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| Vista Tutorial - Encryption - Disable or Enable Encryption - Disable or Enable
How to Disable or Enable EFS Encryption in Vista
Published by Brink
10-29-2007
| | How to Disable or Enabled EFS Encryption in Vista Information | | Encrypting folders and files is a way to protect them from unwanted access. Encrypting File System (EFS) is a feature of Windows that allows you to store information on your hard disk in an encrypted format. Encryption is enabled by default in Vista. If you disable encryption, no user account will be able to encrypt a file or folder. |  | NOTE | | The EFS Encrypt feature is only available in the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. It will remain grayed out in the Vista Home Basic and Home Premium editions. |  | WARNING | | Be sure to decrypt all files and folders before you disable encryption. Once encryption is disabled, all user accounts will lose access to encrypted files and folders until it is enabled again. |  | RELATED LINKS:EXAMPLE: Encrypt Option grayed out after disabled NOTE: For how to encrypt, see: How to Encrypt or Decrypt a Folder or File in Vista | METHOD ONE: |
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| Through a Download |
1. To Disable Encryption - A) Click on the download button below to download the Disable_Encryption.reg file.
B) Go to step 3.  2. To Enable Encryption - A) Click on the download button below to download the Enable_Encryption.reg file.  3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop. 4. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click Merge. 5. Click on the Run button for the Security Warning pop-up. 6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted. 7. Restart the computer to apply the changes. 8. You can delete the .reg file (on Desktop) when done if you like. | METHOD TWO: |
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| Through the Manual Way |
1. Open the Start Menu. 2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter. 3. If prompted by UAC, then click on Continue. 4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem 5. In the right pane, right click on NtfsDisableEncryption and click Modify. 6. To Disable Encryption - A) Type 1 and click OK. (See screenshot below step 7)
B) Go to step 8. 7. To Enable Encryption - A) Type 0 (number zero) and click OK.  8. Close regedit. 9. Restart the computer to apply the changes. That's it,
Shawn |  Published by | | | Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 23,763
Rep Power: 150 | |
 Tutorial Tools | | |
 Applies to | | Business,Enterprise,Ultimate | | 64 Bit & 32 Bit | |
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06-21-2008
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| | Newbie
Rep Power: 8
 | Re: Encryption - Disable or Enable My encryption box is still greyed out. | My System Specs | | OS Vista Home Premium 32bit
06-21-2008
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| | Newbie
Rep Power: 14
 | Re: Encryption - Disable or Enable | Quote: | dmaj |  | | | My encryption box is still greyed out. | | | | | You have Home Premium if thats correct then you cant use Encrypting File System as it is only available in the Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate version of Vista. | My System Specs | | OS Vista Ultimate x64 Hard Drives Lots
07-12-2008
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| | Newbie
Rep Power: 8
 | Re: Encryption - Disable or Enable | My System Specs | | OS Vista Home Premium 32bit
09-19-2008
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| | Newbie
Rep Power: 6
 | Re: Encryption - Disable or Enable I encrypted several hundred pictures when I had Windows XP. I upgraded to Vista Home Premium and I found out that I can't decrypt them. Any ideas? I was thinking about taking the HDD to a friends house that has XP on it and trying to decrypt from his OS, since I don't want to downgrade to XP... | My System Specs | | OS Vista Home Premium 32bit
09-19-2008
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| | Administrator Vista x64 Ultimate SP2 Texas, USA | Re: Encryption - Disable or Enable Hello Tetsujin210,
Unless you have the EFS certificate from your old XP to add to your friends XP so that you can decrypt them, you will not be able to access them. I'm not sure if this is the exact same method for XP, but this shows you how to add (restore) a EFS cetificate in Vista if you have a copy of it. Encrypted File System (EFS) Certificate Restore
Hope this helps,
Shawn | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Custom OS Vista x64 Ultimate SP2 CPU Core2 Quad Q9450 2.66GHz 12MB Motherboard Gigabyte X48-DQ6 Memory 8 GB (4x2) DDR2 PC2-8500 1066 MHz Patriot Extreme Graphics Card BFG GeForce 9600 GT OC 512MB Sound Card Realtek HD Audio ALC889A Integrated Chip Monitor(s) Displays 28" Hanns-G HG281DJB and 17" eMachines E17T4 Screen Resolution 28" 1920x1200 and 17" 1280x1024 Keyboard Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500 Revolution Mouse Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500 Revolution PSU Antec NeoPower 500 Watt Case Tagan El-Diablo Full Tower Cooling 250 mm Front, 360 mm Side, stock CPU, 120 mm SiLenX Rear Hard Drives 64GB Patriot SSD (v2)
750GB Samsung HDD HD753LJ SATA 32MB Internet Speed 3382 kb/s Download and 312 kb/s Upload Other Info Creative WebCam Instant
5 Days Ago
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| | Newbie
Rep Power: 1
 | Encryption File System needs your Smart Card Please help: I read in PC Magazine that Vista Ultimate has a nice feature to prevent reading\theft of personal files (i.e. encryption tool) in case a notebook gets stolen.
