Cannot decrypt my backed up encrypted files

[Nucleus111]

2 Quick Questions:

Would file encryption help at all with those web site scripts that can read files off your HD?
I have a single partition which contains everything that I save and is backed up to another PC. I'm assuming that backup on the remote PC would be encrypted also?

 

[skyking]

try reading your files from that other machine. If you can, i suspect it is saved unencrypted.

 

[Psych]

I believe Hugh Jackman broke 1024-bit Public Key Bank encryption in less than 1 minute.

Formatting a hard drive doesn't necessarily overwrite all the information on the HD, just the file tables and such. Well, at least for a quick format. NukeDisk does a good job of deleting everything...

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: Psych
I believe Hugh Jackman broke 1024-bit Public Key Bank encryption in less than 1 minute.

Formatting a hard drive doesn't necessarily overwrite all the information on the HD, just the file tables and such. Well, at least for a quick format. NukeDisk does a good job of deleting everything...

The drive wasn't only formatted, a new OS was installed on top. Those thinking there is a good chance he is going to recover the key from that old drive now are mistaken. As he has no access to the keys anymore, the data is as gone as if the drive died. Sorry, but I'm not sure why this thread is continuing at this point.

Bill

 

[Psych]

<spam>Because we're all really immature and want to continue a stupid war of insults and bad technical knowledge.</spam>

I actually want the Computer to regain his files. But this topic is probably dead anyway. GB

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: Psych
I believe Hugh Jackman broke 1024-bit Public Key Bank encryption in less than 1 minute.

Formatting a hard drive doesn't necessarily overwrite all the information on the HD, just the file tables and such. Well, at least for a quick format. NukeDisk does a good job of deleting everything...

The drive wasn't only formatted, a new OS was installed on top. Those thinking there is a good chance he is going to recover the key from that old drive now are mistaken. As he has no access to the keys anymore, the data is as gone as if the drive died. Sorry, but I'm not sure why this thread is continuing at this point.

Bill

Bill, the drive I was able to have recovered had quite a history on it. it was a 2 gig drive with win98 on it, with many text docs I neglected to save. The trader who took from me said it did not format well with dos, so he formatted it eventually with some unix distro, and then did an install for using on a DC farm. It was up and running when I messaged hm with the news, and he got every one of those text docs back, minus the formatting. This was after two OS installs and three formats!!
I am not saying it is anything but a lucky shot, but I will PM the guy who did it for me, if the Original poster comes back.

 

[RobCur]

only MS can disable encrption check on xp, they can but they won't cause they just want to people without a key to lose their file indefinitely, or they're just as paranoid as some of the nerds are lol. the end? why don't they just use password protection like with pkzip? less secure? I don't think so.

 

[stash]

Originally posted by: RobCur
only MS can disable encrption check on xp, they can but they won't cause they just want to people without a key to lose their file indefinitely, or they're just as paranoid as some of the nerds are lol. the end? why don't they just use password protection like with pkzip? less secure? I don't think so.

 

[LeetestUnleet]

I haven't bothered to read the entire thread, but here's a thought:

Copy the files to a FAT32 partition (or any other file system that doesn't support encryption). Use the Administrator account as mentioned before to change the security settings and make the Administrator account the owner.

People say this doesn't work, but it worked for me in this thread. And no, I'm not subscribing to this topic so I won't see any replies. Please PM me if you've got any SERIOUS issues with my post. I won't be checking this thread for updates as there's seemingly 1000000 irrelevant/repeating posts (mine probably being one of them)

 

[Psych]

Does anyone else have a definitive example of decrypting NTFS files just be taking ownership? It just doesn't seem possible to me.

 

[stash]

It's not. Ownership and encryption are two very different things.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: LeetestUnleet
I haven't bothered to read the entire thread, but here's a thought:

Copy the files to a FAT32 partition (or any other file system that doesn't support encryption). Use the Administrator account as mentioned before to change the security settings and make the Administrator account the owner.

People say this doesn't work, but it worked for me in this thread. And no, I'm not subscribing to this topic so I won't see any replies. Please PM me if you've got any SERIOUS issues with my post. I won't be checking this thread for updates as there's seemingly 1000000 irrelevant/repeating posts (mine probably being one of them)

I don't blame you for not subscribing, there's a lot of a$$holes here.

That didn't work for me. Encrypted files can't be copied to a floppy or CD meda, they lost encryption. In my case they DID copy to another HD without any "complaints" of any kind unfortunately. If it's a file that was encrypted on another PC, they won't even copy, they just "sit there" using a floppy or CD media. I also tried copying the files to a FAT32 partition and it was just like trying to put them on a floppy or CD media, it said it could not copy.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: NightCrawler

Originally posted by: computer
If you lost about EIGHT YEARS of customer data, thousands of saved webpages that no longer exist, hundreds of Windows tweaks that can no longer be found, hundreds of motherboard manuals and other PC hardware manuals that no longer can be found, and hundreds of images of your Mom and Dad, my kittens, tame baby squirrels, macro photography, case mods, etc., etc., and dozens of other things, YOU would be trying all you could as well!

