Problems with EFS

  • Thread starter Thread starter Peolko
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Peolko

I recently installed my Windows XP Pro again because I had a very bad virus
infection in my computer. I started by formatting the system partition. I
have my documents in other partition and to some of them I used Windows XP:s
EFS to encrypt those files.

The problem is that even I have the same administrator password as before
and the same computer name as before, I have no access to those files now
after the new installation of XP. I think this has something to do with
certificates but how? Please can someone help cause I really need to access
those files!!! I think something must be able to do because I have full
administrative rights over my computer.
Peolko
 
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/default.mspx

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:

| I recently installed my Windows XP Pro again because I had a very bad virus
| infection in my computer. I started by formatting the system partition. I
| have my documents in other partition and to some of them I used Windows XP:s
| EFS to encrypt those files.
|
| The problem is that even I have the same administrator password as before
| and the same computer name as before, I have no access to those files now
| after the new installation of XP. I think this has something to do with
| certificates but how? Please can someone help cause I really need to access
| those files!!! I think something must be able to do because I have full
| administrative rights over my computer.

| Peolko
 
Peolko said:
I recently installed my Windows XP Pro again because I had a very bad virus
infection in my computer. I started by formatting the system partition. I
have my documents in other partition and to some of them I used Windows XP:s
EFS to encrypt those files.

The problem is that even I have the same administrator password as before
and the same computer name as before, I have no access to those files now
after the new installation of XP. I think this has something to do with
certificates but how? Please can someone help cause I really need to access
those files!!! I think something must be able to do because I have full
administrative rights over my computer.
Peolko
Click to expand...
I know this is after the fact, but a good third party encryption program
like http://www.bmc-engineering.com would have solved that problem. This
application would have encrypted the files totally independent from
Windows. So as long as they exist on your hard drive, they can be decrypted.
 
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