Comments on: Microsoft Private Folder 1.0

By: Markus Engel

Markus Engel — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 22:10:43 +0000

I installed MPF and moved all of my sensitive data in it. Shold have known better. It didn’t take long until I noticed that files opened or copied through replacement explorer shells would not be properly decrypted. Fine, so I quit using those shells. Only to notice that even when using the built-in Windows explorer my files would sometimes (not always) eschew decryption. It seemed I had found a reliable way to avoid that – simply waiting a few minutes after unlocking MPF before using any of those files. Well, it turns out that didn’t alway work. When I finally decided that enough was enough, I copied all my files (using explorer) to a safe destination outside MPF. Interestingly, MPF warned me with each copy operation that files copied to a destination outside MPF would not be ‘protected’ by encryption. Well, I was all to happy to take that exposure.
Of course, theis warning would make you believe everything now gets decrypted when copying it elsewhere. Wrong! Most of my files were not recognized upon launching them. I’m talking hundreds of important data files in Excel, Word, and Quickbooks format!!!
It doesn’t take a Ph.D. to figure out why MS pulled the plug on this software: It is a piece of #%! If this is any indication of Microsoft’s current and future quality assurance practices, why would anyone trust their data to one of their operating systems!? (Given my experience I cannot believe anyone in Redmond has seriously tested this!)

By: Radagast

Radagast — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 12:56:46 +0000

Is there anybody who found the way to recover lost password for Ms Private Folder.
Someone tried it with Advanced EFS Data Recovery. Someone said tath efs is similar to ms private folder.

My old password is’t work. I don’t remember if I changed it.
I’ll lost ~5 Gb data

By: sayyed reza musavi

sayyed reza musavi — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 23:33:22 +0000

i love you very hard for your procuct vsta ana i have vista RC1.
sincerely your’s: sayyed reza musavi

By: Gert

Gert — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 09:33:36 +0000

I tested this tool and knowing it restrictions I think it will be useful for many people, but also dangerous (like causing a lot of extra work) for network admins. After I tested it, I removed it from my PC. Now, many months later I reinstalled it, but apparently it still remembers the old password. That is a pitty, because I don’t remember it, so I cannot use this tool again on my PC, unless I reinstall everything off course. I did not loose any files, lucky me, but I would appreciate if MS would have created a full uninstaller that also removed the password that was given. Just a post-mortem thought, I know, but if MS would ever re-distribute this tool in some kind of “new” way, it would be best if they think about this little issue.

By: eriv solte

eriv solte — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:12:12 +0000

ned

By: eriv solte

eriv solte — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:11:48 +0000

neces

By: MIKE J

MIKE J — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 06:18:59 +0000

WOrks fine….
i got a full working copy from a russian site.
i got some cheese for all the whine ….Pft.

By: Fasterclock

Fasterclock — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 14:48:02 +0000

I put everything in here. I would use this program at home for all of my account records for my home business. One day the password would’nt work. Either I changed it and forgot it or it reset. I need these files more than anything. Does anyone know how to retrieve either a password or know where the encrypted files would be located on the hard disk? Please help!!!

By: Gerrit

Gerrit — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 10:51:58 +0000

If anyone out there could assist me to get the use of my files back after My Private Folder got corrupted and afetr reloading with the same password does not help – please HELP!

By: Puneboy

Puneboy — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 19:47:03 +0000

It looks like Microsfot pulled out this application and there is no fix to PC HANG issue. !!!!!!!!

By: Mohammed Ali

Mohammed Ali — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 22:13:14 +0000

Hello All there,
I have installed the Microsoft Private Folder and it was running correctly. But last week one of my friend tried to change my password and then the folder is corrupted and since then i am not able to read the files from that folder. I have too many important files in that folder. If i am able to open it once also i will copy the files in my other folder. Can anybody help me in this. Can anybody tell me how to retrieve the data from the folder.
Thanks in Advance.
Hope to hear an early reply from any one of u.

By: S M Puttabuddhi

S M Puttabuddhi — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 17:08:34 +0000

When I was trying to change the Password, the System got HUNG and now the problem is, I cannot access any of my files in the folder “My Private Folder”. Could you please provide me any solution to resolve this problem?. If I uninstal the My Private Folder, can I get the data(Files) which can be used without any difficulty? I shall be thankful to you if you could reply early.

By: Patrick S

Patrick S — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 20:10:23 +0000

If you install My Private folder again-and use the password you once had-Does that work?
From what i hear-that should work…

By: Ninara Poll

Ninara Poll — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 09:18:15 +0000

Has anyone yet coded an app or devised a method that would be able to unencrypt the files left behind by uninstalling (unintentionally or otherwise) My Private Folder? I recently had my hardware profile wiped out by what seems to have been a virus and had to reinstall XP Pro, after which I discovered My Private Folder was no longer usable. Installing it again simply resulted in a new, empty folder, but somehow all the files I had originally placed in the first installation of My Private folder are still on my drive — but are now permanently encrypted. I’ve also noticed that there seem to be two separate files for each encrypted file: one that had the original file extension, and one that has the same name but has a .$e_ as the file extension, and is much smaller in size than the file that has the original extension (is this file the encrypted key?). It seems to me as though all that is necessary is to merge those two files… but since I know very little about how encryption/decryption works, I’m probably wrong about that. I hope someone manages to invent a way to retrieve My Private Folder data….

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 13:00:25 +0000

I am trying to restore data backed up(MS Backup utility) from My Private Folder onto another drive. Formated the drive and installed software again including My Private Folder. I now want to restore data (video files) back but it gives me a file extension error.All data is there, just cant seem to run it.
Any idea’s

By: Patrick S

Patrick S — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 09:33:44 +0000

ha ha ha i guess you are right… A rar file is a type of file compression (just like .zip) except you need a program such as winrar or 7zip to open it. IF you still cannot open it ill find you another link

Regards,
Patrick S

By: GuyNDenver

GuyNDenver — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 07:58:19 +0000

Oh, IC, so the home user gets the shaft again? thanks! what the heck is a .rar file? that’s what it downloads as…..

By: Patrick S

Patrick S — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 22:05:46 +0000

Yes i can explain Why… Microsoft pulled it from their site because too many System Admins complained that it would be a neusance as users would be able to hide things from them (even though you need admin privs to run the application )
If you want it you can still download it from HERE: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Lockdown/Microsoft-Private-Folder.shtml

Hope this helps,
Patrick S

By: GuyNDenver

GuyNDenver — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 18:18:17 +0000

I had to restore my computer’s hard drive by reinstalling windows xp pro and am now looking for My Private Folder to reinstall it. It seems to be removed from the microsoft site. Does anyone know why?

By: Puneboy

Puneboy — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:34:13 +0000

System HANGS when tried to change password. Now problem is I cannot access my important files. IS there is solution or resolve to this problem? Please post more information on retriving encrypted data if any available.