With Data that important I would be backing it up in triple and I would no bother with the encryption I would just lock the CD/DVD in a safe.

I did, the CDR media went bad. I was in the process of putting it on new media again on my new PC, but can't since it's encrypted.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: Nucleus111
2 Quick Questions:

Would file encryption help at all with those web site scripts that can read files off your HD?

I don't know, but that was EXACTLY my reasoning for encrypting My Documents in the first place. I thought that might prevent it.

I have a single partition which contains everything that I save and is backed up to another PC. I'm assuming that backup on the remote PC would be encrypted also?

If your original data is encrypted, then it should be encrypted on the other PC. It was in my case, and you won't be able to read it. I couldn't in my case. The only way it would is if the HD was mirrored, I guess. They Decryption key(s) on another PC are not going to be the same on the original PC unless you copy over the cert's or keys on the remote PC.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: vcarpio2
Um, we all do stupid things and for all we know, Computer might have agonized over that one, too. But we learn from our stupid mistakes, and from others' stupid mistakes too. Just look at the information found in this thread. Besides, I kind of agree with the post that said something like we are all too familiar with Microsoft's buggy products (most especially on the subject of security I might add) and tend to ignore those "are you sure" prompts that for once when they do something right, we're caught off guard.

Like I've stated before, there were no warnings, prompts, nor anything when I copied My Documents to my backup HD. That is my point in condemning these relentless spastic warnings about idiotic benign things, yet, having no prompt or warning about your encrypted data being as good as formatted over if you copy it to a backup HD.

 

[computer]

I downloaded and installed Advanced EFS Data Recovery which was posted by Southerner above. When I click "Scan for keys" it finds entries on all my partitions. But when I click "Scan for encrypted files" on the partition where I have my "secure" folders, it finds no encrypted files. In the "File Tree" tab, I can view the directory of my "secure" folders -- the filenames, sizes, dates -- but the "Decrypt" button is grayed out, maybe because it's a trial version.

I'm going to have to try that program again. I don't recall seeing anything about "scan for keys" nor any "Decrypt" button.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: Farfrael

Originally posted by: computer
You're right, I don't know anything about encryption,

I have been following this thread for some time and the only thing which comes to my mind is :
"Computer, you sir are a complete tool !"

Admit you did something stupid and start working on the only solution you have : getting the private key back. And for the love of us, stop posting that mindless drivel

Oh, something else, if you are stupid enough to use encryption on ALL your important files without even bothering to inform yourself about the way it works, you DESERVE what is happening to you

F**K-OFF A$$HOLE.

 

[beer]

Man, it's gone. Accept it. You've about exhausted your welcome on a free forum, too. If it really matters to you that much you should be paying a data recovery specialist by now. It's obvious that people have been trying to help you and you've gotten no where, so either accept it as a lesson and move on or talk to a professional that does this for a living. If you've spent so much time and it means so much to you, I don't understand why you haven't already, I'm sure you're not the first person to do this and I'm sure you're not the last.

And you SHOULD be banned for the way you are acting too. It wouldn't hold up in OT, P&amp;N, and it shouldn't here.

 

[Adul]

get the hard and any try some data recovery. that is your only hope.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: beer
Man, it's gone. Accept it. You've about exhausted your welcome on a free forum, too. If it really matters to you that much you should be paying a data recovery specialist by now. It's obvious that people have been trying to help you and you've gotten no where, so either accept it as a lesson and move on or talk to a professional that does this for a living. If you've spent so much time and it means so much to you, I don't understand why you haven't already, I'm sure you're not the first person to do this and I'm sure you're not the last.

And you SHOULD be banned for the way you are acting too. It wouldn't hold up in OT, P&amp;N, and it shouldn't here.

***I*** should be banned????? I WAS NOT the one being a rude, disrespectul, condescending, name-calling a$$hole like some of the others here!!!! It is THOSE that should be banned and need to grow up. I haven't even been here for DAYS and some of these jerks continued on with THEIR bull$hi!t and name-calling!!!!! GO BITCH TO THEM!!!!! Nada go**amn time do you see me on this thread call people names or be rude to them, UNTIL THEY CHOSE TO BE IMMATURE AND A RUDE JACK-ASS TO ME!!!! And all you are doing is just adding to the problem!!!! Just what the HELL makes you think I'm NOT doing other things?? Do you live here? Are you watching me??? NO. **I** am the one that has said on more than one occasion if you don't have something useful, helpful and constructive to add to this thread, then get lost and quit adding to the bull$h!t!!!! The mod needs to lock this thread so you #$^%!@# bashing trolls will find something else to take up your time or someone else's ass to jump.

