stupid me

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Master Baiter Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 128

i encrypted a notepad file on my old pc and then the computer died. so i took the hard drive out and am trying to get the document back and over to my laptop but it wont let me do anything to it. what can i do to solve this?

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:10 am

What type of encryption did you use? Which "it" are you referring to: the computer, the disk or the file? What did you do with the hard drive? How are you trying to transfer it? It is hard to diagnose a problem with no information.

Master Baiter Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 128

im sorry, let me try to be as clear as possible. my hard drive is in an external drive enclosure. it runs fine. the text of the file's name is green and i believe i just encrypted it using properties>advanced>encrypt .

either way i cant even repeat that on this laptop because the "encrypt contents to secure date" check box is greyed out. why is that?

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:08 am

If it's a MS software try Googling the text of the error message or similar thus:
site:support.microsoft.com "encrypt contents to secure date"

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 5:52 am

Did you encrypt it like this:

Code:

How to Encrypt a Folder
NOTE: You can encrypt files and folders only on volumes that use the NTFS file system.
1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
2. Locate and right-click the folder that you want, and then click Properties.
3. On the General tab, click Advanced.
4. Under Compress or Encrypt attributes, select the Encrypt contents to secure data check box, and then click OK.
5. Click OK.
6. In the Confirm Attribute Changes dialog box that appears, use one of the following steps:
� If you want to encrypt only the folder, click Apply changes to this folder only, and then click OK.
� If you want to encrypt the existing folder contents along with the folder, click Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files, and then click OK.

Which is the XP pro process.

This states the conditions required to decrypt a file:

Code:

How to Remove Encryption from a File
Only the following people can decrypt an encrypted file.
� The user who encrypted the file
� Any user who was designated as a recovery agent before the file was encrypted
� Any user who has the public key or private key for the recovery agent or the user that originally encrypted the file
� Any user who has been granted access to the file

So did does your new computer have the same user name as the old one where the file was encrypted? If so, The OS may assign a key when it originally is installed. If that is true then unless there is a file that stores the key (microsoft, so it could happen) or you can find the key somewhere, you are probably out of luck.

I would google around for someone who had this same problem and solved it.

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:08 am

DrWho wrote:

I would google around for someone who had this same problem and solved it.

You're soooooo old-school...shows your age. Cool

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:29 am

It has worked for me for the last 237 years. New school is . . . . ? I hate to even hear the answer Smile

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 11:45 am

Only someone who is logged into your account,with your password
can access these files,

Answer,,,,,www.pcworld.com,,,,may2007 issue,,,,page 115 Wink

Mod edit - second post immediately after first edited into first. Eight.

Master Baiter Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 128

so in otherwords i have to go get my pc fixed or i can never touch that file again?

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:12 pm

That or ask the Seven Dragons to open it for you. They probably already have.

Master Baiter Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 128

Don wrote:

. . Seven Dragons . . .

who/what is that?

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:45 am

reveals this:

http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=94603

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:11 am

not really soldatman,,,,go to the link i provided,,,,,it,ll tell you how to open it.

Master Baiter Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 128

i was all thinking don was serious, went on the internet, looked it up. terrible.

but on a serious note, if i made another account with the same name on this pc and the same password, i could open the file? cause that was xp pro and this is xp home, its not gonna balk at me is it?