Help needed with Microsoft Private Folder. - help 2

jaianth · Joined: Mar 13, 2010 Posts: 5

Hello all, I need some Help.

I have installed Microsoft private folder software on my old Desktop,
I have downloaded it from some site searching google.
After installation, I kept important word documents and important scanned copies of documents in that folder.

My system got some errors and the operating system got corrupted. But some how I have recovered the files from microsoft private folder. Now I have installed the OS again. When I am trying to open the word document or Images, I am unable to View or open the Document nor pictures.

Those are very very very important Documents, so I want to recover those. Please tell me if you know any software to retrieve the damaged or encrypted word documents and images. Any kind of help is appreciated. I need the word document and images very badly. Pls pls pls help me

I have tried these steps in the link, but it is asking for the password which I used while installing. Its been very long i have used the software, even I forgot the password.
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Cipher /R:<filename>

It is important that the two files generated by the cipher /R command are kept safe and the password is not lost. These three things are necessary to recover encrypted files.
Imagine that the system has suffered a failure, and the encrypted files need to be recovered on another system. The original recovery agent key and certificate are different on this system so the files cannot be recovered by the local administrator. You now need the backed up key and certificate and the associated password.

If you have a backup of the recovery key and certificate, you can complete the steps below. The steps below assume that you are recovering encrypted files on another system.

1. Locate the saved PFX and CER files.
2. Right click the PFX file and select Install PFX.
3. The Certificate Import Wizard will appear. Click Next to continue.
4. You will be prompted for the file to import. Click next to accept the default (the file you originally selected)
5. Enter the password that you specified when you originally created the files. Do not check the Enable private key protection option.
6. You are now prompted for the store in which to place the certificate. Select Place all certificates in the following store then click Browse.
7. Select the Personal store from the list and click OK.
8. Click Next.
9. The certificate will be imported into the personal store.
10. A summary will appear. Click Finish to import the certificate.
11. You will be notified if the certificate is successfully imported.

Assuming that the certificate import was successful, you should now be able to open the encrypted files that have been restored from the failed system on which you were a recovery agent.
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I have copied the filesfiles from the folder and the Private Folder installed files from Program files, connecting my hard disk to other desktop.

Now I have the encrypted files, installed files. I forgot the password. How Can I recover those.

Please help me,, it will be very big favor on me, pls,,, those files are very important.

OR

Please let me know any software or any recovery agency does this service.

Please help me out.

Thank you

PhotoCarp · Joined: Sep 06, 2007 Posts: 207 Location: New Jersey

Sorry, but it appears that you're SOL because the software is doing what it's supposed to do. If you encrypted the folder with a password then you will need that password to open the folder. Short of sitting there any trying various passwords I know of no solution. Maybe one of our resident Linux experts has a solution.

Just a thought. Is it possible that the software that you downloaded and installed may have been malware?

jaianth · Joined: Mar 13, 2010 Posts: 5

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2747

SOL means S*** Out of Luck (sorry but that is the translation)
In other words, there is no solution.

You password protected something - it is your responsibility to know the password.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Private_Folder
indicates it uses very strong encryption so your only option is to keep trying passwords and hope you discover it.

The product has been discontinued and since is used a proprietary license, I don't think other companies have access to how it is encrypted.

davolente · Joined: Oct 04, 2003 Posts: 361 Location: Kent, UK

I believe this free MS software was withdrawn fairly rapidly as there was some concern about use in a corporate environment. Imagine everyone suddenly deciding to install it and hiding everything away!
Perhaps it's my naturally suspicious mind but I always wonder if these sort of enquiries have some sort of ulterior motive! I find it difficult to believe that such allegedly extremely important items have been encrypted and the password forgotten or lost. Surely it would have been prudent to organise some reminder or memory-jogger to be available as a last resort?

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2747

One reason why I refuse to password protect the hard drive or encrypt things. I just know I would forget the password and forget where I've hidden the info I write down!

My files are not stored on the computer. That way, anything I don't want getting into the hands of others is not even available should anyone grab my computer.

If something is extremely important, it is archived at least twice on different mediums such as external drives and CDs/DVDs.