Recover Encrypted Files From An Old Hard Drive - jonesbobjections

Jeff Hudgins removed the hard drive from a dying computer, and via USB plugged it into a new PC. But He can't access code his files. They're encrypted.

I don't care Windows' Encrypted Filing system (EFS), and Jeff's story illustrates wherefore. Although EFS provides what appears to be a convenient, completely transparent form of encryption, it can represent ail down the road.

EFS makes sense in a business, where IS professionals manage the computers and less savvy people use them. The users don't even have to lie with that their data is encrypted (or fifty-fifty what the Book encrypted means). They log into Windows and they backside access their files. But if someone other logs in, or boots from a live Linux CD, or removes the thorny drive, the files are inaccessible. And should it be requisite, IS knows how to get book binding those files.

But in a home environment, as Jeff discovered, EFS is just asking for trouble set the road.

And so what should you do? If the old PC bathroom boot Windows and make the least bit, put the drive back in, boot information technology, and transferral the files from there.

If not, did you create and export the certificate needed to decrypt the files–and did you pull through the certificate to a safe place not on that hard drive? If you did, and if you can find the security, you can access the files–true from another computer (forward the computer is running Windows).

To do so, click Start (Start>Running play in XP), type certmgr.MS and press Enter upon. This opens the Certificate Manager. Click the Personal folder in the left field pane. Past, from the menu, select Action>All Tasks>Import and follow the Certification Import Thaumaturge.

But if the old Microcomputer is utterly useless, you don't have a certificate, and you don't have an unencrypted backup, those files are gone. You butt Google decrypt efs without credentials, but I doubt you'll find a solution that works.

You may have noticed that I didn't leave instructions for creating and exportation a certificate. That's because, if you'ray using EFS, I have better advice:

Closure using EFS. Instead, switch to TrueCrypt. It's free, ASCII text file, and tested. Atomic number 102 matter what computer you're using it happening, if you have the password, you can get in. Without the password, you ne'er will.

I don't recommend encrypting your intact drive with TrueCrypt, although that's possible. Instead, create one or more encrypted file containers, and keep your sensitive files in them. Pass on the rest of your data unencrypted.

Conducive Editor President Lincoln Spector writes about technology and cinema. Email your technical school questions to him at answer@pcworld.com , OR post them to a community of helpful common people happening the PCW Answer Line forum . Follow Lincoln on Twitter , Oregon subscribe the Answer Line newssheet , e-armored weekly.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/464095/recover_encrypted_files_from_an_old_hard_drive.html

Posted by: jonesbobjections.blogspot.com

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