Remove encryption from My Documents 1

[Luvsql]

I applied the encryption to My DOcuments, so that everything saved within it would be encrypted. However, I can't copy files from My Docs to somewhere else, without first removing the encryption, so that the copied file can be opened by someone else (also emailed via hotmail cannot be opened by recipient).

I've removed the encryption from the files, but all new files are still being encrypted. I tried to remove the encryption from the folder, but since My Docs is 'read-only' it cannot remove the encryption and I cannot remove the read-only.

 

[pcdoc4christ]

Hey, Luv:

You may need to be logged on as an administrator & not a "limited user" before you are able to do this:

(1) From the desk top, right click on My Documents
(2) Select Properties
(3) In the My Documents Properties dialog box, click the General tab
(4) At Attributes, click in the check box next to Read-Only to remove the checkmark
(5) Click Apply
(6) When the Confirm Attribute Changes dialog box appears, click the radio button next to "Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files"
(7) Then click the Advanced button
(8) In the Advanced Attributes dialog box under "Compress or encrypt attributes" click on the checkbox next to "Encrypt contents to secure data" to remove the checkmark, & click OK.
(9) Do not forget to click Apply
(10) When the Confirm Attribute Changes dialog box appears, click the radio button next to "Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files" as you did before
(11) The Applying Attributes box will appear.
(12) When it is finished, click OK, & you're done!

Let me know if that does the trick.

===============================
"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus Christ
pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 

[Luvsql]

I am the administrator. I have tried to remove the read-only multiple times, but after I remove it, Click apply and mark all subfolders etc., then check the properties again, it still says read-only (it only removes read-only from files, but not the actual folder). Is this not because it is a system folder (ie cannot delete My Documents as says its system folder)? I do not use the My Docs within the user's Documents and Settings. I have moved this to be the C:\My Documents folder, which I can't even delete.

 

[linney]

If you want to decrypt the folder and its contents, click Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files, and then click OK.

How To Remove File Encryption in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308993&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Cannot Change the Read-Only Attribute of System Folders

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q326549

http://www.ntfaq.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=24940

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP (Q308421)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/4/21.asp

From a Command prompt use the ATTRIB command.
Displays or changes file attributes.
This command displays, sets, or removes the Read-Only, Archive, System, and Hidden attributes assigned to files or directories.

 

[Luvsql]

I have done this. It will not remove the encryption from the folder because it is setup as read-only and I am not able to remove the read-only from the folder either.

 

[LloydSev]

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=935441&page=1

Computer/Network Technician
CCNA

 

[Luvsql]

So, according to that thread, since "My Documents" is a system folder, I am not able to remove the read-only and since I cannot remove the read-only, I cannot remove the encryption from the folder, so everything I ever copy or create within this folder, will always be encrypted, so no other user can open it. That's nuts.

 

[pcdoc4christ]

Luv:

OK, please right-click on your My Documents folder on your desktop, select Properties, then click on the Security tab. Then, tell me what you see.

Doc

 

[Luvsql]

My Docs on the desktop is strictly a shortcut, so there's no security tab. When I check properties within folder from C drive, there's only a sharing tab.

 

[Luvsql]

This folder never exited prior to me Creating the folder manually, then changing the target of My Docs to move from Docs and Setting/user/ to C:\My Docs.

 

[pcdoc4christ]

OK, what operating system are you using? Windows 2000 or XP?

 

[Luvsql]

xp Pro, sp2. My user is the computer's adminstrator. Hard drive NTFS.

 

[pcdoc4christ]

I'll assume it's XP, because that's the thread where we are.

Please try this: Right-click Start, then choose Explore. Near the top of the tree (just below Desktop) you will see My Documents.

Right-click on it & select Properties. In the My Documents dialog box, click on the General tab.

Do you then see a button called Advanced?

 

[Luvsql]

Yes, this is where I am removing the encryption. This is how I added the encryption in the first place. HOwever, my issue, back to the beginning, is when I uncheck this, Okay, Apply, mark Apply to this folder and all subfolders, I receive an error: Error applying attributes to the file C:\My Documents. The specified file is read-only.

So, I go back and first unmark read-only, apply, and it applies to everything. I go back to the folder > properties and it is still marked as read-only.

 

[linney]

Have you turned off "Use simple file sharing" in Folder Options/ View, doing so will allow access to the Security Tab of your C:\Documents and Settings\Usernamexxxx\My Documents or your C:\My Documents.

If you as the creator of any encrypted file copy the encrypted files or folder to a FAT32 partition or CD or Floppy that would break the encryption as it requires NTFS to work.

 

[Luvsql]

I have that option marked. I tried unmarking, but it still will not remove the read-only from the folder.

I am copying files to shared folders on our servers, which are NTFS, so no one can open them. As well, if I email any file with hotmail, the recipient's hotmail says that they are viruses, which they are not.

 

[pcdoc4christ]

Hmmm

It could be a virus infection.

Have you tried running an online scan of your system? There are several free scans available:

http://housecall-beta.trendmicro.com/en/start_corp.asp

http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php

http://www.symantec.com/cgi-bin/securitycheck.cgi

http://us.mcafee.com/root/mfs/default.asp?cid=9435

======================================

"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus

pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 

[pcdoc4christ]

Also, you may want to check out this discussion thread at this Web site:

thread779-935441



======================================

"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus

pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 

[linney]

Again I refer you to "Cannot Change the Read-Only Attribute of System Folders"

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q326549

You cannot change the read only attribute for the folder it means something completely different in XP than it did in previous Windows. BUT you can change the read only attribute for the FILES within the folder, their attributes work as in previous Windows.

 

[Luvsql]

I do not have any viruses. I have McAfee running allthe time, my virus definitions are up-to-date and just did a scan the other day.

I don't have ANY issues removing the read-only from the files and subfolder nor do I have any issues removing the encryption from teh files and subfolders.

My issue is with the MAIN folder My DOcuments. If this is set to encrypt, even though I de-crypted all the files, with the main folder set to encrypt, all files created afterwards will be encrypted. AND you cannot remove the encryption from a read-only folder and you cannot remove the read-only from the folder.

This is a looping issue and I just cannot seem to explain my issue? Have any of you changed the properties on their My Documents, then tried to remove it? I had the ecryption on with sp 1a, then applied sp2, now cannot remove encryption.