Recover encrypted files from an reinstallation of Windows 7
so I had to reinstall windows 7 due to a corrupt registry. I encrypted some files but now I lost access to them. I did some searching on the net and found out i need some sort of key to get them. I doont know where I placed it. Loging in as adminstrator doesnt help, neirther does disabling the encrypted file service. You have articles on how to recover these files in case you need to reinstall windows, but what if you dont have access to the key? You guys should have really thought long and hard with that. So my question is, is there anyway to recover the files (regestery hack, download, few setting changes etc) or am I out important files for work?
December 15th, 2009 12:25pm

How did you encrypt them? Usually if you encrypted some files and then lost the key, you are out of luck otherwise the encryption that you used isn't very strong or useful.Mark Morowczynski|MCT| MCSE 2003:Messaging, Security|MCITP:ES, SA,EA|MCTS:Windows Mobile Admin|Security+|http://almostdailytech.com
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December 15th, 2009 4:29pm

How did you encrypt them? Usually if you encrypted some files and then lost the key, you are out of luck otherwise the encryption that you used isn't very strong or useful.Mark Morowczynski|MCT| MCSE 2003:Messaging, Security|MCITP:ES, SA,EA|MCTS:Windows Mobile Admin|Security+|http://almostdailytech.com
December 15th, 2009 4:29pm

Just the normal way, though explorer. There should be a way to unlock it in situations like this, other wise Microsoft did not think long and hard when they created this feature.
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December 15th, 2009 8:23pm

Anyone?
December 16th, 2009 8:20am

Hi,Please understand that if we can recover encrypt files, anybody who get your hard disk can do a format to remove your system and get the encrypt files easily.For encrypted files, it is recommended to backup the certificate with this method. Sorry for the issue but on system side we cannot help recover the files if we did not backup the certificate.For further information please refer this article:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457020.aspx
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December 16th, 2009 1:03pm

I'm aware of that, but if you took time to read my post, you'll see that I needed to reinstall and FORGOT that I had files encrypted. Its frustrating that theres no way to get them back becuase YOU (microosft) didnt think "gee, what if someone forgot or lost their key? I know! lets screw them and let them not have access to THEIR OWN files.
December 16th, 2009 2:02pm

I can understand the frustration it is caused. However EFS is not using a password but the account information to protect files. Thus after remove the account, the key (account information) is lost. A people who lost the key is the same as did not have the key. So if we can recover the data without the key, it will be easy to get any EFS protected file.
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December 17th, 2009 10:50am

Well I can see where this would be a good thing, but I can also see where it would be an bad idea. Personly I would have thought a re installation of windows would have wiped the EFS out (given its a fresh copy of windows) Guess I should have thought harder. :(
December 17th, 2009 10:53am

Not quite the answer I'm looking for. but as always you never listen to your custmorers
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December 25th, 2009 9:20am

I know it is a bad result however in order to make sure the safety we cannot provide a way to unencrypt the files without account information.
December 28th, 2009 1:25pm

That is EXTREMELY inconvenient that you use the account information. I am facing the exact same problem. If everything is on the SAME system, why can I not decrypt my files? When I first created the encryption, it didn't even prompt me to backup my key.
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February 5th, 2011 10:00pm

what if we were to prove our legitimacy? could you recover the encrypted files then?
March 22nd, 2011 9:10pm

Exactly. Microsoft thinks once you install their OS, it will never need reinstalling. Why won't the original account password be enough to decrypt the files?? On another forum I was referred to a company that has a product that claims to recover the files with just the original account password. However, it's about $150. I am willing to spend that money if I am GUARANTEED that it will work. Those files are priceless to me, and I desperately need them back. I will let you guys know if it works for me, and what the name of it is.
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March 24th, 2011 1:13am

I did a reinstall of Windows 7 and I need to recover a few encrypted files. The thing is, I encrypted them with a certificate & I have a backup of the certificate. I imported the old certificate into my new install in CERTMGR but I still can't remove encryption! When I look at the encryption properties, it shows the same certicate name, but the thumbprint is different! What the hell? The backup I made of my certificate is USELESS!
April 26th, 2011 9:18pm

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