# Can't open encrypted files. Need serious help.



## kia130123 (Feb 12, 2009)

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to post this...

Recently I backed up all the photos on the family computer to my external hard drive, after foolishly leaving my HD plugged in to it, a few days someone managed to encrypt the folder full of pictures. I didn't notice this untill after reformatting the computer and trying to move the pictures onto the freshly installed OS. I believe the certificate thumbprint needed to open the encrypted files has been lost to the previous OS. 

I really need some suggestions on how to decrypt these files, I don't want to be responsible for the lose of 7 years worth of family photos. :sigh:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Kial


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## rbalaji (Dec 12, 2008)

What were the files encrypted with? You need that program and the password used for the encryption to have any chance of retrieving the files.


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## kia130123 (Feb 12, 2009)

It was just the standard one built into xp. in properties > advanced the tick box for encrypt data.
I know the files are encrypted through the use of algorithms that essentially rearrange, scramble, and encode the data. A key pair is randomly generated when you encrypt your first file. This key pair is made up of a private and a public key. The key pair is used to encode and decode the encrypted files.

If the key pair is lost or damaged and you have not designated a recovery agent, and then there is no way to recover the data.


from : http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;223316&x=13&y=7 

:sigh:


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## rbalaji (Dec 12, 2008)

Encryption is very serious business and should not be undertaken lightly unless the circumstances really demand encryption. As you just found out, you have to read the documentation and understand what needs to be done to safeguard the data when you want to decrypt the data. If the appropriate measures are not taken or are realized too late, the encrypted data will be lost. The use of high-quality encryption methods like 256-bit AES has made recovery of data after a password loss virtually impossible, so it is vital to understand what an encryption software does and what the recovery options are before entrusting your data to it.


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