Re: What _does_ EFS stand for?

From: David Cross [MS] (dcross@online.microsoft.com)
Date: 12/04/02 

From: "David Cross [MS]" <dcross@online.microsoft.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 06:00:19 -0800

1. No, not unless you left out a step about backing up your private key
before you formatted your drive.

2. EFS = Encrypting File System

3.
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/pro/techinfo/administration/recovery/defa
ult.asp 

--
David B. Cross [MS]
--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
http://support.microsoft.com
"Chris Perigo" <chrisperigo@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:064d01c29b82$50e7d6a0$d5f82ecf@TK2MSFTNGXA12...
> Greetings All,
>
> I upgraded my PC from Win ME to XP pro some months back.
> (Machine is on home network using workgroups).
>
> Shortly thereafter I decided to convert my filesystem
> from FAT32 to NTFS so as to explore the new possibilities
> available etc.
>
> Ended up with the dreaded 512kb cluster size which
> brought the machine's performance to its knees (ankles
> actually) and causes _massive_ levels of fragmentation
> for reasons which I appreciate.
>
> Whilst nosing round at new options available I rather
> foolishly encrypted the My documents folder in my login
> account. Then tried logging in as another user to see if
> they could access them. They could - oh well forget it
> then.....
>
> Recently got a new laptop which gave me the empty disc
> space required to back up the entire disc so having done
> so I bravely reformatted my disc which had the desired
> effect of creating a (default) 4096kb cluster size. Then
> reinstalled XP and yes performance does seem to have
> improved significantly again.
>
> Then reinstated the documents and settings hierachy for
> all users. Job's a good un.................??
>
> As most of you no doubt already appreciate this now
> leaves everyone except me happy as larry. I, however, had
> completely forgotten my documents were all previously
> encrypted so now cannot access anything. (*LOTS* of work).
>
> Spent 2 days chasing my arse round the help files etc
> relating to efs, mmc, recovery agents, certificates etc
> and now realise that *nothing* I now do on the machine (I
> made myself a DRA) can retrieve the data. eek.
>
> However, because I had backed up _the entire_ machine
> prior to the reformat, I am still fairly hopeful that I
> can get my data back. Just don't know what I would
> require to do.
>
> Can any of you bright sparks inform me:-
>
> 1) Will I be able to recover my data?
>
> 2) How to go about it?
>
> Thanks to anyone who can help.
>
> ....so what does EFS stand for (apart from the obvious)
> etremely ******* stupid? (I'll leave the f to you
> imagination!!)
>
> Cheers
>
> Chris Perigo
> [Bloke who _thought_ he new something about computers]

Relevant Pages

  • RE: cracking Windows 2000 EFS
    ... These excellent articles by Roberta Bragg detail the steps for Hacking EFS: ... Encrypting File System Primer: Basics and Best Practices ... Recovering Encrypted Data (Note: You'll need to register to view the ...
    (Security-Basics)
  • Re: Encrypted File Recovery...
    ... pack/patch level as that originating the EFS encryption. ... Encrypting File System in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 ... Best Practices for Encrypting File System ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: Encryption Across Network File Shares
    ... the user should be able to decrypt and work on the EFS files. ... for Delegation" and the user that is encrypting/decrypting will have to be ... certificate/private key into your domain account, by encrypting a file ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: Encryption Across Network File Shares
    ... The computer with the share that you want to contain EFS files and the ... certificate/private key into your domain account, by encrypting a file while ... "Rick Blake" wrote in message ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: EFS Certificate Needed
    ... Backup and save on non-degrading media the EFS DRA .pfx file ... Foe sure I will follow "Windows Recommendations". ... that recovery agent will only have ... Best practices for the Encrypting File System ...
    (microsoft.public.security)