Nasty file problem in Windows 7.

Jimbo · 29 Jun 2010 at 11:24

Since I went to Windows 7 and sharing a drive, some of my files will not let me copy delete or move or even view. Some of my Jpegs ( no not porn) wont even let me view. They are just highlighted in Green text, its wierd. Bottom line is Windows has lost my permissions even though im Admin.

Ive trawled around the web but cant seem to work this one out. has anyone else had this? for instance if i open a Jpeg it says this... Windows photo viewer cant open this picture because you dont have the correct permissions to access the file location.

Ive come accross this... http://forums.techguy.org/windows-vista/820077-solved-all-my-pictures-need.html

Still the same prob. Anyone??

Memphis · 29 Jun 2010 at 11:36

Green text indicates that the files have been encrypted. If they were not encrypted under the current Windows install and you don't have a backup copy of the key, the files are as good as gone.

Jimbo · 29 Jun 2010 at 11:39

Hmm thats a bit of a bummer. Found some good info here... http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php?topic=105483.0

I've never had this problem before, how annoying.

edscdk · 29 Jun 2010 at 11:44

Memphis said:
Green text indicates that the files have been encrypted. If they were not encrypted under the current Windows install and you don't have a backup copy of the key, the files are as good as gone.

I dont like the way some windows vista/ 7 machines have the encrypt icon at the top of explorer, average uses are likley to think its a good idea..

Jimbo · 29 Jun 2010 at 13:47

Well further more... after much fishing around a found a guy who said this.....

Quote....

Thinking I may have solved my own problem here...What we have here is a situation that has not a lot to do with ownership of a file, more do to with encryption of files. I post here again as I warning to others!!!!

Somehow, and don't ask me to explain why, the files in question had become encrypted whilst on the XP machine. I don't think I did it and why did all my other files in the same folder transfer without any problems?
However, they did and now I seem to be stuck with a bunch of files that I cannot open. What I appear to have omitted (because I didn't know) was to transfer the certificates along with files. From what I have read, if a file is encrypted and you don't have the certificate then the file is lost for good. As the HDD as now been reformatted I guess that is the case. Someone please prove me wrong, I would be eternally grateful.

And thats my problem.. guess im screwed.. Windows, you well and truley suck.

Memphis · 29 Jun 2010 at 15:31

Jimbo said:
Windows, you well and truley suck.

No, it really doesn't. I was feeling sorry for you until you said that.

Something YOU did caused those files to become encrypted under your previous OS. You might not have known you had done it, but regardless, it doesn't happen by itself.

Don't blame the product for your own ignorance.

Banzai_Joe · 29 Jun 2010 at 15:40

Memphis said:
No, it really doesn't. I was feeling sorry for you until you said that.

Something YOU did caused those files to become encrypted under your previous OS. You might not have known you had done it, but regardless, it doesn't happen by itself.

Don't blame the product for your own ignorance.

That's pretty harsh Memphis. Do you know everything there is to know about windows?

In every OS there is a plethora of 'things' that can happen that we never know about. And you know what? Things can and do just happen by themself, without any specific user action/interaction. That's why bug fixes/patches are deployed because somewhere Windows screws/ed up and needs/ed to be fixed.
BSODs when you're not even doing anything? Is that the user's fault? Often driver related.

edscdk · 29 Jun 2010 at 15:50

a gillion to one probability here...

I once had a drive with green files, that I could not open ( a customers )

I almost gave up (thinking they were encrypted).. but I thought it was odd I could not delete the files...

turned out somone had compressed them, and altered the colour compressed files show as...

infact all I needed to do was to take ownership and set permissions, as they were compressed and compressed files were set to show as green some how.

I can see a lot of people thinking its a good idea to encrypt their files not really knowing the implications..

Jimbo · 29 Jun 2010 at 16:55

Thanks for the help i really do apprieciate it. Sorry i upset you with my comments i was just a bit angry. I didnt have a clue that this sort of thing could happen just with a change of os. Well there learnith a hard lesson. Thanks for that though ed, worth a try.