Doing taxes; can't un-encrypt old 2003 files

[ITPaladin]

I need to find out what my 2003 AGI was to send off my 2004 e-file taxes.

I looked at the "users who can transparently view these files", and it has my name in the info, but neither the admin or my name acct can access them on XP Pro.

I may have reinstalled XP Pro partition between the time the files were made and encrypted.

Am I SOL? Was I supposed to do something before reinstalling XP Pro?

The name account that currently exists may or may not be the same account, just the same name.

 

[Slikkster]

Here's a page with info.

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/docu.../XP/all/reskit/en-us/prnb_efs_nuvm.asp

 

[Ahughs007]

Basically, you can try to look at the exact name in the 'people who can view the files' area ie jon@px2fups ... then rename your computer the the second half and see if that works.

Secondly, if you didn't create a backup certificate, and the first option didn't work.. you ARE s.o.l

I only say this because it happened to me grasshopper.

If it's turbotax, they may have last years taxes on their online website.

 

[mechBgon]

I may have reinstalled XP Pro partition between the time the files were made and encrypted.

There's the problem.

Am I SOL? Was I supposed to do something before reinstalling XP Pro?

You are, and you should've, yep. The decrypt key belonged to the unique account in the unique installation instance of WinXP. If you're going to encrypt stuff, export a copy of the key so you can import it into a new WinXP installation if needed.