Copying encrypted file to unencrypted directory

I am having a Windows XP workstation. I am have Windows Sever at the other side. There are some files which are synced between the server and workstation. What I have to do is copy the files that are updated on Server to Windows XP system. Now the server has default settings for file encryption. That means all folders and files on that is encrypted. And the folder on my Windows XP system is not. I am using Xcopy command to copy the file. Xcopy offers a option by which I can move the encrypted data to regular folder. I can use /G for the same. But that did not worked. I have to manually remove the encryption and then updates the files. I want to know that does there way that do this.

I do not think that is possible. Because encryption works in very different way. When a data is encrypted a regular user is not allowed to copy or see that. If you are logged in the account which is used for data encrypt then only it will be visible to you. And if you copy that to some other folder or try to do that, it will not work. I do not think Xcopy has any option for that. You have to decrypt each file and folder and then only you will be able to move it from once place to another. This is a hectic manual process but it is the only option that really works.

Instead of Xcopy did you tried copy paste. I think that might work, but the data will be still encrypted. That is the easiest way to test. There are some software that allows you to backup encrypted data but you cannot update or overwrite old files through that.

Check the below link. It is having the information on copy/paste encrypted folder. It looks to be one of the most simplest option yet seen. But I am not really sure that this works or not. If this does not work then there is no other option remain then decrypting the folder and moving the data. Try to location some articles based on that on Microsoft forums. You might be able to get some details there.

To copy an encrypted file or folder

I am doing the same. I have some 50 files which are inside a single directory. It is located in the server and encrypted. I have to keep a backup of the same with me in other computer. And every day I have to decrypt that and move to the workstation. Or else it really does not work. Encryption may offer better protection but it also comes with limitations.

EFS is a powerful encryption program. It is quiet beneficial that you must keep it enabled. For backup there might be some better alternative. But remember that EFS needs certificate to decrypt files. And if that is lost you will lost all your data also. That is the reason I keep backup with me. One is encrypted and other one is not which is isolated is separate laptop. If you try xcopy /g to move encrypted data to unencrypted folder you will get file creation error on your screen.

It would be safer to go with manual process. If you try some tool or software that allows you to carry encrypted folders, but still they might not be accessible on other computer. If your data is important then I will recommend you to go with manually process only.

I have a scheduled task that runs every morning at 6:30; it robocopies files from KS01 to KS09. Some mornings it runs successfully; most mornings it fails, thusly:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ROBOCOPY v 1.96 : Robust File Copy for Windows NT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Started : Thu Aug 21 06:30:01 2008
Source : e:\ugdbak\
Dest : t:\backupsfromks01\
Files : *.*
Options : *.* /S /R:3 /W:3
ERROR 3 (0x00000003) Creating Destination Directory t:\backupsfromks01\

When I come in at 7:00, at the KS01 console, I right-click the scheduled task, and “Run”. It runs successfully every time.
I cannot find the solution; other servers KS02, KS03, KS04, they all run well. Just this one server KS01 has a problem. Is there a switch for a “verbose” log?