Re: How to recover encrypted file

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From: Lanwench [MVP - Exchange] (lanwench_at_heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmail.atyahoo.com)
Date: 01/18/05 

Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 07:13:09 -0500

Howard wrote:
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Howard wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>> I removed unfornutely my Windows 2003 certificate. I encrypted file
>>> on my server with the properties from windows explorer.
>>> I'm administrator on the server. I've noticed that when you
>>> encrypted file with the windows explorer for the first time, a
>>> certificate will be added in Internet explorer.
>>> By cleaning the server, I deleted this certificate in Internet
>>> explorer only without reading the message. Now I become an acces
>>> denied, when I try to read the encrypted files.
>>>
>>> Is there a way to read the files again? How can I read or decrypt
>>> the files?
>>>
>>> Thanks for helping
>>>
>>> Regards
>>> Howard
>>
>> Got backups? If you don't have a backup of the certificate, your
>> data is pretty much toast. You've just demonstrated that EFS
>> actually works pretty well....
>>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q241201&sd=tech
>>
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/technologies/directory/activedirectory/stepbystep/efs.mspx
>>
>>
>
> But I only removed the certificate from internet explorer. I haven't
> removed any files from file system.
> I haven't made a backup. Are you sure, there is no way to recover the
> files?

No, I'm not sure, but I don't know where to tell you to look for any files
that might help - I don't use EFS. Do some searching on the MS support site
and in Windows help.

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