Your attitude is unacceptable. This thread will not continue.

AnandTech Moderator

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: computer

Originally posted by: beer
Man, it's gone. Accept it. You've about exhausted your welcome on a free forum, too. If it really matters to you that much you should be paying a data recovery specialist by now. It's obvious that people have been trying to help you and you've gotten no where, so either accept it as a lesson and move on or talk to a professional that does this for a living. If you've spent so much time and it means so much to you, I don't understand why you haven't already, I'm sure you're not the first person to do this and I'm sure you're not the last.

And you SHOULD be banned for the way you are acting too. It wouldn't hold up in OT, P&amp;N, and it shouldn't here.

***I*** should be banned????? I WAS NOT the one being a rude, disrespectul, condescending, name-calling a$$hole like some of the others here!!!! It is THOSE that should be banned and need to grow up. I haven't even been here for DAYS and some of these jerks continued on with THEIR bull$hi!t and name-calling!!!!! GO BITCH TO THEM!!!!! Nada go**amn time do you see me on this thread call people names or be rude to them, UNTIL THEY CHOSE TO BE IMMATURE AND A RUDE JACK-ASS TO ME!!!! And all you are doing is just adding to the problem!!!! Just what the HELL makes you think I'm NOT doing other things?? Do you live here? Are you watching me??? NO. **I** am the one that has said on more than one occasion if you don't have something useful, helpful and constructive to add to this thread, then get lost and quit adding to the bull$h!t!!!! The mod needs to lock this thread so you #$^%!@# bashing trolls will find something else to take up your time or someone else's ass to jump.

How about not being a fvcking moron in the first place? And well, are you doing anything? Or are you just sitting around and fapping all day waiting for someone here to give you an answer? If you had taken it into a data repair center, you'd probably be out $500 or $1000 and have your sh!t back right now - just how important is two years to you, anyways?

EDIT: And by the way, you are the cause of the rudeness, not them. You're belligerant, unreasonable, short-tempered and inmature. Not the people coming into this thread. They spent THEIR time to help you, and you aren't exactly being thankful to them. It's your own goddamn fault you lost your data, and it's your own goddamn fault that you are being treated like the FSCKING MORON that you have been acting like in this thread.

 

[bsobel]

How about not being a fvcking moron in the first place? And well, are you doing anything? Or are you just sitting around and fapping all day waiting for someone here to give you an answer? If you had taken it into a data repair center, you'd probably be out $500 or $1000 and have your sh!t back right now - just how important is two years to you, anyways?

Guys, seriously, the changes of getting the keys back from a system that got reinstalled and has been in use this entire time is extremely low. If we were talking about the docs themselves (in a non-encrypted form) it would be possible if the new install wasn't as 'fat' as the old one yet (e.g. the data hadn't actually been overwritten). But since we are talking about user profiles and files associated with them, I'd be more than amazed to find those clusters haven't long ago been overwritten on the new install. At this point the data should be considered lost, sorry, but there is really nothing more to do than to start rebuilding it.

Bill

 

[Farfrael]

Originally posted by: beer

EDIT: And by the way, you are the cause of the rudeness, not them. You're belligerant, unreasonable, short-tempered and inmature. Not the people coming into this thread. They spent THEIR time to help you, and you aren't exactly being thankful to them. It's your own goddamn fault you lost your data, and it's your own goddamn fault that you are being treated like the FSCKING MORON that you have been acting like in this thread.

Couldn't have said it better

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: computer

Originally posted by: NightCrawler

Originally posted by: computer
If you lost about EIGHT YEARS of customer data, thousands of saved webpages that no longer exist, hundreds of Windows tweaks that can no longer be found, hundreds of motherboard manuals and other PC hardware manuals that no longer can be found, and hundreds of images of your Mom and Dad, my kittens, tame baby squirrels, macro photography, case mods, etc., etc., and dozens of other things, YOU would be trying all you could as well!

With Data that important I would be backing it up in triple and I would no bother with the encryption I would just lock the CD/DVD in a safe.

I did, the CDR media went bad. I was in the process of putting it on new media again on my new PC, but can't since it's encrypted.

Some data may be recoverable on CD. Try Isobuster and you might be able to use your backups. You may need to purchased version if you used multi-write.

 

[darktubbly]

I"m not reading through several pages of bold-text laden posts, so my apologies if someone has already suggested this...but have you tried salvaging data from your CD's? I know you said the media is "corrupt" but have you tried reading them on another system?

My heartfelt sympathies as to losing all your data...it happens every once in a while, but chewing out other members really isn't helping your cause.

Edit: gsellis has the right idea. ISOBuster has saved me several times.