EFS Unknown user holds the certificate

  • Thread starter Thread starter brent
  • Start date Start date
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brent

Hello,

I encrypted a folder on my firewire drive and then decided I didn't
want it encrypted. When I unencrypted it and it was changing the
attributes of the folder I had a power outage and the drive shutdown.
Now when I try to access the files it reads that they are locked.
When I try and change the encryption through advanced attributes and
add user the "find user" button is greyed out.

I followed Microsoft article
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/support/dataprot.mspx

And added the administrator as an data recovery agent however nothing
shows up in the data recovery agent box under advanced attributes for
the files?

Can someone please give me some ideas as to what I am doing
incorrectly?

Thanks,
Brent
 
Nothing - the "recovery agent" must be added before the catastrophe occurs
that requires the recovery agent. Since the decryption process was
interrupted by a power failure, I'm sorry to say, but the files are almost
certainly toast. This just reinforces what I and many other IT
professionals stress in a) having backups and b) an UPS. Either of these 2
inexpensive items would have saved you from this grief.
 
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