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XP and EFS

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by aakash shah 1 view

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How can the administrator access files that have been encypted using EFS? I have several files that need to be decrypted but I am unable to do so.

7 replies

by clubmac

Who encrypted the files? If you encrypted them and can't access them, your files maybe corrupted. If someone else encrypted them under another user, you will turn the encryption off under their user setup first otherwise enable their files to be viewed by other by other users.

This may not work for you, but worked for me several times on a single workstation that had accesses setup for three supervisors.

by aakash shah

Thank you for responding clubmac@sympatico.ca. Yes, another user has encrypted the files. How can I enable other users to view these files if they are encrypted? Also, where do I go in user setup to turn off the encryption?

Thanks!

by clubmac

I would go to control panel, user accounts, pick the user that encrypted the files, temporarily set it up as an administrator account, and then if you are the only administrator other than the one you temporarily setup, you have the same access as the person who encrypted it.

So long as your OS has the same cryptographic services running as the one who encrypted the file, it will work.

Remember to change the user account type back to it's previous settings so as to prevent full access to everything.

by clubmac

If you can gain access to that users profile for a short period of time, it would be easier than the other option, but that works too.

Once in the user profile on that computer, right click the encrypted file, go to properties, and then remove the encryption check mark. If encryption on the file is required after these operation are done, just check on the encryption again, and that's it.

by aakash shah

Thank you for responding clubmac@sympatico.ca. Yes, another user has encrypted the files. How can I enable other users to view these files if they are encrypted? Also, where do I go in user setup to turn off the encryption?

Thanks!

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