I'm going to update my OS from Vista to Windows 7. I got some files (not on the OS-partition) encrypted with EFS. What happens if I install Windows 7? Will I still be able to access my files?
Answer
Not unless you backup your key!
- Click Start
- Click Run
- Enter 'mmc.exe' and click OK
- Click File, then Add/Remove Snap-in
- Click Add
- Select Certificates and click Add
- Leave selection on 'My user account' and click Finish
- Click Close
- Click OK
- Select Certificates - Current User in the lefthand pane of the MMC console
- Select Personal
- Select Certificates. Your personal certificate information should appear in the righthand pane of the MMC console
- Right-click on your certificate and select All Tasks
- Click Export
- On the Welcome screen, click Next
- Select 'Yes, export the private key' and click Next
- Leave the defaults on the Export File Format screen and click Next
- Enter a strong password, then re-enter it in the Confirm Password box, then click Next
- Enter a name to save your EFS certificate export file and browse to choose a destination folder to save it in, then click Save
- Click Next
- Click Finish
Then import it on your windows 7 installation:
- Right click the .pfx file that you exported and press Install PFX.
- Press Next and confirm you have the correct file.
- Press Next and enter the password for the private key.
- Press Next and press Place all certificates in the following store and press Browse.
- Press Personal, OK, and Finish.
- Press Yes and OK.
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