Help! I can no longer open any of my files on my local PC after the synch with Drive HQ

indaero
(5 posts)

I just finishing synching my files onto DriveHQ and can see all the files on both DriveHQ and my local PC just fine. I have them in the encrypted folder on DriveHQ with an encryption password set in the cache. However, whether logged into DriveHQ or not, I can no longer read ANY of the originally synched files on my local PC!! I get the message "file is not in a recognizable format" (Excel or Word) and when I open it it is all jumbled. I strongly suspect this has something to do with the encryption process, but I only expected the files to have been encrypted on the ftp site, not locally. If in fact they are encrypted locally also, how do I unencrypt them? This is URGENT as I can not longer work on any of my local files; Word, Excel,,anything. Thank you for an urgent response.

DriveHQ Webmaster
(1098 posts)

Please note the encrypted files must be stored in the \My Documents\My Encrypted Data\ folder (or its subfolders). You have manually moved the encrypted files to a different location.

In this case, when you download the files, they will not be decrypted automatically. What you need is to backup your local files to a different folder; then recreate the "My Encrypted Data" folder in the "My Documents" folder on DriveHQ. You can then copy all files back to your local PC.

The reason encrypted files must be placed in the "My Encrypted Data" folder is because encrypted files cannot be decrypted by other client applications, such as web browsers or FTP clients. They must be downloaded by FileManager or DriveHQ Online Backup. You should use the Encrypted Folder only for highly confidential data. Otherwise, you must use our client software; and it is hard to share encrypted files due to the encryption key protection.

indaero
(5 posts)

User: DriveHQ Webmaster - 5/31/2007 10:03:30 AM

Please note the encrypted files must be stored in the \My Documents\My Encrypted Data\ folder (or its subfolders). You have manually moved the encrypted files to a different location.

In this case, when you download the files, they will not be decrypted automatically. What you need is to backup your local files to a different folder; then recreate the "My Encrypted Data" folder in the "My Documents" folder on DriveHQ. You can then copy all files back to your local PC.

The reason encrypted files must be placed in the "My Encrypted Data" folder is because encrypted files cannot be decrypted by other client applications, such as web browsers or FTP clients. They must be downloaded by FileManager or DriveHQ Online Backup. You should use the Encrypted Folder only for highly confidential data. Otherwise, you must use our client software; and it is hard to share encrypted files due to the encryption key protection.

Thank you. I understand your comments from the ftp site, but why can I not open the files on my local drive; especially when I'm NOT connected to the ftp site? Are the local files somehow encrypted also? Note: the local files were the original files which were uploaded to DriveHQ. I did not download anyfiles from the ftp to my local drive, and therefore could not have downloaded any encrypted files. What is going on here? many thanks for your prompt support, but I'm not out of the woods yet, and would appreciate you sticking with me on this until resolved.

indaero
(5 posts)

User: DriveHQ Webmaster - 5/31/2007 10:03:30 AM

Please note the encrypted files must be stored in the \My Documents\My Encrypted Data\ folder (or its subfolders). You have manually moved the encrypted files to a different location.

In this case, when you download the files, they will not be decrypted automatically. What you need is to backup your local files to a different folder; then recreate the "My Encrypted Data" folder in the "My Documents" folder on DriveHQ. You can then copy all files back to your local PC.

The reason encrypted files must be placed in the "My Encrypted Data" folder is because encrypted files cannot be decrypted by other client applications, such as web browsers or FTP clients. They must be downloaded by FileManager or DriveHQ Online Backup. You should use the Encrypted Folder only for highly confidential data. Otherwise, you must use our client software; and it is hard to share encrypted files due to the encryption key protection.

I just checked, and realized what I had done. Note; I did not move the files out of the encrypted folder, but simply renamed the encrypted folder. Perhaps I should not have done this? Should I rename it back again to the default and resynch to see if this makes a difference? Note: I do remember that during the initial upload for the first time, the process stopped at 50MB and I had to resubmit the instructions to continue uploading. I realized it needed to be a paid account to avoid this interruption, so I subscribed to the 5MB monthly rate. I then refreshed the profile for the account and saw the storage had been increased to 6MB (including the 1MB free). The uploading process then contined normally until all 245MB was trasnferred (overnight). Could this interruption and/or mid-process sign-up have messed up some of my original local files?? I have since discovered it is only the first 5 or 6 directories that appear to have contaminated files on my local drive; the rest (which I suspect were part of the remaining continuous download) all open fine.

indaero
(5 posts)

User: DriveHQ Webmaster - 5/31/2007 10:03:30 AM

Please note the encrypted files must be stored in the \My Documents\My Encrypted Data\ folder (or its subfolders). You have manually moved the encrypted files to a different location.

In this case, when you download the files, they will not be decrypted automatically. What you need is to backup your local files to a different folder; then recreate the "My Encrypted Data" folder in the "My Documents" folder on DriveHQ. You can then copy all files back to your local PC.

The reason encrypted files must be placed in the "My Encrypted Data" folder is because encrypted files cannot be decrypted by other client applications, such as web browsers or FTP clients. They must be downloaded by FileManager or DriveHQ Online Backup. You should use the Encrypted Folder only for highly confidential data. Otherwise, you must use our client software; and it is hard to share encrypted files due to the encryption key protection.

