Denied Access to files after encryption, and cannot read private key

[DarthDankSaber]

Hi. So I am on my Administrator-User account on my Windows 7 Ultimate x64. Just the other day, when I encrypted a bunch of files using certificates I made myself, I was having no issues. I made no changes, but now when I try to open something, Windows won't let me open it.

For some more information, I tried changing the file owner, and permissions. I tried disabling Encrypting File System. I tried changing Share settings, with right-click. No avail, there, as it still denies access. I tried turning off the file encryption, but it blocks that, too. When trying to open up one of my spreadsheets I made myself with Excel, it tells me that the file cannot be opened because it is set to read-only, or is encrypted. I tried going into the Microsoft Excel settings, and tried all those solutions (That would be Trusted Installer options) but none of those worked.

Mozilla also won't open certain PDF's that got encrypted, because of the similar error I'm describing where Windows doesn't seem to see me as the owner and administrator, with full control privileges.

I tried decrypting with the command prompt at well, but it also fails.

Now, I did NOT lose my private key. I have my private key backed up, but after a bunch of digging through settings Googling and Youtubing, I can't get around this issue.

I also cannot read the private key when I open the file up, where I have the private key backed up.

 

[samuria]

Welcome to the forum. You dont say with what you encrypted files what are the permission on the folder?

 

[RolandJS]

Welcome to the forum. You dont say with what you encrypted files what are the permission on the folder?

I hope our new-found friend made backups before this happened.

 

[DarthDankSaber]

Welcome to the forum. You dont say with what you encrypted files what are the permission on the folder?

I put myself as the owner, with full control permissions. I have tried changing owners, to no avail.

 

[DarthDankSaber]

I hope our new-found friend made backups before this happened.

I made backups, but they're encrypted too.


Help Been trying stuff, nothing's working yet.

 

[samuria]

You may set your self as owner but is it inherining from above as that would over ride it. You didnt say what you used to encrypt the files ie bitlocker

 

[DarthDankSaber]

Encryption method

Hi. Samuria pointed out that I left out the encryption method...I used EFS. Still stuck here, after trying a bunch of stuff.

 

[DarthDankSaber]

You may set your self as owner but is it inherining from above as that would over ride it. You didnt say what you used to encrypt the files ie bitlocker

I used EFS...Help

 

[DarthDankSaber]

UPDATE:



I found a place where I saved my private key in human language text, unencrypted. I can read the private key, now.



How do I use this to be able to solve this ridiculous Encrypting File System problem and open up my files again!?? Still working on this problem myself...

 

[samuria]

Can you not simply just unencrypt the files should be simple How To Encrypt And Decrypt Files Using The Encrypting File System (EFS) On Windows - YouTube


Are you logged in as the user who encrypted it as it makes a difference we have tutors on this Backup Encrypting File System Certificate and Key in Windows 10 | Tutorials

 

[DarthDankSaber]

Can you not simply just unencrypt the files should be simple How To Encrypt And Decrypt Files Using The Encrypting File System (EFS) On Windows - YouTube


Are you logged in as the user who encrypted it as it makes a difference we have tutors on this Backup Encrypting File System Certificate and Key in Windows 10 | Tutorials

1. Nope. I took full ownership of the directory and can seemingly apply the needed privileges, but it just returns an access denied error when I try that simple method shown in the video.



2. I am signed in on the correct account. It's a full administrator account, and it is the same one I used to encrypt the file.

 

[DarthDankSaber]

Update

UPDATE: *Redacted*


Edits were cast via the Grixis, Dimir and Izzet shards.