Unable to decrypt. Access is denied error.

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

rockykumar wrote:
> I cannot open any files in a folder that is encrypted. I am the
> administrator on a Windows XP professional, SP2. I used to be able to
> access the files transparently until about 10 days ago. There was a
> Major "Windows update" consisting of 8 updates at the same time
> around June 18th. The problem occurred after this update.
>
> I have uninstalled the updates & performed a system restore, but
> still have the same problem.
>
> My user name and password remain unchanged. I do not have a backup EFS
> certificate/key.
>
> I have read the newsgroup postings. It seems the problem happens when
> the system is rebuilt. But I have not had any such problem or
> reinstallation.
>
> Please advise. Thanks.

I had nothing but sympathy for you until you stated...
"I do not have a backup EFS certificate/key."

That's a major thing to do - after all you are pretty well making your data
inaccessible without that - and even in this case, albeit unique and
something I cannot say I have seen before in the way you explain it - the
backup could have saved your data. As it is - it may be lost to you
forever.

I am still hopeful (and curious) to see if someone else can help you recover
the data.. don't get me wrong - but whether you get the data back or not -
if you choose to use this technology or something like it in the future -
please make your backups (in every sense of the word.)

(BTW - I have seen this happen when using an external method of changing
your password - like a hack diskette or CD.)

You could read through this forum post - maybe it will help:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP...

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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

I have a backup on a external hard disk. But the folder is also encrypted in
much the same way and is also not acessible as it has the same problem.

But in addition to seeking remedy for the problem I would like to know what
happened! I am the owner and creator of the folder as an administrator. Why
can I not access it? What went wrong?

Rakesh


"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> rockykumar wrote:
> > I cannot open any files in a folder that is encrypted. I am the
> > administrator on a Windows XP professional, SP2. I used to be able to
> > access the files transparently until about 10 days ago. There was a
> > Major "Windows update" consisting of 8 updates at the same time
> > around June 18th. The problem occurred after this update.
> >
> > I have uninstalled the updates & performed a system restore, but
> > still have the same problem.
> >
> > My user name and password remain unchanged. I do not have a backup EFS
> > certificate/key.
> >
> > I have read the newsgroup postings. It seems the problem happens when
> > the system is rebuilt. But I have not had any such problem or
> > reinstallation.
> >
> > Please advise. Thanks.
>
> I had nothing but sympathy for you until you stated...
> "I do not have a backup EFS certificate/key."
>
> That's a major thing to do - after all you are pretty well making your data
> inaccessible without that - and even in this case, albeit unique and
> something I cannot say I have seen before in the way you explain it - the
> backup could have saved your data. As it is - it may be lost to you
> forever.
>
> I am still hopeful (and curious) to see if someone else can help you recover
> the data.. don't get me wrong - but whether you get the data back or not -
> if you choose to use this technology or something like it in the future -
> please make your backups (in every sense of the word.)
>
> (BTW - I have seen this happen when using an external method of changing
> your password - like a hack diskette or CD.)
>
> You could read through this forum post - maybe it will help:
> http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP...
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>
>

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

"rockykumar" <rockykumar@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:63EF08FE-37D9-4049-84D1-7841F5B584B1@microsoft.com...
>I have a backup on a external hard disk. But the folder is also encrypted
>in
> much the same way and is also not acessible as it has the same problem.
>
> But in addition to seeking remedy for the problem I would like to know
> what
> happened! I am the owner and creator of the folder as an administrator.
> Why
> can I not access it? What went wrong?
>
> Rakesh
>
>
> "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
>
>> rockykumar wrote:
>> > I cannot open any files in a folder that is encrypted. I am the
>> > administrator on a Windows XP professional, SP2. I used to be able to
>> > access the files transparently until about 10 days ago. There was a
>> > Major "Windows update" consisting of 8 updates at the same time
>> > around June 18th. The problem occurred after this update.
>> >
>> > I have uninstalled the updates & performed a system restore, but
>> > still have the same problem.
>> >
>> > My user name and password remain unchanged. I do not have a backup EFS
>> > certificate/key.
>> >
>> > I have read the newsgroup postings. It seems the problem happens when
>> > the system is rebuilt. But I have not had any such problem or
>> > reinstallation.
>> >
>> > Please advise. Thanks.
>>
>> I had nothing but sympathy for you until you stated...
>> "I do not have a backup EFS certificate/key."
>>
>> That's a major thing to do - after all you are pretty well making your
>> data
>> inaccessible without that - and even in this case, albeit unique and
>> something I cannot say I have seen before in the way you explain it - the
>> backup could have saved your data. As it is - it may be lost to you
>> forever.
>>
>> I am still hopeful (and curious) to see if someone else can help you
>> recover
>> the data.. don't get me wrong - but whether you get the data back or
>> not -
>> if you choose to use this technology or something like it in the future -
>> please make your backups (in every sense of the word.)
>>
>> (BTW - I have seen this happen when using an external method of changing
>> your password - like a hack diskette or CD.)
>>
>> You could read through this forum post - maybe it will help:
>> http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP...
>>
>> --
>> Shenan Stanley
>> MS-MVP
>> --
>> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
>> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>>
>>
>>

I have no idea why this happened. Have you looked at the cipher command? It
looks like cipher /u might help. I would try it on a copy of the files
involved. I would also try to use cipher /d to decrypt the files first.

