You can trying using this batch file :
@echo off
cls
:: Set the varibles - Use Quotes "" if there are spaces in the source or log path
set log_path=C:\EFS_Find
:: Find Encrypted Files
cipher /s C:\ | findstr "^.E" >> %log_path%\found.txt && echo:Encrypted files found"
:: Find Hidden Files
attrib /s C:\ 2>nul | findstr "^....H" >> %log_path%\found.txt && echo:Hidden files found"
pause
This batch file will scan your C:\ drive for all EFS encrypted files (and also hidden files), echo on the screen every time it finds one, and record all instances of encrypted files found into C:\EFS_Find\found.txt.
For a command-line approach to finding just encrypted files, you can type in the command-line :
cipher /s:C:\ | findstr "^.E" >> C:\efs_found.txt && echo:Encrypted files found"
This will search your entire C:\ drive for encrypted files, and dump it into C:\efs_found.txt.
Modified from the solution found here.
To disable EFS on your Vista system, I refer you to the link here :
How to Disable or Enabled EFS Encryption in Vista
The EFS keys are kept in NTFS alternate data streams, so if your USB drive was not formatted as an NTFS drive, the information would be lost. Backup programs often discard this information as well.
You can check if the streams are still there using Streams or ADS Spy. If they are no longer there, it will be impossible for you to recover your files.
As Windows does not flag the files as EFS encrypted, I think it is likely that you have lost the EFS keys in the streams.
Best Answer
Not unless you backup your key!
Instructions:
Then import it on your windows 7 installation: