrieve your
data. If they can't, they you might as well really format the drive and
move on because the data is effectively gone.

http://www.elcomsoft.com/aefsdr.html


Malke

 

[Guest]

Thank you for the tip. I will look into it.
I had two drives on my old machine.
XP was installed on my C drive and this one (D drive) was used for my
personal data.
I heard I would not be able to 'use' those files without encryption keys,
but was hoping to get them back because I wouldn't throw away my front door
if I lost the key.
There must be a clue for the keys hidden in my D drive for later match or
maybe I could remove the old keys and replace with new ones.

 

[Annie R J Brion]

Thank you for the tip. I will look into it.
I had two drives on my old machine.
XP was installed on my C drive and this one (D drive) was used for my
personal data.
I heard I would not be able to 'use' those files without encryption keys,
but was hoping to get them back because I wouldn't throw away my front door
if I lost the key.
There must be a clue for the keys hidden in my D drive for later match or
maybe I could remove the old keys and replace with new ones.

If it were that easy to recover the encrypted files there would be no
point in using encryption.

If you do recover them I'd try to find better security in future.

I use truecrypt as that is not tied to the OS, so a reformat will not
loose the ability to access the data.

 

[Guest]

I still hope there will be an expert who can give me some tips, at least who
can explain how the EFS works on my machine, or tell me if I can dig in the
System Volume Information folder (of course the old D drive) and hopefully
find a clue or something. A friendly thinker who has the same problem and
wants to research and learn together to find a solution could be helpful as
well.
Maybe I could separate the keys from the files and replace them? giggle.

I don't have time for further debate. Thanks anyway.
Go fish if you are bored.

 

[Annie R J Brion]

I still hope there will be an expert who can give me some tips, at least who
can explain how the EFS works on my machine, or tell me if I can dig in the
System Volume Information folder (of course the old D drive) and hopefully
find a clue or something. A friendly thinker who has the same problem and
wants to research and learn together to find a solution could be helpful as
well.
Maybe I could separate the keys from the files and replace them? giggle.

I don't have time for further debate. Thanks anyway.
Go fish if you are bored.

Do you not have decrypted versions of your files in your backup?

 

[Kerry Brown]

I still hope there will be an expert who can give me some tips, at least
who
can explain how the EFS works on my machine, or tell me if I can dig in
the
System Volume Information folder (of course the old D drive) and hopefully
find a clue or something. A friendly thinker who has the same problem and
wants to research and learn together to find a solution could be helpful
as
well.
Maybe I could separate the keys from the files and replace them? giggle.

You have two problems. The first one is EFS is not supported in Vista Home
Premium. The second is you don't have the certificate (key) needed to
decrypt the files.

The needed certificate was in your user profile on the C: drive. If you
formatted the C: drive the the data is lost. If you still have the C: drive
then the Elcomsoft link someone posted may help you.

 

[Guest]

Thank you Kerry Brown.
Even though I still can't decrypt any of the files, I feel much better.
My boyfriend keeps almost all the copies but I wanted to learn more by myself.
You helped me remember the user profile thingee and I won't make the same
mistake in the future.
Thank you again.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Thank you Kerry Brown.
Even though I still can't decrypt any of the files, I feel much better.
My boyfriend keeps almost all the copies but I wanted to learn more by
myself.
You helped me remember the user profile thingee and I won't make the same
mistake in the future.
Thank you again.

You're welcome. I don't know anybody that uses EFS that hasn't been bitten
by it at least once