Cannot view files as Administrator

X

XHair

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
181
Hello illustrious forums!

You have recently solved my hardware problems, now I ask for some software help.


When I was running Windows Vista I encrypted all the files within a folder and the folder itself, but no folders higher up, just that subfolder. Now that I have installed Windows 7 Ultimate I am unable to open any of the pictures.

The program tells me I do not have proper permissions to access the file. I cannot open the file with any other programs, access is denied.

I have tried going to:
  • Right Click-> Properties->Advanced...-> and unchecking the box labeled "Encrypt contents to secure data".
This does not work. Windows brings up an error box stating that
"You will need to provide administrator permission to change these attributes."
Click Continue to complete this operation.

I push Continue like it politely asks me to do and another box comes up saying
"An error occurred applying attributes to the file: ..............
Access is denied."

I am the administrator, I am the only person who uses this computer and ever has, there is no guest account and I'm baffled!

  • I have fiddled a bit with the Command->cipher.exe
But I don't know how to use it. Windows HELP suggests using the cipher.exe program to unencrypt files if I have the digital certificate(which I do, as far as I know), but I cannot figure out the command-line program.



I need YOUR help illustrious forums!
 
When you move to a different OS you have to export the digital certificate to be able to read your files on the new OS. Assuming you just installed over your Vista install so now there's no going back. I think I did this to myself once in the past when I thought it would be 'cool' to encrypt my files :)

As Doug said, the first step would be to take ownership, but I don't think it works like that for encrypted files.
 
I thought it would be very "cool" to encrypt my files, but not the screwing myself over part.

Anyway, I'm not aware of the "ownership" scenario that Doug is mentioning. I suppose I could google it, but could you tell me more about it?
 
Doubt taking ownership would help if it's encryption (totally different issues). Without the certs the files are as good as gone. One reason to stick with truecrypt or anything that uses easily backed up authentication.
 
If the OP did an upgrade, the SID database may have stayed the same. If not, the OP is boned. By default, the built in administrator account has a master EFS recovery certificate for decrypting files, although if the OP did a clean install, the SID would have changed and trashed everything as Crosshair suggests.

These Google results will get the OP on track to at least take ownership of the files.
 
Yeah, I did a clean install.

Taking "ownership" of the files did not seem to work, either. It does seem that I am, indeed, screwed!

Well, I should be able to replicate most of the files, but I'm kind of bummed that I cannot have my files back :(
 
Yeah, I'm sorry to hear that. This is probably why I never bother with encryption in the first place :)
 
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