Well, that pretty much says it all. I encrypted a directory with bitlocker in Vista Ultimate and then did a new install with Windows 7 Professional. The encrypted file is on another disk. Is there anyway I can decrypt the file? As you might expect, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Bitlocker dosen't do indavidual files, it does partitions. When going through the process of creating the encription, did it ask you for a password to use and/or a location to store the encription key? Basher
I don't have any other encryption software, so it must have been bitlocker. Not sure about the password, but I do seem to remember it asking for a place to store the encryption key. I think it even asked me to store a copy somewhere. I suppose I could try to reinstall a copy of vista?
do you know where that key is stored ? what you need to clarify is did you use bit locker to encrypt the whole external drive ? If you didnt then we need to discover what method you used but if it's windows built in EFS then it wouldnt have worked on an external drive. If you mean the file is on another disk but that's internal then you might just have encrypted it with EFS which is done by right clicking a file or folder then picking properties then advanced and ticking the box that says "encrypt contents to secure data" If you can see the file or folder make sure your administrator on your computer and using this tweak "take ownership" right click on the file and take ownership then you should be able to access it ? let me know how it goes if it was bit locker then to unlock the drive you will need the encryption key it asked you to store, without it reinstalling vista isnt going to help.
I know you don't want to hear this but basically without a password/key for either bitlocker or any other encryption method you are pretty much buggered, even if you reinstalled Vista. Sorry I cant be much more help than the bringer of doom and gloom ... Basher
Well, after thinking about everything the two of you wrote, I thought if I did have some file to unlock the encrypted file it would be in my HELP directory (my own little directory I put licenses, keys, and everything else I think is important in). I did find a file that asked for my password when I opened it. I only have one password for very important stuff. I typed it in and away I went. The folder is now unlocked. I guess I was using the EFS encryption? Anyway, thanks for all of your comments! They jarred my memory and made me look for a key. Please keep helping us poor unfortunates who try something once and forget completely about it.
