How to recover the data encrypted in WIn?

I encrypted a folder in Windows XP. Then I formatted my C:\ but managed to back up its contents. I've since restored most of the old C:\ into the new C:\ and have deleted all the folders including the old Windows folder. I've only still got the previous Documents %26amp; Settings folder still intact.





My problem is this :- I want to decrypt the folder and its contents which I encrypted before formatting my C:\. But it says 'Access is denied'. I've checked Microsoft's MSDN and they said I need to find my key pair or something like that.





Does anyone know where the key pair is stored when you encrypt a file/folder ? Could it be maybe it's still in the old Docs %26amp; Settings folder ?





I've followed the advice in MSDN and tried to create a recovery agent in Group Policy snap-in but it still doesnt work. I've even created a user ID similar to the old C:\ hoping to access the folder but to no success.





Does anyone know how I can decrypt the folder and recover my data ? It contains confidential data.

How to recover the data encrypted in WIn?
Sorry, but you're out of luck. If you encrypt stuff in Windows using the Encrypting File System (such that the filenames turn green), you can only restore those files to the exact same PC and the exact same Windows installlation that they were created from. Because your Windows installation has changed, you can't restore them unless you backed up your EFS key data to a floppy disk/USB pen drive etc beforehand.





The keys are not stored on the computer. So if you didn't think to back them up beforehand, you won't be able to get your data back.





This is one of the big problems with EFS, and Microsoft really needs to publicise this a lot more.