Recovering Encrypted Files/Directories

[Hellafax 0]

Hey all --

Heres the scenario; I did a format/reinstall of Windows XP Pro on my c: drive. However, I didn't do a files/settings backup. I have an encrypted directory/files on my second hdd, that I can't seem to recover the files from. How in the world can I work around this without the proper certificates?

 

Cheers

[Shakedown 0]

Time to format the other drive:

 

From Help and Support

"The designated recovery agent should export the data recovery certificate and private key to disk, secure them in a safe place, and delete the data recovery private key from the system. In this way, the only person who can recover data for the system is the person who has physical access to the data recovery private key."

[BladeRunner 0]

Bad luck

I really do hope there was nothing really, really important in that encrypted folder.

It's the whole idea of the 128bit Encryption, should the HD fall into the wrong hands that person wouldn't be able to get at your secure data.

Without a backup of the Private Keys on floppy disk that data is lost.

[Wolf87 0]

The *.psx files exported to diskettes for backup can be imported with Internet Properties, Content, Certificates, Import.

 

Read Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q255742: "Methods for Recovering Encrypted Data Files". You need access to a Recovery Agent's account with a valid recovery key:

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q255742

 

The Windows XP CD-ROM in \Support\Tools\Support.cab file contains a command-line utility named Efsinfo.exe to show who encrypted each file and who has permission to decrypt it, including any recovery agents. Read Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q243026.

 

Freeware EFSDump.exe ver 1.02 can dump that information:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/misc.shtml

 

With this information in hand, use the Runas command to launch Cipher.exe /k at a command prompt to create certificates for your previous User and Password but it would probably not recover your previous encryptions.

[Hellafax 0]

hrm...

okie dokie.

 

Makes sense, I suppose.

Thx for the help... *grumble*

 

MS seems to have done something right -- much to my chagrin, and embarassment.

[yutao 0]

I suggest you use DataRecoveryWizard to resolve your problem.

The software provides very useful functions for data recovery:

DeleteRecovery, FormatRecovery, AdvancedRecovery, RawRecovery.

 

This program is an efficient disk recovery software providing

you a complete answer to data loss.

 

First thing I recommend you download the demo version of

DataRecoveryWizard. (http://www.[censored].com/download.htm)

 

Run the program and select the recovery mode "DeletedRecovery",

or "FormatRecovery", or "AdvancedRecovery".

 

See more: http://www.[censored].com

http://www.[censored].com/datarecoverywizard/recover-deleted-files.htm

http://www.[censored].com/datarecoverywizard/recover-lost-partition.htm

http://www.[censored].com/datarecoverywizard/recover-formatted-partition.htm

http://www.[censored].com/datarecoverywizard/recover-fdisked-drives.htm

http://www.[censored].com/datarecoverywizard/recover-lost-files.htm

http://www.[censored].com/datarecoverywizard/recover-repartitioned-drives.htm

http://www.[censored].com/datarecoverywizard/recover-scandisk-chkdsk-disk.htm

http://www.[censored].com/datarecoverywizard/recover-ghosted-image-data.htm

http://www.[censored].com/datarecoverywizard/recover-encrypted-data.htm