problem opening encrypted excel and word files

This problem has just appeared since last week:
I have some encrypted files (using the normal NTFS folder encryption
feature) but now when I try to open the Excel ones I'm told the file is
in use or encrypted and can't be accessed, whilst some of the word ones
give me a warning they can only be opened read-only. Other file types
are working normally though.

If I go to a file's properties and untick the encryption option the file
decrypts ok, after which it opens normally, so it is not a problem with
the encryption key being lost or encrypted for the wrong user.

The files in question are stored on our server (Windows Server 2008)
although I think they are also mirrored on the local PC too (everything
is networked on a LAN using the usual Active Directory setup).

I have heard there has been a problem with an NTFS driver update (update
2823324) for Server 2008 that came out a few days ago, I wonder if this
could be the culprit? Googling hasn't shown anyone reporting the above
problem though.

From: "GS"

This problem has just appeared since last week:
I have some encrypted files (using the normal NTFS folder encryption
feature) but now when I try to open the Excel ones I'm told the file is in
use or encrypted and can't be accessed, whilst some of the word ones give
me a warning they can only be opened read-only. Other file types are
working normally though.

If I go to a file's properties and untick the encryption option the file
decrypts ok, after which it opens normally, so it is not a problem with
the encryption key being lost or encrypted for the wrong user.

The files in question are stored on our server (Windows Server 2008)
although I think they are also mirrored on the local PC too (everything is
networked on a LAN using the usual Active Directory setup).

I have heard there has been a problem with an NTFS driver update (update
2823324) for Server 2008 that came out a few days ago, I wonder if this
could be the culprit? Googling hasn't shown anyone reporting the above
problem though.

If you highlight folders that are "Green", can you uncheck "Encrypt data..."
and propogate that to all files and subfolder ?
That is basically decrypt all files and folders in a container such that all
files and folder names are "Black" and none are "Green" ?

--
Dave
Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

"David H. Lipman" wrote:

From: "GS"

This problem has just appeared since last week:
I have some encrypted files (using the normal NTFS folder encryption
feature) but now when I try to open the Excel ones I'm told the file
is in use or encrypted and can't be accessed, whilst some of the word
ones give me a warning they can only be opened read-only. Other file
types are working normally though.

If I go to a file's properties and untick the encryption option the
file decrypts ok, after which it opens normally, so it is not a
problem with the encryption key being lost or encrypted for the wrong
user.

The files in question are stored on our server (Windows Server 2008)
although I think they are also mirrored on the local PC too
(everything is networked on a LAN using the usual Active Directory
setup).

I have heard there has been a problem with an NTFS driver update
(update 2823324) for Server 2008 that came out a few days ago, I
wonder if this could be the culprit? Googling hasn't shown anyone
reporting the above problem though.

If you highlight folders that are "Green", can you uncheck "Encrypt
data..." and propogate that to all files and subfolder ?
That is basically decrypt all files and folders in a container such
that all files and folder names are "Black" and none are "Green" ?


Yes, in the end I had to do that as I found another problem, that
Windows would not allow me to create new files in the encrypted folder
either. Decrypting the whole folder solved the problem but I wonder what
could have caused it.

I uninstalled the Windows NTFS update that I suspected might be the problem
and installed MS's replacement for it that they have just released but it
made no difference to the problem.

From: "GS"

"David H. Lipman" wrote:

From: "GS"

This problem has just appeared since last week:
I have some encrypted files (using the normal NTFS folder encryption
feature) but now when I try to open the Excel ones I'm told the file
is in use or encrypted and can't be accessed, whilst some of the word
ones give me a warning they can only be opened read-only. Other file
types are working normally though.

If I go to a file's properties and untick the encryption option the
file decrypts ok, after which it opens normally, so it is not a
problem with the encryption key being lost or encrypted for the wrong
user.

The files in question are stored on our server (Windows Server 2008)
although I think they are also mirrored on the local PC too
(everything is networked on a LAN using the usual Active Directory
setup).

I have heard there has been a problem with an NTFS driver update
(update 2823324) for Server 2008 that came out a few days ago, I
wonder if this could be the culprit? Googling hasn't shown anyone
reporting the above problem though.

If you highlight folders that are "Green", can you uncheck "Encrypt
data..." and propogate that to all files and subfolder ?
That is basically decrypt all files and folders in a container such
that all files and folder names are "Black" and none are "Green" ?

Yes, in the end I had to do that as I found another problem, that
Windows would not allow me to create new files in the encrypted folder
either. Decrypting the whole folder solved the problem but I wonder what
could have caused it.

I uninstalled the Windows NTFS update that I suspected might be the
problem
and installed MS's replacement for it that they have just released but it
made no difference to the problem.


Yeah, nothing in KB2823324 indicated it was associated with FIPS or
encryption.



--
Dave
Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp