Windows – How to list encrypted files in Windows 7

encryptionwindows 7

I somehow encrypted some files without meaning to, and because of it I can't backup my user folder to Mozy. Is there a way to remove the encryption from all the files or at least find out which one are encrypted?

I'm runnin windows 7 ultimate 64bits

Best Answer

This may be an older question; but I recently had the same need.

My goal was to be comprehensive (search all files) and not require additional software, so it uses the command prompt and any text editor.

Here is what I found as a workable solution:

  • open a cmd prompt
  • Enter the command: cipher /s:c:\ > encryption.txt
  • Open the file "encryption.txt"
    • To find encrypted folders, search for "will be encrypted"
    • To find encrypted files, search for "E" at the beginning of a line

Without parameters, Cipher lists state of the current directory and all files in it. The /s parameter tells it to recurse, and c:\ gives it the starting point. From there, "> ..." just redirects the output.

Cipher's output for encrypted files and folders look like this:

 Listing c:\Dev\Encrypted\
 New files added to this directory will be encrypted.

E Default.aspx
E Default.aspx.cs
E Default.aspx.designer.cs

Cipher's output for normal files and folders look like this:

 Listing c:\Dev\Plaintext\
 New files added to this directory will not be encrypted.

U Default.aspx
U Default.aspx.cs
U Default.aspx.designer.cs

Hope that helps.

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