Re: decrypt help...

"kevin" <kohoran@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Og9608lSFHA.2132@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> honestly, ron, i don't know at this point. i have an old backup of the
> files, copied to cd before i encrypted them (what a brilliant idea the
> latter has turned out to be -- argh!). i think those older versions are
> what i'll have to default to. i'm running into brick wall after brick wall
> re decryption, even though i'm almost certain the cert/key combo i've
> recovered is the correct version for the files. in fact, it has to be;
> they are the only files i've ever encrypted on this machine.
>
> i've tried re-establishing a user account with the same name as when i
> encrypted the files, then importing the cert/key combo into that account
> (with full admin privileges). that doesn't work any better than importing
> the cert/key combo into my current user account (with a different name) or
> even a direct admin account approach. that said, is there a private or
> public key (or some other security block) set up unique to each account,
> such that even though i've recovered the cert/key combo from my previous
> account i still can't use it for anything?
>
> man, these bricks are hard.
>

You would need a backup of the user profile and machine system state as well
as the files. I had a similar problem. The only way I was able to unencrypt
the files was to image the system, restore from a previous image, unencrypt
the files, copy to CD, then restore the newest image. Did you image or
backup the system before installing the 64bit preview? If not the only
solution is to use your ols unencrypted version of the files.

Kerry

>
> "Ron Bogart" <rip.unoTHE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:%23rGA1pgSFHA.2908@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> In news:OiERBFfSFHA.3156@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
>> kevin <kohoran@xxxxxxxxx> did some thinking and came up with these words:
>>> richard:
>>>
>>> i've been told (and read) that i did this backwards, and if i could
>>> go back and do it over, i would. but i've also been told (and read)
>>> that as long as i have access to the certificate/key, then i still
>>> have the ability to decrypt the files. i thought i had deleted the
>>> certificate/key combo completely, but, as noted, was able to recover
>>> it from the recycler folder and import it to my current user account.
>>> what i'm trying to find now is how -- if at all -- to use that
>>> certificate/key combo to open the files. that is, knowing the
>>> user-account name under which that cert/key was used to encrypt the
>>> files, can i recreate that account, import the cert/key and then open
>>> the files? or, can i somehow add my current user-account to the list
>>> of people with access to that cert/key?
>>> in other words, i'm trying to figure out the steps to decrypting
>>> files when the cert/key combo has been saved but the user account
>>> scrapped. it would seem, from what i've read, that i should be able
>>> to decrypt the files as long as i still have access to the cert/key
>>> combo, which i do.
>>> thanks,
>>> kevin
>>>
>>> aka "cranky" (hey, i've got a teething toddler at home who just
>>> learned to say "no". what can i say?)
>>>
>>>
>>> "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:ek37Z3dSFHA.2424@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> No, you have it backwards. You create the recovery agent "before"
>>>> you have problems working with encrypted files - not after you
>>>> experience trouble. And loading/reloading an operating system will
>>>> likely cause problems. I am afraid that those files are no longer
>>>> viable or usable. There is NO backdoor to the files.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Regards,
>>>>
>>>> Richard Urban
>>>>
>>>> aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)
>>>>
>>>> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>>>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "kevin" <kohoran@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>>> news:OMePlidSFHA.252@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> sorry if this has been asked (repeatedly?), but running into a
>>>>> problem decrypting some files and i'm seeking help.
>>>>>
>>>>> the details: i'm running xp pro 32-bit edition on a compaq
>>>>> athlon64. i installed the customer preview version of xp pro 64bit,
>>>>> but in doing so, i changed my user name and deleted the old
>>>>> user-name account. the problem, of course, is that i had encrypted
>>>>> some files with that old user account. i've created a recovery
>>>>> agent since, and have located (i think) the old certificate and key
>>>>> in the recycler folder. i've tried importing the certificate (with
>>>>> the system telling me it has imported it, and showing it as
>>>>> available to the user-named account i had deleted). but i still
>>>>> can't access the files. the question: how do i use the "old"
>>>>> certificate and key combo to
>>>>> unlock/decrypt the files, since i've already deleted the old user
>>>>> account? i had thought i could just import the cert/key into my
>>>>> current admin-privilege account and, voila, open the files. no such
>>>>> luck. i still get the "access denied" error message.
>>>>>
>>>>> thanks for any help, and, again, sorry if this has been posted to
>>>>> death. kevin
>>
>> The 'cert' ties in with user and system as well as the files. It is such
>> a slippery slope that most stay as far away from encryption as possible.
>> From the sounds of it - you have been given the opportunity to learn this
>> the hard way. Do you perhaps have a good system backup/image where you
>> can restore the previous version and regain control of your files?
>>
>> --
>> Ron Bogart {} ô¿ô¬
>> Associate Expert
>> Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>> Lovin life on Mercer Island 8^)
>> "Life is what happens while we are making other plans."
>> In memory of a true friend, MVP Alex Nichol (1935-2005)
>>
>
>


.

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