files got lost by NTFS protection, after reinstalling O

[awaysahmad4u]

he friends
i am back after a long long time, but with some serious problem (for me it is),
guyz i am using windows XP professional edition and i have partitioned the hard disk in 4 parts, 2 are NTFS and 2 FAT32, i had protected all my files on NTFS partition by windows xp protection and had encrypted my folder from right click properties menu, now the problem i faced is i got some problems with OS so i formatted the C Driver and reinstalled a fresh copy of winXP, but now i am unable to access my files in my folder that was encrypted in previous installation. and i have all my data collected during past 4 years in that folder, and i have my exam starting on 4th of Sep, and my studying stuff is in that folder, now how can i retrieve my files in that folder, how m i gona remove that protection,,
thanks with anticipation

[dwschoon]

I am thinking that you are out of luck. Once you reformat, the security identifiers change, even if you use the same username and password, the encripted key is different. I dont know of any way to break into efs.

[awaysahmad4u]

yes i have tried the previous user name and password but found no luck, but there should b something, that i can get back my data. some 3rd party cracking software or any thing, or some microsoft tools, that may give me option to do so, or to avail the same encription key,man this encryption will look a drawback otherwise, everysecurity has breaches, so may this.. i have to find that, i can't loose all my data, no way, i will hang my self otherwise.. hope i wont do so :(

[dwschoon]

The whole point if EFS is to not have a "back door" so that it is secure. I hope you are able to find a way to get your data back, but I dont think you will. My instructor for my server 2k3 MCSA course said that he spoke with someone from microsoft about EFS. The guy said that they didnt even have a way to break into it, which was the whole point.

[roYal]

Back up your certificate that EFS relies on and store the certificate in a safe place. In your case, the following wouldn't work because you formatted and thus the Security Identifier that was linked to your username is gone. There are 2 ways to back it up:

1. Cipher /X (use this command when logged on to the actual user from which you are enabling EFS)
2. Internet Explorer > Internet Optiosn > Content Tab > Certificates > Personal > Export the certificate from your username.

Then, if you have have a problem not being able to get your data back, just import your certificate.

[JohnD]

I'm a network manager of Windows networks since '87 and I can tell you that all your data is lost. Sorry, but that's the honest truth.

[Kendan]

I would have to agree that if you did not back up your certificate then you are not going to be able to recover the data.

Take this as one of the hardest ways to learn the importance of backing up everything you can not afford to lose.


Especially you need to learn to backup everything before you mess with a reinstall/format(even one drive out of many)/repair install/ect...........

[awaysahmad4u]

thanks guyz, although i lost my precious data but this event tought me an important lesson which i will never forget, thanks again , and thanks for ur tip roYal.....but i won't delete that data, may b in near future someone could help me, may be......

[Kendan]

You can try a profesional data recovery place and see what they say about it. At least it is worth getting a quote from them.