Cannot Gain Access to Previously Encrypted Files on Windows 2000

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

SUMMARY

When you join a domain and log on with a domain account, you may not be able to gain access to files previously encrypted with the Encrypting File Service (EFS).

To gain access to files encrypted under a local user context, you must log on with that local account and then decrypt the files.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows 2000 includes the ability encrypt files and folders with a new, CryptoAPI-based service known as EFS. Files and folders that have been configured to use EFS are completely undecipherable except to the user who originally encrypted them.

Encrypted files are accessible only by the user who created them. Therefore, files encrypted while you are logged on with a local user account cannot be accessed while you are logged on with a domain account (regardless of any local group membership).

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbtool
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo