Solved EFS encryted file question

I am experimenting with a password reset tool. It says that once you reset the password, the EFS Encrypted files will be unreadable. I have read about EFS and am still confused.

I am going to reset the password for 3 PCs in an office because no one there has a clue as to what the passwords are. Then put new passwords on them and set them up for scanning from the copier. All they do with files is create word, excel, etc. and save them. Are these EFS files? How would I know if they are?

This is what I think, not what I know: If you don't go into the properties of the folder or file and tell it to encrypt then its not a EFS?????

Is this on a windows 8 PC

Yes. I think its actually 8.1.

EFS refers to the built in NTFS file encryption. You can check if a file is encrypted by looking at the advanced file properties.
It is important that ALL important files have a backup copy, including those that have been encrypted. Unless the backup is an image of the entire drive the files will not be encrypted in the backup so you need to take appropriate precautions.

I looked at docs on my pc and the encrypt is not checked in the advanced properties. So, if the user did not go in and set them to encrypt, they are not encrypted??? In other words, when the average end user saves a file/doc, the default would be not to encrypt?????

By default there is no encryption. A user must explicitly select the file or folder for encryption. Note that if a folder is encrypted then any files created in or copied to it will also be encrypted. Such files will show in their properties that they are encrypted.

LMiller7 said:

By default there is no encryption. A user must explicitly select the file or folder for encryption. Note that if a folder is encrypted then any files created in or copied to it will also be encrypted. Such files will show in their properties that they are encrypted.

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Thanks for your help. I feel better about my understanding.

So, did you get them reset?

I have not been on site yet. I did do it on my PC at home with 8.1 and it worked great. I'm waiting on them to call me to see when I can go do theirs. Then I can set up scanning from the copier to their PCs. The folks there just don't know any better. They had 2 networks they knew nothing about along with 2 wi-fi and 3 modems from the ISPs. I got all that straightened out. They only have 4 PCs (peer to peer).

Thanks for your help. I am a student at a Tech College taking networking and computers. Doing this stuff in the field is the best way to learn.