Factory Reinstall and TPM Help

[slap_happy]

I have a T42 that recently had to be restored to factory state. I have data that was encrypted using the IBM security chip. I have the password, but no way to decrypt the data. In other words, I used to right click on the file and it would ask me to encrypt or decrypt the file or folder. That menu was not restored when the OS was reinstalled.

I tied to install the latest version of CSS for XP, but CSS would not accept the passphrase (which I am certain is the correct one - as it is the only security passphrase I have ever used on the PC) when it prompted for the IBM security passphrase after installation.

Anyone have any idea what I might try next? I'm concerned that if I reset the chip in the BIOS the files will not be able to be decrypted. I realize that I might be faced with this possibility.

[slap_happy]

OK - So I got the older version of CSS (5.4) installed and that allowed me to have access to the chip which was configured for my passphrase. But I guess the original keys are gone (due to the OS reinstall) so the files are encrypted forever and not useful for much anymore.

When I tried to decrypt the files, even though the passphrase is the same, it responded that they had been encrypted with a different AES key.

Does anyone know what I might do to remedy this, if anything?

If not, I guess I have learned my lesson on individual file and folder encryption!

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the forum.
It looks like you lost your personal files anyway, by doing a restore to factory state.
If you had/have those files backed up, they might not even be encrypted!
If they are, and you desperately need them, there's an outfit in the San Fancisco Bay area, that recovers hard disks relatively cheap.
http://www.sfbayarealowcostdatarecovery ... _recovery/

[slap_happy]

Thanks for the reply. I backed the files up before I restored the drive, but truthfully I didn't remember that they were encrypted and didn't give much thought to the fact that the AES keys would be different. I know now - so at least I learned something new.

These are just personal files (Turbo Tax files, PDF's, etc.) that are mostly backups to hard copies already. It's not worth taking out the drive and paying for them to be decrypted off site. These files are really the only sensitive data on the entire HDD.

I've seen that many people had trouble with the individual file/folder encryption software. Is it advisable to upgrade to the latest CSS? I've never had any problems with the version that I used before, but I certainly wouldn't want this problem to be magnified to an entire HDD in the future!

[RealBlackStuff]

I would throw all that CSS and related crap out. Put a password on your hard disk, way more effective!
Just make sure you write down the password and put it in a safe place that you can remember!