Accessing Encrypted XP files on Vista machine

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff Granger
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeff Granger

My XP desktop died and I bought a new Vista Business PC.

I salvaged my old SATA HDD and installed it in the new PC.

I can access all of the files except the ones in an encrypted folder. Any
suggestions how to gain access to these files?

Jeff
 
Jeff said:
My XP desktop died and I bought a new Vista Business PC.

I salvaged my old SATA HDD and installed it in the new PC.

I can access all of the files except the ones in an encrypted folder.
Any suggestions how to gain access to these files?

Jeff
Click to expand...



If your encryption certificates and keys were not backed up for
transfer to the new OS, and the workstation isn't part of a domain
(whose Administrator might act as the designated recovery agent), those
files are gone, for all practical purposes. Encryption works well and
there is no "back door" or hack to access the files. (Wouldn't be much
point to EFS if it were easily by-passed.)


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
OK - There's one last hope..

I do have an Acronis disk image of my old drive - would the cerificates and
keys be on there somewhere? What would I look for, and where?

We are talking about a small home network here, so there's no domain.

Jeff
 
Jeff said:
OK - There's one last hope..

I do have an Acronis disk image of my old drive - would the cerificates
and keys be on there somewhere?
Click to expand...

Yes, they should be.
What would I look for, and where?

We are talking about a small home network here, so there's no domain.
Click to expand...


You'd have to restore the entire WinXP installation, and then boot into
it, to access the keys and certificates.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
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