Recovering from XP encryption

[tyler]

I have a drive with files that were encrypted using XP's
built in encryption. The private key was never exported
and the computer died. I am trying to access the files
from another installation of XP. Is there any possible way
to access those encrypted files? Is the private key not
still stored on the drive in a windows file? As well I can
not boot off the drive since the windows installation was
corrupted, so it gets blue-screen-of-death when it begins
booting.

Any help would be appreciated.

I thought I should be able to get the private and public
keys from the drive somehow since I have the administrator
user name and password?

As well when encryption occurs in XP what does it use for
the private key? There is no notification of it creating a
private key or providing any information on that fact.

Thanks,

Tyler

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have a drive with files that were encrypted using XP's
built in encryption. The private key was never exported
and the computer died. I am trying to access the files
from another installation of XP. Is there any possible way
to access those encrypted files? Is the private key not
still stored on the drive in a windows file? As well I can
not boot off the drive since the windows installation was
corrupted, so it gets blue-screen-of-death when it begins
booting.

Any help would be appreciated.

I thought I should be able to get the private and public
keys from the drive somehow since I have the administrator
user name and password?

As well when encryption occurs in XP what does it use for
the private key? There is no notification of it creating a
private key or providing any information on that fact.

See if any of the advice from Carey Frisch in these forums helps any...

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/tr...chnet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/CryptFS.asp

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

 

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

I have a drive with files that were encrypted using XP's
built in encryption. The private key was never exported
and the computer died. I am trying to access the files
from another installation of XP. Is there any possible way
to access those encrypted files? Is the private key not
still stored on the drive in a windows file? As well I can
not boot off the drive since the windows installation was
corrupted, so it gets blue-screen-of-death when it begins
booting.

Hi

As you have access to the user profile folders for the user that
encrypted the files and if you remember the password for the user
that encrypted the data, you might be able to save the files.

Take a look at this site for more details:

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

 

[tyler]

Oh wonderful link! This I was able to perform up until the
point that I realized XP Home Edition, which I was running
on the new machine, does not handle encryption!

Anyhow, thanks for the info. Be handy for other people's
troubles in the future.

Tyler