Windows 10: How to decrypt my EFS-encypted files stored on an external drive once my old windows...

Dear Community,I'm turning to you for help. Unfortunately I seem to have encrypted my personal data including all my PhD works on my laptop's previous Windows 10 installation. After re-installing windows, I can’t access that folder any longer. It’s not Bitlocker encrypted, but windows’ built-in encryption in File explorer right click on a folder -> Properties -> General -> Attributes -> Advanced -> Encrypt contents to secure data. I saved my personal data to an external drive from my old windows installation, and since the windows re-installation, I cannot access this folder

:)

 

decrypting efs file

I assume that you never created a backup key or recovery agent as would have been suggested when you first started using EFS.

The way that Elcomsoft and other data recovery experts attempt to recover encrypted files is to search through the system's hard drive for information that they can use to recreate the decryption key. If you threw away the laptop and its system drive and
all you have now is the encrypted file itself, you're out of luck.

From Elcomsoft's explanation (Advanced EFS Data Recovery | Elcomsoft Co.Ltd.):

You can always email or call Elcomsoft or one of the other data recovery firms, but I would expect them to tell you the same thing.

 

Does imaging an EFS encypted volume create an encrypted image?

Hi, I'm using Macrium Reflect to image a drive which contains my data. Most of the folders and files in it are encrypted with EFS. It's encypted with the same key as the windows install I'm using, so obviously I can view and open all the files on that partition using the system I'm on, because the files are being decrypted on the fly as I move through the folders. So the question is, if I image that partition using Macrium reflect on this windows install, will the files and folders in that created image be EFS encrypted?

 

Decrypt Files and Folders with EFS in Windows 10


Command:
Code:

Code:

fsutil behavior set disableencryption 1

Disabling EFS does not decrypt files, a user might want to decrypt them to be able to access them after reinstall.
Code:

Code:

cipher /d /s:C:\

Decrypt Files and Folders with EFS in Windows 10 Security System Tutorials