Vista folder permission

[CybertecOne]

IMO

1) I agree with nihil in that the Green Text does indeed indicate Windows Encryption, however the encrypt check box in the properties windows is not checked, which may only indicate that you are not able to view the actual properties of the file/folder.

2) Are you able to modify the permissions? Create a new admin account and add permissions, then log in and see if this makes any difference.

3) Are you the owner of the folder/files? Properties > Security > Advanced > Owner

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........(

4) Have you reset your password via the SAM/accounts snap in (Computer Management) via the 'Reset Password' right click menu?

The Green Text, coupled with the fact you do not have access to the files even though the permissions are set 'correctly' seems to indicate that the files are indeed encrypted.

Now i havent played around with the Vista encryption, but if it is anything like XP the following statements are true;

i) The files and folders are encrypted against your SSID and your current account password at the time of applying encryption - This also explains why you are not prompted for a password, as you have already authenticated just by logging on.

ii) If you change your password via the Ctrl+Alt+Del 'Change Password' method, then the security token is reissued maintaining the encryption just fine, however if forcefully reset your password via the SAM snapin, the security token is not modified in the same way, and the encrypted files cannot be decrypted.

iii) Further more, using a different account, or even recreating your account with the same name generates a different SSID and you will not be able to access the encrypted files either.


I used this encryption a long time ago (XP) and when the computer died, I put the HDD into a different computer to access all of my old data, however the encrypted folder was completely useless as the same SSID is required to decrypt the files - I lost stuff that I wanted secret but was not important, hence the general idea behind encryption - If the data gets into the hands of another person or machine, the data is kept secret, but most likely non-recoverable.

I don't use Windows Encryption anymore, just in case. Instead I use a hardware USB device that uses hardware/software encryption to keep secrets - at least this way you are able to access the files from any computer, providing you have the USB device and password. E.G. http://www.lexar.com/jumpdrive/jd_secureII_plus.html

Let me know the answers to all of my suggestions and we should be able to get a clearer picture of what the problem is, and why it occured.