Windows 7 locked out of encrypted files, help?

[timefalls]

Hey there all,

I recently updated from the windows 7 beta to windows 7 professional. Ive noticed that a lot of my files now have green text instead of the usual black text underneath them.

After a bit of research, i found out that these files are encrypted. My hardware spec hasn't changed is there any way to regain access to these files?

thanks in advance!

 

[tntcoder]

Unless you backed up your encryption key, then I am afraid you are screwed.

You've formatted your hard disk and reinstalled the operating system and cannot decrypt your encrypted files. Unless you've exported your EFS keys, or a recovery agent existed and those keys are available, you may not be able to decrypt your files. If your keys, or those of the recovery agent, are available, then it should be possible to either import your keys and decrypt the file or import the recovery agent keys (if necessary) and recover the file. You can determine who the recovery agent of a file is by using esfinfo.exe in Windows 2000 or by looking at the Advanced file properties in XP Professional or Windows Server 2003.

Have you tried accessing them under an administrative account, it may be they are just locked to your old user account ID. If however they are encrypted fully with EFS then don't get your hopes up...

 

[timefalls]

I am screwed. Thanks anyway!

 

[tntcoder]

lol

I was thinking, im not sure how Windows 7 upgrades you from beta to RTM, it's possible though that it left a ghost user profile on your disk with the private encryption key still in. Just a small chance, but worth checking.

Have a browse in C:\Users\ANY_OLD_USERS_HERE?\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA

If that's there you would also need your old users master key, which would be in appdata Microsoft\Protect.

If you can track those files down you might be able to import them and get access again, although even then it may not be possible as your user will have a different security ID

If however it formatted your drive, then yer it's game over.

 

[timefalls]

I formatted the hard drive, and did a fresh re-install, so there was no files in that directory.

That's 10GB of music, pictures, and documents down the pan kind of serves me right, at least i know for next time.