How to Recover an XP Encrypted File

By Alexander Poirier, eHow Contributor

updated: September 25, 2010
Windows XP allows users to encrypt files that contain important or confidential
information. Sometimes, however, users may lose the password to their encrypted
files or forget how to gain access to those files' contents. Windows XP provides a way
to recover these files without any third-party software. You can use the command
line interface, Certificates Manager and the Local Security Policy in the Windows XP
operating system to become the computer's Recovery Agent and gain access to any
encrypted files on the hard drive.
Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions
1. 1
Login as the computer's Administrator.
2. 2
Click the "Start" button on the computer's task bar and select the "Run" option.
Type "cmd" in the space provided and press the "Enter" button. The computer's
command line interface will open in a new window.
3. 3
Type "/r:Eagent" in the command line interface window and press the "Enter"
button. Type the computer's Administrator password in the space provided when
asked to "Please type in the password to protect your .PFX file."
4. 4
Press the "Enter" button. This will create two files: an "Eagent.pfx" file and an
"Eagent.cer" file. Close the command line interface window.
5. 5
Click the "Start" button and select the "Run" option. Type "certmgr.msc" and
press the "Enter" button. This will open the Certificates Manager.
6. 6
Right-click on the "Personal" folder, highlight the "All Tasks" option and select the
"Import" option from the drop-down menu.
7. 7
Click the "Next" button. Click the "Files of Type" option and select "Personal
Information Exchange."
8. 8
Click the "Browse" button, locate the "Eagent.pfx" file you created in Step 4 and
click the "Open" button.
9. 9
Click the "Next" button, enter the Administrator password in the space provided
and click the "Next" button.
10. 10
Activate the "Radio" option and click the "Next" button, followed by the "Finish"
button. Close the Certificates Manager window.
11. 11
Click the "Start" button and select the "Run" option. Type "secpol.msc" in the
space provided and press the "Enter" button. This will open the Local Security
Policy.
12. 12
Double-click on the "Public Key Policies" folder and right-click on the "Encrypted
File System" folder inside. Select "Add Data Recovery Agent" from the drop-down
menu.
13. 13
Click the "Next" button, followed by the "Browse Folders" button. Locate the
"Eagent.cer" file you created in Step 4 and click the "Open" button.
14. 14
Click the "Next" button, followed by the "Finish" button. Close the Local Security
Policy window. The Administrator is now the Recovery Agent for all encrypted
files on the computer.
15. 15
Double-click on the encrypted file to view its contents.