So, I followed the PC Magazine recommendations and encrypted my personal documents, music, and pictures by right clinking each folder, Advanced, Properties, and Clicking Encrypt. The process took about 2 hrs. I thought all was well but then when I started my computer the next day, and when the desktop loads, there is a message indicating, "Encryption File System needs your Smart Card". When I click this message, a window pops up stating:
Encryption File System
You are encrypting a file or trying to access an encrypted file using a smart card
Enter your Smart Card PIN
Insert Smart Card or
Swipe Finger to Log On
Now, I cannot access my files that I encrypted
My guess is that once I encrypted the files, Vista needs to export the encryption certificate to a Smart Card. Without this, I cannot decrypt my files again. I went to Best Buy, Radio Shack etc and no one sells these cards or card readers. Found a few websites to purchase a Smart Card Reader and Smart Card.
My questions are:
1) Can I decrypt without a Smart Card/Smart Card Reader. I tried going to each folder, right clicking, properties, advanced, and checking decrypt but the above window pops ups.
2) If I do purchase a Smart Card Reader/Smart Card will the certificate be exported and can I then decrypt to make my files as they were prior to the encryption?
3) Is there anything else I can do?
Thank you for your assistance!
Steven | My System Specs | |
5 Days Ago
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| | Administrator Vista x64 Ultimate SP2 Texas, USA | Re: Encryption - Disable or Enable Hello Steven, and welcome to Vista Forums.
Could you post back the link for that article? That does not sound like it was the EFS feature in Vista.
In the mean time, you might be able to use the 30-day trial of the program Advanced EFS Data Recovery to decrypt the files. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Custom OS Vista x64 Ultimate SP2 CPU Core2 Quad Q9450 2.66GHz 12MB Motherboard Gigabyte X48-DQ6 Memory 8 GB (4x2) DDR2 PC2-8500 1066 MHz Patriot Extreme Graphics Card BFG GeForce 9600 GT OC 512MB Sound Card Realtek HD Audio ALC889A Integrated Chip Monitor(s) Displays 28" Hanns-G HG281DJB and 17" eMachines E17T4 Screen Resolution 28" 1920x1200 and 17" 1280x1024 Keyboard Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500 Revolution Mouse Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5500 Revolution PSU Antec NeoPower 500 Watt Case Tagan El-Diablo Full Tower Cooling 250 mm Front, 360 mm Side, stock CPU, 120 mm SiLenX Rear Hard Drives 64GB Patriot SSD (v2)
750GB Samsung HDD HD753LJ SATA 32MB Internet Speed 3382 kb/s Download and 312 kb/s Upload Other Info Creative WebCam Instant | Tutorial Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode | Vista Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows Vista", the Start Orb, and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp. © Designer Media Ltd Tutorial powered by GARS 2.1.8m ©2005-2006
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