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Can anyone explain the file encription system in Vista Business?

S

ShadowZERO

Member
I encrypted a section of my drive that I considered particularly sensitive, and wanted an extra password prompt for these files even if I was logged into the Admin/Root user.

I found an option in Vista to create an Encrypt.pfx file, which allows me to set a password like i wanted. However, I can not seem to find a way to apply the password encryption to the folder that I wanted to encrypt. As of now I can't access any of the files I encrypted.
 
After doing a lot of Googling, I have found a ton of third party software that claims to do this, but with a free trial. It seems to me that this simple type of password protected encryption should be included in Vista Business. I'm really confused at this point, because the data I encrypted is not accessible under my Admin/Primary User account, and the Encrypt.pfx file does not seem to give me any information on how I could apply that password to the folder I encrypted.
 
Ok I found some info that Vista does not allow you to password protect file folders. The problem i am having now is that whenever i try to un-encrypt the files i encrypted, Windows tells me:

You are encrypting a file or trying to access an encrypted file using a smart card. Enter your smart card and PIN.
Click to expand...

WTF? I have never used a smart card. What is going on here?

Oh, and i found a program called TrueCrypt that is free, open source, and should allow me to do what I wanted originally.

So now I'm basically blocked from accessing the files I encrypted using windows, and for some reason it thinks I use a smart card. Please help, this makes zero sense.
 
The worst thing about this smart card error is that it gives me in infinite loop. Clicking Ok, Cancel, Or the top right "X"(close button) does not close the window. I've never had an "infinite loop" bug in windows, and i can't figure out which task in the task manager I have to close to close the looping window.
 
Can someone please help? Right now I'm stuck with a whole bunch of files that I can't access at all. I'm getting all kinds of Windows errors, including but not limited to the the infinite loop "Please insert your smart card and PIN" bug.

Also, when trying to select all the files in the folder, and selecting the un-encrypt option, it tells me I don't have access, even though i've ran the command prompt and used the takeown /f option to ensure that i do have ownership.
 
I'm sorry I have no help for vista, never bothered to learn the built in windows encryption. I've always used gpg and now I use truecrypt full time.
 
Originally posted by: masteryoda34
You could try accessing the files from a live CD.
Click to expand...

What live CD? like from a linux distro? then how would i convert them back to non-encrypted?

Originally posted by: masteryoda34
You could also try system restore maybe.
Click to expand...

I have always turned off the system restore feature since Windows XP. Its just a waste of memory.
 
To give yourself the best chance of regaining access to that data, you're going to have to do some very careful reading and understanding before taking any kind of action.

My suggestion is that you go to an authoritative source of information on the subject. Look at
this list of links. Take your time and learn about the process. The worst thing you can do now is to take drastic steps without first understanding how the system works.

Take your time to figure out and understand exactly what you did to get to where you are before you take another step.

Things you should consider are:
1. Do you have backups of the data? If so, are they encrypted, too?
2. Do you have a means of making a replica / backup of the entire system (including certificates and keys) on which these files reside before you change anything?

Asking people on a forum, and letting us take potshots at "fixing" your problem is not the way to go if this data means anything to you. The information you've provided so far indicates that either you aren't sure what steps you took to get to this point, OR you aren't being very careful about expressing yourself, OR something has actually gone awry with the encrypting file system and its components on that system.

If it's one of the first two, then you need to change your course and steer toward learning how to use EFS before you do anything else to that system.

If its the third option, then you're definitely going to need to be in touch with Microsoft professional support services.

There are folks here and on Ars Technica who know EFS really well from the support side. I've used it plenty from the end user side, but wouldn't have the guts to suggest particular actions for you to take via forum discussion. Some of those people might be able to pepper you with questions to get a precise enough picture of your plight to be able to guide you to a solution. I'd be afraid to try.

If that data is important to you, take steps to protect it. And the most important step you can take at the moment is to stop stepping -- until you actually know where you're going.
 
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