Green files won't copy

Question

I have a number of files in a folder that I want to back-up but Windows 7 won't let me. It says Access Denied. I was able to remove the green colour (encrypted) from the parent folder but trying the same thing on the files (via Advanced Properties) isn't working. I can clear the Encrypt checkbox for the file but then when I try to apply those changes, it says I need to provide administrator permission (I'm already an administrator with full access). If I click on Continue, it says Access Denied. If I then choose Try Again, it just keeps repeating the same message. If I click on Ignore, it just does exactly that and acts like I haven't tried to apply the changes. What else can I do to give myself access to copy these files?

Answer 1

As it seems you're aware based on your question tags, green files in explorer are encrypted.

The thing is that files can only be decrypted by the user who encrypted them. The key needed to decrypt those files is protected by that user's password.

Note that force resetting the user's password will not allow you to decrypt the files, it will in fact render them unrecoverable.

To determine who created the files, try checking the owner:

1. Right click the file.
2. Click properties.
3. Click the Security tab.
4. Click Advanced.
5. Click Owner.

Unless it was changed, the owner will be the user who originally created the file.

If the owner is the Administrators group or Domain Admins, then the file was created by a member of that group.

Once you know who created the files, log in as that user to decrypt them.