Can't access EMS Access Encrypted Files on USB drive

Hi @Angry Red Barber,

Sorry to hear that you're experiencing some difficulties with our EMS solution.

When you copied over the data were you on a computer that had Dell Encryption?  There are some hidden \ hidden system files that are well, hidden from the typical Windows Explorer window.  If you're on a non Dell Encryption machine you can use Folder Options > View within windows explorer to enable "show hidden files, folders, drives" and "Hide protected operating system files" you should see a few more files that might of not gotten copied the first time.  Recopy the entire drive with these new settings and then test to see if it works as expected.  

If that doesn't work out there are some recovery scenarios we can run to decrypt the data as you copy it to the new drive.  Once we confirm everything is copied without issue we can then set up the new USB device for protection.

Do you have the recovery package you originally setup your computer with?  If you have that and the password you used during setup we can decrypt the files using some of recovery tools.  

I am going to send you a link to a Dell box directory that I'll need you to download some files from.

From the first page it goes to click Win64R if you're using a 64-bit version of windows.  If you're using a 32-bit version click WinNtR.  From either of those folders click Utilities and then once the Utilities folder populates click the Download button in the top right which will zip up all the folders for you and download them locally.  

Once you have the zip downloaded go ahead and extract the contents to somewhere on your PC.  Once you have it all extracted go into the Admin folder and open WSScan.exe.  You may be prompted to run as an admin, please click yes to that prompt.

Ensure you have your USB device plugged into the computer and then on the WSScan screen look for Drives Types to Search.  Change this value from Fixed Drives to Removable Drives.  You can leave the Encryption Report Type to Encrypted Files.

Click the Search button and the bottom part of the application should start listing files.  This tells us that all files were copied properly when you backed up the drive and we should be able to use our normal recovery methods.

If there are no files returned we're gonna have to do a more advanced recovery with the help of our phone support queue.

Thanks for your reply.

Unfortunately, I no longer have the original USB drive so I can't get to the hidden files.

What are my other options?  I know the password to unencrypt the files.

Hello, I have accessencryptfile exe versio 7.2.3.446 in my external drive. I have my files to be encrypted. I couldn't encrypt for last 6 years. Im attempting again. Appreciate your help.

I am having a similar problem. I recently had an external hard drive repaired. However, now "AccessEncryptedFiles.exe" does not open to prompt me to put in a password. How do I remedy this? Thank you!

Hi @milleniumpr,

7.2.3.446 is a really old version and if you're attempting to use the removable device on a Windows 10 machine that could be part of the problem.

Do you work for a company that used the Dell Encryption product?  If so if you take that device and plug it into a machine that has a more current version of software on it will be updated and then should work properly on current OS releases.

Alternatively we could decrypt the device but we would need a recovery bundle made from the server that initially provisioned the device.  Do you have the ability to connect to the server to do the recovery process?

Hi @MaJason, 

It's possible the critical information we store on the device was lost during the repair.  Is it possible to plug the device into the machine where it originally got protected?  If so that should restore the device and allow you to continue to use it.

If you cannot plug it into the original machine we would need to get access to the recovery bundle.  That would reside either on a central server or on a place where you backed it up to during the setup of your Dell Encryption product.  Are either of those options for us to go forward with?

I do not have the ability to plug the external hard drive into the original source (I am thinking it must have been an old work laptop). I no longer work for that company. 

I am not following what you mean by a "central server or on a place where you backed it up to during the setup of your Dell Encryption product." I do not have the old laptop or access to another company computer. 

Thanks for the guidance. I have a call out to an old colleague. You are correct, not all of the files are encrypted, just a few that I was hoping to recover. 

Hi @MaJason,

It sounds like any recovery information needed to restore access to the drive would be with your previous employer.  

It's possible not everything on the drive is encrypted.  You can use windows explorer and try to open any data on the drive, if it opens then it wasn't encrypted and can be moved to your computer for future use. 

Anything that doesn't open properly is probably encrypted and would need to be recovered with information from the employers server.

Hello, Thanks for your responses. 

Can you please outline steps that we can decrypt files?  Unfortunately I have no way of be in touch with any one with my previous client. Since I'm no longer with them, due to the security reasons, I'm sure they won't allow me to plugin my external drive to their computer. That is totally ruled out.  What are the other options?

Hi @milleniumpr,

If the password isn't being accepted or the accessencryptedfiles.exe application isn't working correctly the only option at that point is device recovery.  Device recovery requires access to the environment that setup the removable device initially. In order to unlock the device we require the key that is stored in your previous clients server.  Without that key we cannot access the data.

I knew the credentials I have used on dell encrypt exe file. Would that work? The specific folder of interest was completely encrypted and couldn't be able to access.

Hi @milleniumpr,

If you know the password that was used to secure the device you should be able to run accessencryptedfiles.exe, input the password, and then a windows explorer like application will open allowing you to navigate the external media.  Once you find your data you can open it to confirm its decrypted and once confirmed you can move that data from the accessencryptedfiles.exe application onto another storage device and it will copy to that device in a decrypted state.  

The version you have on that device is very outdated and was never tested on WIndows 10.  Ideally you would attempt this recovery from a Windows 7 or Windows XP machine or VM.

The above also assumes no data corruption has occurred to the hidden files we put onto the drive that enable it for offline usage.  If those have been deleted or corrupted the only course of option would be to to get a recovery package from your previous employee which doesn't sound like it would be a viable option.

Thanks for your response. I have tried numerous times to run accessencryptedfiles.exe  file from my external drive connecting to Windows 7 and XP laptops. For some reason it never showedup login credentials popup screen to enter when I clicked on exe file. May be file got corrupted. Is there any way you can share accessencryptedfiles.exe to me? I have searched in internet to download this fail, but all my efforts were in vain.  Thanks for your help.