Backup EFS Certificate

Microsoft Windows Vista - Certificate Export

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type certmgr.msc and press Enter.
3. In the left pane, click the arrow next to the Personal folder to expand it and click on Certificates.
4. In the right pane, right click the certificate that lists Encrypting File System under Intended Purposes. If there is more than one EFS certificate, you should back up all of them.
5. Click on All Tasks and Export.
6. Click on Next in the Export Wizard Welcome.
7. Dot Yes, export the private key and click Next.
8. Dot Personal Information Exchange, and then click Next.
9. Provide a password you want to use, confirm it, and then click Next. Be sure to store this password in a safe location not on this computer. You will not be able to import the EFS Certificate back to Vista without it.
10. Provide a file name and the location (include the whole path) or click Browse and navigate to the location, and then enter the file name. Be sure to store this file in a safe location not on this computer. Recommend you include the computer name in the file name.
11. Click on Next. If you clicked Browse instead, then click Save and then Next.
12. Click on Finish.
13. Click OK.
    
    

Microsoft Windows Vista - Certificate Import

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type certmgr.msc and press Enter.
3. In the left pane, right click on the Personal folder.
4. Click on All Tasks and Import.
5. Click on Next in the Import Wizard Welcome.
6. Provide the location of the file that contains the certificate, or click Browse and navigate to the file's location, then click on Next. If you have navigated to the right location but don't see the certificate you are importing, then, in the list next to the File name box, click Personal Information Exchange.
7. Provide the password given to the backup when it was created and click Next.
8. Dot Place all certificates in the following store, confirm that the Personal store is indicated, and click on Next.
9. Click on Finish
10. Click OK
    
    

Notes on EFS

1. If this is the 1st time the user has logged in after the EFS assistant has been installed, the EFS assistant will need to be started for the 1st time. The EFS assistant can be found under Start, All Programs, Microsoft EFS Assistant
2. After the EFS assistant has been started the user will need to log out and back in for encryption to begin
3. Once the encryption has begun, the EFS certificate will generate and appear in the Certificate Manager. This certificate should be exported and saved on removal media and stored in a safe place.
4. Changing the local administrator in any way will cause an issue with the EFS and lock the user out of encrypted files. Changing the local administrator back its original state will return the encrypted files to an accessible state.