Re: EFS Encryted Folder - Recovery Help needed

From: TechnoWiz (thebos1_at_fastmail.fm)
Date: 05/15/04 

Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 18:20:25 -0700

Many thanks for the reply, you are surely correct. It
would have been nice if MS had noted in the docs on using
their "easy" file and folder EFS that if the system got
toasted, an exported key would be the only way to recover
data in circumstances like this.

I found the help and method needed to export keys,
unintuitive and bothersome, certainly not easy for the
casual home user of XP Pro. Adding snapins to a
management console to get to export keys is a challenge
to start with.

I have, of course, now exported my brand new key and
stored it on a CD for future use should a similar
disaster occur. I think I'll refrain from using EFS
anyway.

It's interesting to note that I can decrypt the folders
in my data drive using my new credentials, just not the
files within - go figure....

Cheerz
Steve Carter

TechnoWiz
>-----Original Message-----
>Without the essential keys, the data is effectively gone.
>See this link to help prevent this in the future:
>http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/encrypt.htm
>
>--
>Jupiter Jones [MVP]
>http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
>
>
>"TechnoWiz" <thebos1@fastmail.fm> wrote in message
>news:d2a701c439a5$f5abca80$a301280a@phx.gbl...
>> I have two HDD's on my system. Primary HDD has WinXP
Pro
>> installed. Second HDD contains all my data including My
>> Documents etc. also backup files for my billing system
>> etc.
>> The data directory on the second HDD was encrypted
using
>> my logon profile (TechnoWiz) and XP's EFS (Select
>> directory - properties - advanced - encrypt including
>> folders/files/subfolders.) I did not export the key at
>> the time.
>>
>> My primary HDD died and became unrecoverable. I have
>> installed new version of XP and set up new accounts.
>>
>> I am unable to access my data files in the encrypted
>> folders and most frustrating is that I have an Image
file
>> of my original HDD using Acronis TruImage also stored
>> within the encrypted data folder. There is even a copy
of
>> my original registry which I exported on the 1st of May
>> when the image was created. It is only now that I have
>> found that the backup folder on my 2nd HDD was also
>> encrypted inadvertently so I cannot use the backup
image.
>>
>> Is there any way I can decrypt the folder, or even the
>> image file which I can then use to recreate my original
>> boot drive and I should then be able to get access to
my
>> data?
>>
>> Am I able to send someone a copy of the encrypted
>> registry (.reg) file somehow? If you can decrypt it, it
>> may have the original key data for decoding my data
files
>> in it that you could return to me. (I'm desperate to
get
>> my billing data back !!).
>>
>>
>> Regards
>> TechnoWiz
>
>
>.
>

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