Re: Unable to Decrypt Encrypted files

Actually, there are services that will attempt to do this for you, with varying degrees of expense and success. Google for "data recovery services"

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"Kerry Brown" <kerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx*a*m> wrote in message news:OWEOU6ZnGHA.2264@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If they were encrypted with efs and you do not have a copy of the keys then
no, there is not a program that will decrypt the files. What would be the
point of encryption if there was?

--
Kerry
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Roger Payne wrote:
ok is there a program that will decrypt the files

"Mike Fields" wrote:


"Roger Payne" <rpayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:024D8398-FD21-41E4-981A-C6FCDC630192@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
unfortunately i have done a format and install clean operating
system again(xp)! And i am unable to decrypt my originally
encrypted files for my
seccond HDD. Is there any possible way to decrypt ??? If it does
help I did
a full format on my C:

C: = Windows XP Pro
D: = BAck up drive

i have all updates for windows

If you really mean they were encrypted (using EFS) and
you did not export a key and/or have a backup of the
previous install, you are basically "up the creek sans paddle"
If you mean they were "protected" as in set to read only
for you, then you can take ownership of the files. Windows
2000 used to force you to have a DRA (Designated Recovery
Agent) that could also decrypt files that were EFS
encrypted, however, XP does not force you to do that
and if you re-install XP Pro (even using the same account
names), the keys will be different and without a copy of the
key, there is not much hope of decrypting the files.

mikey


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Windows 2000 encrypted files
    ... Microsoft MVP (Windows, Security) ... > Settings\folder and copyed the Windows 2000 My ... and turn off file encryption it gives me an ... > error saying that it cannot decrypt any of the files. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: The strongest alghorim?
    ... When you use an encrypted database, ... system has to use a fixed key to encrypt and decrypt ... This is how Windows Authentication ... > Did you try Google for VB encryption API? ...
    (microsoft.public.access.security)
  • Re: EFS File Decryption Problems
    ... > I just installed windows XP on my machine and previous had ... > decrypt the files using cipher and obviosly cant view ... I had some encrypted files on my storage> drive using the windows EFS encryption. ... Now i cant> decrypt the files using cipher and obviosly cant view> them. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • [OT]: Heres a good one for Leo Demers
    ... "Must use stronger encryption algorithms," she countered. ... for Windows XP, post-SP1 and for the soon-to-be-released Windows Server ... decrypt the file may also result in data loss. ... To do so might cause data loss. ...
    (comp.os.vms)
  • How do I Use DPAPI to Encrypt and Decrypt Data (C#/VB.NET)?
    ... Use DPAPI to Encrypt and Decrypt Data ... The code below demonstrates how to call Data Protection API (DPAPI) ... In addition to encryption and decryption, ... public static string Encrypt ...
    (microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.aspnet.security)