How to decrypt .PST Outlook XP files

  • Thread starter Thread starter mjay2020
  • Start date Start date
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mjay2020

This is what happened. I have a Pentium III, 1000GHz, 384
MB with two hard drives. One of the hard drives holds the
operating system and all the programs that I install. The
other hard drive is a removeable drive that holds
important docs and files for work and has no OS or DLL
files on it. I encrypted backed up .pst files on the
removeable drive when I had Windows 2000 Professional
installed. Well I changed my OS to XP and I did not back
up the EFS or the keys for the encrypted files and I did
a complete format on my OS drive. Now I can not open any
of those files. I get a no access error.

Can this data be recovered????
 
if it could be recovered, the encryption would have to be
weak. Technically, yes, it *can* be, but you would need to
tap every computer in the world for a few months or wait
several thousand years.
 
:

"I did not back up the EFS or the keys for the encrypted files......"


Before you encrypt anything important, you should back up your
personal encryption certificate (with its associated private key)
and the recovery agent certificate to a floppy disk and store it in
a secure location. If you ever lose your original certificate
(because of a hard disk failure, for example), you can restore
the backup copy and regain access to your files. If you lose all
copies of your certificate (and no recovery agent certificates exist),
you won't be able to use your encrypted files. No back door exists,
nor is there any practical way to hack these files.
(If there were, it wouldn't be very good encryption.)

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/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/cryptfs.mspx

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

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| This is what happened. I have a Pentium III, 1000GHz, 384
| MB with two hard drives. One of the hard drives holds the
| operating system and all the programs that I install. The
| other hard drive is a removeable drive that holds
| important docs and files for work and has no OS or DLL
| files on it. I encrypted backed up .pst files on the
| removeable drive when I had Windows 2000 Professional
| installed. Well I changed my OS to XP and I did not back
| up the EFS or the keys for the encrypted files and I did
| a complete format on my OS drive. Now I can not open any
| of those files. I get a no access error.
|
| Can this data be recovered????
 
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