Recovering Encrypted files

[ubascuba]

Somehow one of my data files were encrypted on my second
hard drive and I later had to reload windows and lost the
certificate that was associated with those files. is
there another way to decrypt the file???

 

[Steven L Umbach]

The EFS private keys used for decryption are stored in the users profile. If
your old user profile is still present or on a backup you may be able to
recover the EFS files with special recovery tools. If you do not have a copy
of your profile or that of a recovery agent if one was used, and since you
have no backup keys then you are pretty much out of luck. -- Steve

http://www.elcomsoft.com/prs.html#aefsdr
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223316
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;255742

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

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) and know the
password, 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/recover
y/default.asp (58 pages)
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=223316