Data Recovery on potential Windows EFS files

[boogerhookmcgee]

OS is completely unchanged. I had the data on a storage drive (D:) originally. When I recovered the data I saved it to my primary drive (C:). Unless Windows snuck in an update without my knowledge (which is a possibility sadly, thanks MS) everything is exactly the same as it was before.

[boogerhookmcgee]

As far as where specifically I created a new folder on my desktop and saved everything there. Same PC just a different drive.

[Joep]

As far as where specifically I created a new folder on my desktop and saved everything there. Same PC just a different drive.

And is encryption enabled for that drive? Using what tool did you save the files?

[boogerhookmcgee]

I used R Studio to recover and save the files. As far as the drive goes, there is no default encryption unless it's doing it without my knowledge. None of the other things I have saved to that drive are encrypted.

[Joep]

I used R Studio to recover and save the files. As far as the drive goes, there is no default encryption unless it's doing it without my knowledge.

So you rescued files from NYFS drive, saved to another NTFS drive on the same system.

None of the other things I have saved to that drive are encrypted.

Or does not appear that way, this would be done transparently. Half the people don't know their drive is encrypted.

Please open Settings (In Windows), type encryption in search bar, click 'device encryption settings'. Is device encryption turned on/off?

I don't get why R-Studio is producing the EFS files, if saving to encrypted device I'd not expect it.

Can I see one JPEG that you can't open (via Google Drive or similar)?

[ChristianMorris]

It's possible that the files were encrypted with the Windows Encrypting File System (EFS). EFS is a feature in Windows that allows you to encrypt individual files and folders on your computer to protect them from unauthorized access. If the files were encrypted with EFS and you do not have the appropriate decryption key, it may not be possible to open the files.

There are a few steps you can try to try to recover your data:

Make sure you have the appropriate decryption key: In order to decrypt EFS-encrypted files, you need to have the private key associated with the certificate that was used to encrypt the files. If you have access to the certificate, you should be able to use it to decrypt the files. You can try using the Certificates snap-in in the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) to see if you have the appropriate certificate.

Try using a data recovery tool: There are many data recovery tools available that may be able to recover encrypted files. These tools often work by scanning the disk for recoverable data and attempting to reconstruct the original file. Some examples of data recovery tools include Recuva, PhotoRec, and TestDisk.

Consider professional data recovery services: If you are unable to recover the data on your own, you may want to consider seeking the help of a professional data recovery service. These services often have specialized tools and expertise that can be used to recover data from damaged or encrypted media.

It's important to note that there is no guarantee that your data can be recovered, and the success of the recovery will depend on a number of factors, including the extent of the damage to the media and the type of encryption used. However, it's worth giving these steps a try and seeing if you are able to recover your data.

[Joep]

@christianmorris, did you even bother to read any of the previous replies? Or you just decided to drop your copy/pasta?