encrypted files

[Mike]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win2000.security (More info?)

Please Help,
I encrypted some sensitive data on a second hard drive,
using the windows encryption on my "D" drive. I then had
to re-install win2k on my "C" drive and now I can only see
the files and cannot access them or move them. They are
vey important, and I need them back.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win2000.security (More info?)

Bottom line is that the EFS private key used to decrypt files is stored in the
profile folder of the user and recovery agent for the computer [built in
administrator account by default]. If you formatted your hard drive and wiped out
your old operating system totally, and did not backup your EFS private keys or user
profiles from a time after files were encrypted then those files will not be able to
be recovered. Such is the nature of protecting files with encryption.

If you backed up your EFS private key or recovery agent EFS private key to a .pfx
file for times like this then you should be able to recover your files by logging on
as the user and importing your saved .pfx file.

If you did not save/export your EFS private key, but you have a copy of your original
user/recovery agent profile either still on the hard drive [did not format] or in a
recent backup and know the password for that user account you might be able to
recover your EFS files with the help of Microsoft support or a third party tool.
Good luck. --- Steve

http://www.elcomsoft.com/aefsdr.html
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;242296
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223316 -- for future
reference

"mike" <mikenney1@excite.com> wrote in message
news:020201c46dd9$93c74f20$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> Please Help,
> I encrypted some sensitive data on a second hard drive,
> using the windows encryption on my "D" drive. I then had
> to re-install win2k on my "C" drive and now I can only see
> the files and cannot access them or move them. They are
> vey important, and I need them back.

 

[Mike]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win2000.security (More info?)

Steve,
Thanks for your help. I guess I'll chalk it up as a
learning experience.


>-----Original Message-----
>Bottom line is that the EFS private key used to decrypt
files is stored in the
>profile folder of the user and recovery agent for the
computer [built in
>administrator account by default]. If you formatted your
hard drive and wiped out
>your old operating system totally, and did not backup
your EFS private keys or user
>profiles from a time after files were encrypted then
those files will not be able to
>be recovered. Such is the nature of protecting files with
encryption.
>
>If you backed up your EFS private key or recovery agent
EFS private key to a .pfx
>file for times like this then you should be able to
recover your files by logging on
>as the user and importing your saved .pfx file.
>
>If you did not save/export your EFS private key, but you
have a copy of your original
>user/recovery agent profile either still on the hard
drive [did not format] or in a
>recent backup and know the password for that user account
you might be able to
>recover your EFS files with the help of Microsoft support
or a third party tool.
>Good luck. --- Steve
>
>http://www.elcomsoft.com/aefsdr.html
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
US;242296
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
US;223316 -- for future
>reference
>
>"mike" <mikenney1@excite.com> wrote in message
>news:020201c46dd9$93c74f20$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>> Please Help,
>> I encrypted some sensitive data on a second hard drive,
>> using the windows encryption on my "D" drive. I then had
>> to re-install win2k on my "C" drive and now I can only
see
>> the files and cannot access them or move them. They are
>> vey important, and I need them back.
>
>
>.
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win2000.security (More info?)

Hi Mike.

Sounds like you did not have any luck, sorry to hear that. Yeah you have to be real
careful with EFS. --- Steve


"Mike" <mikenney1@excite.com> wrote in message
news:0e4301c46ea8$ac9b5a80$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> Steve,
> Thanks for your help. I guess I'll chalk it up as a
> learning experience.
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Bottom line is that the EFS private key used to decrypt
> files is stored in the
> >profile folder of the user and recovery agent for the
> computer [built in
> >administrator account by default]. If you formatted your
> hard drive and wiped out
> >your old operating system totally, and did not backup
> your EFS private keys or user
> >profiles from a time after files were encrypted then
> those files will not be able to
> >be recovered. Such is the nature of protecting files with
> encryption.
> >
> >If you backed up your EFS private key or recovery agent
> EFS private key to a .pfx
> >file for times like this then you should be able to
> recover your files by logging on
> >as the user and importing your saved .pfx file.
> >
> >If you did not save/export your EFS private key, but you
> have a copy of your original
> >user/recovery agent profile either still on the hard
> drive [did not format] or in a
> >recent backup and know the password for that user account
> you might be able to
> >recover your EFS files with the help of Microsoft support
> or a third party tool.
> >Good luck. --- Steve
> >
> >http://www.elcomsoft.com/aefsdr.html
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
> US;242296
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-
> US;223316 -- for future
> >reference
> >
> >"mike" <mikenney1@excite.com> wrote in message
> >news:020201c46dd9$93c74f20$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> >> Please Help,
> >> I encrypted some sensitive data on a second hard drive,
> >> using the windows encryption on my "D" drive. I then had
> >> to re-install win2k on my "C" drive and now I can only
> see
> >> the files and cannot access them or move them. They are
> >> vey important, and I need them back.
> >
> >
> >.
> >