I formatted my computer, and i kept some files on the D drive, they have encription, how can i remove it?
2007-12-24 02:32:24 · 6 answers · asked by Dsa D 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
If you backed these files up before you formatted the computer, then there is no way to remove the encryption from them. With encryption, each files is secured with a digital signature or key. This key is stored in the operating system that the file was created on. If you have to back up the file, then you have to use the export certificate feature of XP so that you can back up both the file that is encrypted and the key that matches it. This way, when you put the encrypted file on the new PC or operating system, you can import the certificate and use it to open the encrypted file. Without it the file is locked, and would not be able to be accessed.
I just had the same thing happened to me at work, and after two days of research, that is what I found out. I even tried to create a key that was similar, but there is no way to recreate the same certificate that you used to encrypt a file originally.
2007-12-24 02:46:27 · answer #1 · answered by ckt8970 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I think you should be able to remove everything in your hard drive if you do low-level formating. This goes for all files and data, whether they have been previously encrypted or otherwise.
If low-level formating doesn't do the job, then the files may have been protected by some stronger and more clever software which prohibits your OS from doing its job. In which case, you may need to boot your computer from an external drive (eg. a CD containing a clean OS). This allows your clean OS to take control of your computer, and you can then do the low-level formating on your computer.
p.s. Sorry I might have misinterpreted the question. If you mean to remove the "encryption", and not the "files", then answer from "ckt8970" should help. I have come across similar problem and have found the web site below of help. You may want to post a question there for additional opinion.
2007-12-24 10:53:50 · answer #2 · answered by Well Well Well 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can not recover or delete them, as the identity used to create them no longer exists. You can delete the partition and re-create it,this will remove everything from that drive.
2007-12-24 11:22:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually no you can't. You have to have been the original user to remove those encryptions.
2007-12-24 10:39:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Respectfully, if you cannot spell "encryption" correctly, you shouldn't be mucking around with your computer! ;)
2007-12-24 11:24:04 · answer #5 · answered by skaizun 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you cant..sprry
unless you encrypted them with a program decryptor.. what kind of encryption was it?
2007-12-24 11:21:46 · answer #6 · answered by kilckas 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