Reloaded XP - Now Can't Open JPEGs

[dougboman]

I decided to reinstall Windows XP (located on the C drive). So I moved all my important files and folders to the D drive. The reload went okay. But now I can't access my Photos folder (folder encryption was checked - folder name light green color). I can see the JPEG file properties, but they won't load so I can see the images.

I now understand that I've lost ownership of the folder. If the folder hadn't been encrypted, reclaiming ownership wouldn't be a huge problem. But since it was, I think I'm out of luck (especially since my original Windows install didn't have a password but my reload administrator did - I've since take off the password). As I understand it, only the original administrator can ever access the folder/files because it was encrypted.

Funny thing is, when I use Windows Explorer, I can see the "old" administrator and access all its folders/files. If somehow the "old" administrator could logon instead of the new administrator, I could presumably regain access.

Anyone know if that's possible/how to do?

Any other ideas or is the situation hopelessly FUBAR?

For example, if I reloaded Windows using the exact earlier "name" would that "fool" the system into thinking the original adminstrator was back in control and grant me access to the folder (I think not)?

I would greatly appreciate any advice you can give me, even if it's only to say "You have no hope." At least that way I could cease my futile efforts to recover all my important personal photos (no back-up copies, of course), reformat the drive, and chalk one up to stupidity.

Thanks.

[dougboman]

I think I just answered my own question. Anyone disagree?

http://www.windowsitpro.com/articles/print.cfm?articleid=45215

I'm running Windows 2000 and three NTFS drives. I recently had to reload my system drive, and now I can't access files on my second drive, which is encrypted with Encrypting File System (EFS). I have nothing left from the old drive, including no certificates. Is there a way to make the domain administrator the recovery agent to decrypt the files?

Unfortunately, no. You essentially have a new computer, or at least a new installation of Windows, so the recovery agent of your new installation has nothing to do with the recovery agent of your old copy of Windows. When you reinstalled Windows, you erased both your private key and the private key of your recovery agent. Unless you exported and saved your EFS certificate or your recovery agent's certificate before re-installing Windows, you won't be able to decrypt the files. When you use EFS, you must back up your EFS certificate along with its private key. Your one hope is that if you previously backed up the system to some other media or one of the other drives on the system and included the system state, you might be able to restore the system state over your new copy of Windows and then access your EFS certificates.