I deleted my file encryption key from User Certificates in the Control Panel. I understand that Windows does not delete the private key and that User Certificates only deletes the key from the registry. How can I recover my deleted key?
Hey and welcome to TenForums, have you tried to look in your Recycle Bin on your desktop?
Open the Recycle Bin and see if it's there. If it is, right-click on it and choose Restore.
Normal operation of Windows is to "delete" everything to the Recycle Bin, as a safety precaution.
I did, the key is not in the recycle bin.
See if this tutorial helps, Option Two seems to be what you are looking for...
Backup Encrypting File System Certificate and Key in Windows 10
First try to set these settings in File Explorer's Folder Option:
Follow step 1 to 5 - open Folder Options > set "Show Hidden Files" and Un-tick "Hide protected system files"
remember to click the "Apply" & "OK" after this is don. Then go and look again in your Recycle Bin!
If you still do not find the delete file (maybe a reg. file) there, - then if you have your System Restore activated, you can
use that to go back to a Restore point, just before you made the wrong delete of that key.
If you deleted the key today, then use a restore point from yesterday or what comes close to that.
Here is a tutorial that show you how to make System Restore to an earlier point in time - use Option 2 only:
System Restore Windows 10
Last edited by Gordon7; 12 Oct 2017 at 13:36.
I have tried changing the Folder Options to show hidden files and protected file. However nothing new in the Recycle Bin.
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