Encrypting File System (EFS) encrypted file data corrupt after shutdown and restart

[Abhik]

I am working with Windows 7 Pro 64-bit on an HP dv7-3085dx laptop.Whenever, I make a EFS encrypted files, they are going well until I turn off this . After starting this up, the EFS file(s) data got damaged . For instance , if it is a text file, the content seems as raw binary data--entire scrambled with the graphic symbols, foreign symbols and so many thing--with nothing detected from the actual text.

The weired thing is,in some case the EFS encrypted files will come up into the normal after power off and power on, while the rest of the EFS encrypted files remain damaged. Then, after another power down/power up the entire EFS encrypted files are going in the same way again. With files different than text files, the applications that is trying to load them just report that they are undetected and/or damaged. Is someone else suffering with this?

[Birdie]

This type of issues occurs if such type of files were encrypted on a system which was working on Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later or Windows Server 2003.The default nature for this , Windows XP SP1 (or later) and Windows Server 2003 implemented with the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm for the specified encrypting files with the EFS. Windows 2000 and Windows XP don't have any type of compatibility with the AES algorithm and seems unable to retrieve such type of files.

[David23]

I am so glad to report that I have at last got the reason of this very issue : Comodo Antivirus Free x64 version 4.0.135239.742 installed and working onto the Windows 7 Pro 64-bit occurred the issue of data corruption of EFS encrypted files.

I am in the way of Comodo anti-virus and my machine is properly clean of anti-virus software from any different vendors. So, I have just removed the Comodo anti-virus form the system and sure enough, the issue got cleaned . I have been via a dozen shutdown/reboot now and have had no any type of future damage of EFS encrypted files since I deleted the Comodo anti-virus software. I think, this would be helpful and somebody else also.

[Archibald]

According to my test on so much system, I would like to reply that you have encrypted the txt files and it still can be retrieved commonly after making restart of the system. This problem may generated by inappropriate configuration or disk errors. To troubleshoot the problem, please you need to go for try the steps stated .

1. Open the command prompt as the administrative account by issuing cmd in the search box within the Start Menu and right-click on the cmd.exe with the Administrator account.

2. Type out the command chkdsk with one or a collaboration of switches listed following in the command prompt.

chkdsk C: /F /R

The check disk command displayed above will resolve any type of errors..

[Devasis]

I got some complexities getting Chkdsk to perform in the right way --On the first attempt (execute after making a restart), Chkdsk only got executed for some seconds before continuing to reboot the Windows system ;After second attempt, Chkdsk getting freezes up at 1 second to moved at the time of countdown prior to executing (after restart); on another attempt, it only executes for some seconds once again. After doing some search regarding this , after realized that when working with the /F option, whether with or without the /R option, chkdsk will not go for the scanning the whole disk. You have to work with the /R option alone to facilitate with the full scan/repair.

[Abhik]

Fine , after some shut-down or start-up cycles, there are some EFS encrypted files got damaged once again. Then after , a subsequent shut-down and start-up, they came up with the normal (again) which seems so weired for me. However, I got a HP boot-time system diagnostic tool which performs a Disk Surface Test--it got fails again and again when I move to test this , so there does appear to be an issue with the disk.