[motorheadinc]

Hi all,

I have been facing a very peculiar problem thanks to my ignorance bout The (not so) Great security features in windows XP.

I have had a personal Laptop for the last two years and have stored lots of precious data on its hard disk (Pics of my project work, Designing software, Music , Videos etc.) .

I recently got a company laptop so i transfered all my data onto an external HDD. But god knows how the data got encrypted and now i am not able to access it.

If anybody knows how to recover NTFS encrypted data, please post here or PM me.

PS: somebody told me that it is possible through damm small linux. But i wasnt able to do the same using the procedure mentioned on net.

Thanks in advance...

[NetfreakBombay]

Did you delete data from Original laptop?

If yes, then it should be easier to "recover" it then getting data out of encrypted drive.

[Samurai]

Did you store everything under My Documents with private option on? Then will need your original user credentials to access those files. If you boot from your original HDD, then you can login as the old user and push everything out into a folder on the C drive.

[merve_extreme]

Originally Posted by motorheadinc

But god knows how the data got encrypted and now i am not able to access it.

what error does it exactly give while accessing the data?
where was the data stored and how did you copy it to the external drive(i:e direct folder copy )?

these answers will make finding the solution simpler.

[sfilinto]

First find out which laptop encrypted the data and de-crypt the same on that very laptop. Maybe your company laptop has a policy to encrypt all data stored on an external disk.
IMHO de-cripting it is a very long shot. In fact if it has been encrypted properly it might be impossible to de-crypt (or maybe a couple of years if you have access to super computer)

[FERRO]

are u not able to take ownership of those files ? are you getting Access denied kind of messages for every option you try to change >?

[motorheadinc]

@NetfreakBombay. I My original laptop is at home(amritsar) and i m in pune. and it has been formatted. along with it all the certifications required are gone.

@Samurai. I had stored data in D drive and as the laptop is formatted. So i dont have access to certificates.

@merve_extreme .Cannot copy <filename> : access is denied.
Make sure the disk is not full or write protected and that the file is not currently in use.

@sfilinto My original laptop (acer) had the data. the company laptop had nothing to do with it... and no i don't have access to a supercomputer.

@FERRO i am not able to make any changes or copy files.


Thanks all for replying .....

And are there any linux freaks around. I have seen many a guys in my college beating hell out of Windows stuff....
encryption and all.

[HappyWheels]

guess, till MotorHeadInc gives us more info we are heading no-where!

[motorheadinc]

@ HappyWheels I posted my reply. but since i m still a noob my posts are moderated.

check out this space for wen my post is updated


Mod's Note: Considering that you are a newbie let us give you a friendly advice. Read the board rules. We are very strict on these. And we absolutely shun SMS/chat lingo. You have used it once (remember, wen is not when) do not do it again buddy.

Enjoy your stay at Team BHP.

[govigov]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Did you store everything under My Documents with private option on? Then will need your original user credentials to access those files. If you boot from your original HDD, then you can login as the old user and push everything out into a folder on the C drive.

Thsi i believe is the best way to do it. And next time, format the HDD as FAT32 and put it in there.

[merve_extreme]

Originally Posted by motorheadinc

@merve_extreme .Cannot copy <filename> : access is denied.
Make sure the disk is not full or write protected and that the file is not currently in use.

1)goto folder options-view-de select "simple file sharing option"
2)now goto the folder where you have copied the data and
right click-properties-security-advanced-owner-change owner to "administrators" and select "replace owner on subcontainers and objects"-apply.it will take some time.

now see if you can access the files.

[motorheadinc]

@merve_extreme. Thanks for the advice. I will try this out and post if this helps. Been a long time, so i am not able to recall if i had tried this option.
But if i recall correctly, I am not able to make any changes to properties.

I had tried out stuff like making recovery manager certificates under guidance from a step by step procedure on the internet. That too didn't help.

Thanks again

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by motorheadinc

Cannot copy <filename> : access is denied.
Make sure the disk is not full or write protected and that the file is not currently in use.
And are there any linux freaks around. I have seen many a guys in my college beating hell out of Windows stuff....
encryption and all.

Ah then it might be just a permission issue...

When you booted from linux CD, did that detect this HDD on USB ? And were you able to look at files?

[motorheadinc]

@NetfreakBombay
I am a total dumbo when it comes to LINUX.
i had tried links like Damm Small Linux and Feather linux.
But was not able to even boot my system correctly using linux USB.

If You have any way out(especially a step by step guide to make a ""working"" bootable Linux USB please post here or PM me.

Thanks

[NetfreakBombay]

You should ne able to do things without having to make bootable USB (Bootable CD should be fine as well).

Will PM you my contact no.