Vista - Decrypting a folder after windows is formatted without unlocking

hello sir,
sir i am using windows vista business in my sony vaio laptop. nd i made some
of my files encrypted during normal use with the help of fingerprint sensor
without providing the password , only swiping the finger on sensor could
unlock those files but it can not be unlocked by a password bcoz i didnt
provide it at the time of encryption. nd then recently i formatted my windows
vista without decrypting those locked files and now i have installed new copy
of windows vista on my laptop , but i m unable to unlock the encrypted files .
sir pls can you help me to know the solution for decrypting the files again.
sir pls mail me the solution.
i seriously need your help
thanks sir

Hi Vicky-Aryan,

Did you backup the EFS (Encrypted File System) Certificate before you formatted the drive?

If you did, then you can restore the EFS Certificate and will be able to decrypt your files again. This tutorial will show you how.

Encrypted File System (EFS) Certificate Restore


If you did not backup this, then I'm afraid you are out of luck and have lost the ability to decrypt the files. This tutorial will show you how to backup the EFS Certificate for next time.

Encrypted File System (EFS) Certificate Backup

Shawn

sir , i didnt backup the EFS certificate before formatiing the disk but then
also i hope there will be some way to decrypt the locked file bcoz nothing is
immpossible. plz help me out for this problem.

"brink" wrote:

Vicky-Aryan,

Here is a back door approach that may work for you. Make copies of these files first and use them to preserve a copy of your files.
1. Create a New Folder on the desktop. (not encrypted)
2. Move all the encrypted files into the New Folder.
3. Right click on the New Folder and click "Send To" -> "Compressed (zipped) Folder". (on desktop)
4. Right click on the New Compressed Folder and "Extract" the New Folder.
5. Click "Yes" to the do you want to replace the old New Folder.
6. The files should not be encrypted now.


If that does not do the trick, then :
There is a program called "Advanced EFS Data Recovery" that is suppose to be able to decrypt these EFS files. They have a free trial version that you can download and use. I do not know if the free version will let you decyrpt, or they will make you buy the full version ($99 Home, $199 Business) first. It might be worth it to try and see. I would make a copy of the EFS files and try it on them and save the originals.

ELCOMSOFT: Advanced EFS Data Recovery

Shawn