Importing/Exporting EFS certificates

Question

This is somewhat similar in nature to a previous post.  My questions are somewhat different this time though so I want to keep it seperate.   To recap, I have a hard-drive I've pulled from a now dead toshiba notebook which was running XP Pro.  It's in a USB2 enclosure and connected to my dell.  I can access the drive fine if I boot to my dell.   My problem is that several of the files were encrypted using winXP.  Given that I have access to the drive as a whole is there any way for me to extract the certificates used to encypt the files and import them into my current windows setup?  I know the user password used on the toshiba ... I just need to know if it's possible to use it to get my files back.   I have tried booting to the USB drive.  The operating failed (very brief blue screen followed by an instant reset).  Safe mode (and safe mode command prompt) also failed.  This maybe due to a weird flavor of XP that toshiba shipped their systems with, I'm really not sure.   If it's not possible to extract the certificate and use my password, is there a way to break the encryption?  As they are my files and as i have backups of about 90% of them is there a way for me to decrypt the files by comparing copies of originals and encypted copies of the same file?   Help as always, is very appreciated...

NemesisDB · Answer

To anyone else with the same problem, this site proved very helpful:  http://www.beginningtoseethelight.org/efsrecovery/index.php

Gold72 · Answer

I have a Question?I have some important personal data and i safe important data in Home Desktop PC.Then i select the folder and properties and next go to advanced option and select the encrypt contents of secure data. Now data is encrypt and this time i use windows 8 professional as Administrator.After few months later i reinstall windows 8 professional then i can't access my encrypt data.I can't open it,can't move or copy it to another place.I have no access of encrypt data.when i encrypt the important data i can't use any software.when i encrypt the important data i can't use windows default EFS (Encryption file system) and can't use Bitlocker i only select the encrypt contents of secure data.After reinstall windows 8 professional i can't access encrypt data.What can i do right now to decrypt encrypted data or access encrypted data?

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