Vista folder permission

[nihil]

Hmmm................

Vista doesn't trust boyboy400, and has encrypted the files for him .... that's what the green filenames means

Please try this:

1. Right click on file
2. Select: Properties > Advanced
3. Uncheck "encrypt contents to secure data"
4. Try to access file

Now, I might be completely wrong in this particular case but I have seen several similar ones. It is to do with incompatibilities between Mac OS-X and Vista.

OS-X has a built-in compression utility and Vista has a decompression one............ they don't play nicely together, and Vista encrypts the files when it decompresses them.

The solution is to use third party compression/decompression utilities and set them as the default application so that they get used when you double click to open.

boyboy400, if that isn't the answer then please let us know because I am intrigued............the green names certainly means "encrypted", but why doesn't it ask you for a password?

That's what makes me suspect the OS-X/Vista incompatibility bug. Try unpacking the folder with WinZip or WinRar.

[boyboy400]

Hey Nihil,
You're right. I usually use folderlock to protect some files. A couple of months ago I wanted to try windows encryption instead of folderlock so I only once tried it on this folder but the only thing that happened was change in the color of fonts to green. Even in that time it didn't ask me for any password! So I left the folder like that till what happened three days ago........(when I posted my first message here I didn't remember about what I had done. Sorry about that)

I looked at what you said but "encrypt contents to secure data" is not checked. You know I think it was checked first. But as I said before, although I can't change anything in properties, but if I do for example if it's checked and I deselect it, first windows says you don't have permission but when I close the popup window and reopen it, the change has been applied apparently!!!!!!!! (So now it's not checked )

I'm totally confused. If there is a trick so that I can only copy the files into my flash and use them from there, it'll be great

Thanks

I can't unpack it with winzip, winrar,7-zip and I can't even pack the folder with them!!!!!!!!!! It says access is denied !!!!!!!!!!

[nihil]

Hi boyboy400,

I am afraid I am not the bearer of good news, although let me make it clear that I have never actually used Vista encryption so I might well be missing something.

A couple of months ago I wanted to try windows encryption instead of folderlock so I only once tried it on this folder but the only thing that happened was change in the color of fonts to green. Even in that time it didn't ask me for any password!

From what you have said so far I get the impression that you have this folder on a remote server/computer, and that you encrypted it on a computer other than the one you downloaded it to?

As I understand Vista encryption, it uses the SID. This is assigned to a user on a particular machine. If you want to use the files/folders elsewhere, there is some sort of procedure to export the encryption key.

Actually, Vista encryption is doing its job. As far as it is concerned, you are a hacker who has stolen that folder and it won't let you into it.

I am afraid I don't know of any way of circumventing this, as I have never actually used the encryption myself. I know that it can be dangerous, because if you had to do a format and reinstall you would create a new SID and the backed up encrypted files (using the old SID) would be inaccessible. I have heard of that happening.

At this point all I can suggest is:

1. Go to the computer you encrypted the folder from.
2. Get someone you trust to do this and logon as you.
3. Get remote management access to that computer. If you already have this (and it must be the computer that did the encryption) then all you have to do is remove the encryption and download it again.

OK, it is at least 2 or 3 years since I looked at it, so I don't know if there are any recovery tools around these days? I don't think that "cracking" is an option, because, as you say, there isn't a password

I am sorry that I have not been able to be of more help, but I think we now have a better picture of what the problem probably is?

Good Luck!

EDIT:

I can't unpack it with winzip, winrar,7-zip and I can't even pack the folder with them!!!!!!!!!! It says access is denied !!!!!!!!!!

That sort of makes sense, because the encryption is at the machine level, and it is not password protected. You are being stopped before your compression tools have a chance to ask for a password...........and there isn't one so it wouldn't work anyway.