firehandler said:
I got a virus on my PC. Microsoft helped my do a parallel install
so I could at least retrieve my personal files, etc. I use winxp
pro. Now I can only log into my new install. I was able to retrieve
my personal info except, I had encrypted a particular folder and
all it's contents prior to the new install. Now I can opent he
folder and look at everything that is listed but I can't actually
ope the file, most of which are document files. It says my old
computer name only has permissions to acces the files. Microsoft
tried to change my folder permissions to make my new install be the
new owner of my files but it still won't let me pen the files. They
also directed me to two websites called
www.runsub.sublong.notlong.com and
www.runsec.notlong.com to try to
go into my registry and open the files but it also will not let me
either. Anyone have any new solutions or software to do this
decryption?
Shenan said:
In the future - if you feel the need to post in multiple groups -
please save yourself and those who might venture to answer you and
cross-post instead of multi-posting.
Please see the answer to your other posting (synching may take some
time with Google Groups):
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...r+winxp+pro+parallel+install#908abfdd792f54e3
NO I was not hiding porn. I had created a file with passwords on
it. I had a firewall but figured (not being a complete genius on
computers) that if I encrypted this file and folder it would be
hard for someone if they hacked my PC to just steal my info. Thanks
for the info. Also if I knew I was going catch twenty kinds of
!@#$% for asking I wouldn't have bothered anyone. I just seen where
I could post a real problem on here and did so.
I am unsure where the 'porn' comment came from, at least when you are
responding to *me*.
I know you are frustrated about your issue - but I know I don't appreciate
you jumping all over me for comments I did not make nor accusing me giving
you "twenty kinds of !@#$%" when all I did was suggest that you (in the
future) learn to post more efficiently (for you and those who might respond)
and I pointed you to the answer I had given you in the other posting via
Google groups so you would not have trouble finding it.
I didn't give you "twenty kinds of !@#$%" but made a kind suggestion to make
your life easier in the future (in this reponse.) In the other reponse in
the other newsgroup - I merely gave you the only really reliable way to
restore a folder encrypted with EFS in Windows XP Professional - linking you
to the best practices which contained the way to restore a lost certificate
(given you had backed it up.)
If your other installation is still 'intact' - you might still be able to do
it. If not - the chances are slim-to-none you will be recovering that data
(unfortunately) and any method that might recover it would likely take
substancial time and money. Is your other installation intact? You seemed
to infer it was not.
I am sorry there is not better news - but it does prove that a little
research and knowledge goes a long way. Proper backups, following best
practices, etc - all would have ensured you had a backup of at least the
certificate if not the data in unencrypted form somewhere other than a
single location.
Perhaps now is not the best time, in your mind, for the following advice -
but I will throw it out there because I know it is the right thing to give
you the information and tools you need to avoid problems such as the one you
have experienced now...
In general - you need to perform some general routine maintenance on your
computer (just like a vehicle or anything else you want to keep running.)
You can do these things yourself or you can pay someone to do them for you
(just like everything else you want to keep runnning.)
- Keep backup copies of your installation media and the product keys/serial
numbers needed to use them.
- Schedule backups of your stuff (your documents, your pictures, your
bookmarks/favorites, your email, your contacts, EFS certificates, etc)
to external (to the computer - physically) media.
- Keep the list of installed applications down to just what you use.
- Perform the occassional CHKDSK on your hard disk drives.
- Perform the occassional Disk Cleanup on your system.
- Perform the occassional Defragmentation on your hard disk drive.
- Scan with a decent few antispyware applications on occassion - just to
make sure you have not collected any crud.
(SuperAntiSpyware and MalwareBytes are two of the tops right now.)
- Keep Windows patched and updated.
- Keep your applications (office products, etc) updated.
- Keep your antivirus software updated.
Other things you can consider...
- Check for hardware driver updates on occassion. This is one of those
things where if you aren't having trouble - you probably can leave well
enough alone - but there have been hardware driver releases that fixed
problems you didn't even know you had - even security issues.
- Clean up a little more thoroughly than Disk Cleanup allows for using
something like CCleaner. While I cannot say you should use all features of
the product - I do utilize them all with no adverse side-effects so far.
You really are unlikely to need anything in terms of a firewall more than
what is built into Windows - and adding anything just puts another variable
in the mix to cause trouble down the line. I am not telling you *not* to
run a third party firewall - by all means - if you desire to or feel you
need to - go ahead. I'm just mentioning that most home users do not really
benefit from it, IMO. Why add extra overhead and possible sources of
trouble if you gain nothing for it otherwise?
A good antivirus (while not essential) provides a good cushion for mistakes.
The free ones are generally as good as the paid versions. You must make
sure they are properly updating and stay functional, however. I would
personally recommend against any/all products that do more than one thing in
the arena of AntiVirus. Some of them do help somewhat in the antispyware
arena - but none can claim complete coverage. I would avoid the 'suites' -
the ones that come with a firewall, internet protection, email, etc. All
you really need is a basic AntiVirus that checks files as they are accessed
and the likes.
Basically - nothing complicated - just a little time consuming - although
much of it can be easily automated.
I personally use JKDefrag to defragment my hard disk drive when the system
is idle. My AntiVirus software (in whichever form it takes) automatically
updates itself. I have Windows Automatic Updates set to notify me when
updates are available so I can install at a time of my choosing (and thus
reboot at that time.) I have email reminders/calendar entires that remid me
to CHKDSK/Disk Cleanup on occassion (and I usually use CCleaner and
AntiSpyware apps about the same time.) Whenever I get new software - I
usually make ISO images of the CD/DVD and store it on a network drive (I
have a couple - basically just drives that plug directly into my network and
allow all computers on my network to access shares I setup. Inexpensive and
easy.) I have scheduled tasks that copy my important (to me) directories
and such to the same network drive already mentioned.
