Recovering (decrypting) efs files after a machine failure

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

You are able to look into the file but it is still encrypted. Without the
keys the file is history - you will never be able to unscramble it.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!


<googledude@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1108881101.201637.69250@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Greetings!
>
> My laptop died, an important file was left encrypted by my foolishness.
> Luckily, the disk (all user profiles, data) was spared, and I was able
> to mount the laptop disk on my desktop. However, I kept getting an
> "access denied" error for the EFS file. I have no designated recovery
> agent. Based on web search, I followed directions using "brief and
> advanced" options, at the following web site (effectively setup the
> machine id and user values to match by creating a dummy Windows XP
> install and copying over the crypto, protect and SystemCertificates
> folders of the new user (under c:\Document and
> Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft folder) :
>
> http://www.beginningtoseethelight.org/efsrecovery/
>
> I was successful in opening my encrypted text file but all the text
> inside the file is now garbage. What am I doing wrong ? Are there any
> alternative ways of recovering EFS files ? Any help will be gratefully
> appreciated!!
>