Kerry

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

My guess your keys became corrupted.
If this is the case, the fix is to use the back-up keys you never made.

This is one reason EFS is often called the "Delayed Recycle Bin"

See the links near the bottom of this page for ways to help prevent this in
the future:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/encrypt.htm

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"rockykumar" <rockykumar@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ED1CADBB-7049-482A-9E3F-7CC0BE57A00B@microsoft.com...
>I cannot open any files in a folder that is encrypted. I am the
>administrator
> on a Windows XP professional, SP2. I used to be able to access the files
> transparently until about 10 days ago. There was a Major "Windows update"
> consisting of 8 updates at the same time around June 18th. The problem
> occurred after this update.
>
> I have uninstalled the updates & performed a system restore, but still
> have
> the same problem.
>
> My user name and password remain unchanged. I do not have a backup EFS
> certificate/key.
>
> I have read the newsgroup postings. It seems the problem happens when the
> system is rebuilt. But I have not had any such problem or reinstallation.
>
> Please advise. Thanks.
>
> Rakesh

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

I tried. The cipher command did not work.

I suspect that I may have changed the password on this account for a
networking issue. But I changed it back to the same old password. If this is
the case is there any hope to recover the files?

Rakesh

"Kerry Brown" wrote:

> "rockykumar" <rockykumar@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:63EF08FE-37D9-4049-84D1-7841F5B584B1@microsoft.com...
> >I have a backup on a external hard disk. But the folder is also encrypted
> >in
> > much the same way and is also not acessible as it has the same problem.
> >
> > But in addition to seeking remedy for the problem I would like to know
> > what
> > happened! I am the owner and creator of the folder as an administrator.
> > Why
> > can I not access it? What went wrong?
> >
> > Rakesh
> >
> >
> > "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
> >
> >> rockykumar wrote:
> >> > I cannot open any files in a folder that is encrypted. I am the
> >> > administrator on a Windows XP professional, SP2. I used to be able to
> >> > access the files transparently until about 10 days ago. There was a
> >> > Major "Windows update" consisting of 8 updates at the same time
> >> > around June 18th. The problem occurred after this update.
> >> >
> >> > I have uninstalled the updates & performed a system restore, but
> >> > still have the same problem.
> >> >
> >> > My user name and password remain unchanged. I do not have a backup EFS
> >> > certificate/key.
> >> >
> >> > I have read the newsgroup postings. It seems the problem happens when
> >> > the system is rebuilt. But I have not had any such problem or
> >> > reinstallation.
> >> >
> >> > Please advise. Thanks.
> >>
> >> I had nothing but sympathy for you until you stated...
> >> "I do not have a backup EFS certificate/key."
> >>
> >> That's a major thing to do - after all you are pretty well making your
> >> data
> >> inaccessible without that - and even in this case, albeit unique and
> >> something I cannot say I have seen before in the way you explain it - the
> >> backup could have saved your data. As it is - it may be lost to you
> >> forever.
> >>
> >> I am still hopeful (and curious) to see if someone else can help you
> >> recover
> >> the data.. don't get me wrong - but whether you get the data back or
> >> not -
> >> if you choose to use this technology or something like it in the future -
> >> please make your backups (in every sense of the word.)
> >>
> >> (BTW - I have seen this happen when using an external method of changing
> >> your password - like a hack diskette or CD.)
> >>
> >> You could read through this forum post - maybe it will help:
> >> http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP...
> >>
> >> --
> >> Shenan Stanley
> >> MS-MVP
> >> --
> >> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> >> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
> I have no idea why this happened. Have you looked at the cipher command? It
> looks like cipher /u might help. I would try it on a copy of the files
> involved. I would also try to use cipher /d to decrypt the files first.
>
> Kerry
>
>
>

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

rockykumar wrote:
> I tried. The cipher command did not work.
>
> I suspect that I may have changed the password on this account for a
> networking issue. But I changed it back to the same old password. If
> this is the case is there any hope to recover the files?

Doubtful. And changing the password through normal channels should have had
no effect. Definitely would not if you had a backy key/cert.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html