Microsoft KB Archive/256168

= Cannot Open Encrypted Files on a Computer with Multiple Windows 2000 Installations =

Article ID: 256168

Article Last Modified on 10/31/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q256168



SYMPTOMS
If you have a Windows 2000-based computer with more than one installation of Windows 2000, you may receive the following error message when you try to open an encrypted file:

Access is denied.

This behavior can occur if you log on to the computer without a roaming profile and you have either a domain user account or a local computer account. When you restart your computer, log on to a second installation of Windows 2000, and then try to open the encrypted file, you receive the error message.



CAUSE
This issue can occur because when you log on to the second installation of Windows 2000, you do not have the appropriate certificate to open the encrypted file.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, restart the computer and log on to the first installation of Windows 2000. Export the certificate and the related private key to a floppy disk, or to a non-encrypted folder on the hard disk. Restart the computer and log on to the second installation of Windows 2000 and import the certificate.

For additional information about private keys, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

241201 HOW TO: Back Up Your Encrypting File System Private Key in Windows 2000



MORE INFORMATION
For additional information about encryption, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

223316 Best Practices for Encrypting File System

To download the "Encrypting File System for Windows 2000" white paper, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/windows2000/w2kccadm/dataprot/w2kadm21.mspx

Keywords: kbefs kberrmsg kbprb KB256168

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.