Sorry about this, but one more thought. In synching, I am presented with the choices of "Overwrite remote" or "Overwrite Local" or "Overwrite older" or "Skip". I believe I may have chosen "Overwrite older" on the original synch, and then stopped this process part way into it, as I realized I didn't need to resynch having just uploaded the files previously, and there were no changes. I now think this pin points the problem. If I resych again through the correctly renamed encrypted folder on DriveHQ and choose "Overwrite local" will ALL the files get encrpted locally? And if so, how do I then open them? Why does the encryption process encrypt local files if this is the case??

DriveHQ Webmaster
(1098 posts)

User: indaero - 5/31/2007 10:40:45 AM

User: DriveHQ Webmaster - 5/31/2007 10:03:30 AM

Please note the encrypted files must be stored in the \My Documents\My Encrypted Data\ folder (or its subfolders). You have manually moved the encrypted files to a different location.

In this case, when you download the files, they will not be decrypted automatically. What you need is to backup your local files to a different folder; then recreate the "My Encrypted Data" folder in the "My Documents" folder on DriveHQ. You can then copy all files back to your local PC.

The reason encrypted files must be placed in the "My Encrypted Data" folder is because encrypted files cannot be decrypted by other client applications, such as web browsers or FTP clients. They must be downloaded by FileManager or DriveHQ Online Backup. You should use the Encrypted Folder only for highly confidential data. Otherwise, you must use our client software; and it is hard to share encrypted files due to the encryption key protection.

Sorry about this, but one more thought. In synching, I am presented with the choices of "Overwrite remote" or "Overwrite Local" or "Overwrite older" or "Skip". I believe I may have chosen "Overwrite older" on the original synch, and then stopped this process part way into it, as I realized I didn't need to resynch having just uploaded the files previously, and there were no changes. I now think this pin points the problem. If I resych again through the correctly renamed encrypted folder on DriveHQ and choose "Overwrite local" will ALL the files get encrpted locally? And if so, how do I then open them? Why does the encryption process encrypt local files if this is the case??

Please take these steps to recover encrypted files:

(1) Make a copy of your local encrypted files; but don't delete any files. (just for safety)

(2) Delete the synchronization task via the menu: Tools -> Manage Synchronization;

(3) Rename the encrypted folder back to its original name. "My Encrypted Data"

(4) Copy all files back to local. The local files should have been automatically decrypted.

The reason it overwrites your local files is because: after you renamed the Encrypted Folder name, the software treated the encrypted files as un-encrypted, then it treated the files as being different from your local files. In a synchronization process, it then overwrites older files, which you clicked Ok.

indaero
(5 posts)

User: DriveHQ Webmaster - 5/31/2007 12:06:33 PM

User: indaero - 5/31/2007 10:40:45 AM

User: DriveHQ Webmaster - 5/31/2007 10:03:30 AM

Please note the encrypted files must be stored in the \My Documents\My Encrypted Data\ folder (or its subfolders). You have manually moved the encrypted files to a different location.

In this case, when you download the files, they will not be decrypted automatically. What you need is to backup your local files to a different folder; then recreate the "My Encrypted Data" folder in the "My Documents" folder on DriveHQ. You can then copy all files back to your local PC.

The reason encrypted files must be placed in the "My Encrypted Data" folder is because encrypted files cannot be decrypted by other client applications, such as web browsers or FTP clients. They must be downloaded by FileManager or DriveHQ Online Backup. You should use the Encrypted Folder only for highly confidential data. Otherwise, you must use our client software; and it is hard to share encrypted files due to the encryption key protection.

Sorry about this, but one more thought. In synching, I am presented with the choices of "Overwrite remote" or "Overwrite Local" or "Overwrite older" or "Skip". I believe I may have chosen "Overwrite older" on the original synch, and then stopped this process part way into it, as I realized I didn't need to resynch having just uploaded the files previously, and there were no changes. I now think this pin points the problem. If I resych again through the correctly renamed encrypted folder on DriveHQ and choose "Overwrite local" will ALL the files get encrpted locally? And if so, how do I then open them? Why does the encryption process encrypt local files if this is the case??

Please take these steps to recover encrypted files:

(1) Make a copy of your local encrypted files; but don't delete any files. (just for safety)

(2) Delete the synchronization task via the menu: Tools -> Manage Synchronization;

(3) Rename the encrypted folder back to its original name. "My Encrypted Data"

(4) Copy all files back to local. The local files should have been automatically decrypted.

The reason it overwrites your local files is because: after you renamed the Encrypted Folder name, the software treated the encrypted files as un-encrypted, then it treated the files as being different from your local files. In a synchronization process, it then overwrites older files, which you clicked Ok.

All is well. Everything recovered perfectly. Thanks for the great support, and excellent ftp program.

DriveHQ Webmaster
(1098 posts)

User: indaero - 6/4/2007 8:35:05 AM

User: DriveHQ Webmaster - 5/31/2007 12:06:33 PM

User: indaero - 5/31/2007 10:40:45 AM

User: DriveHQ Webmaster - 5/31/2007 10:03:30 AM

Please note the encrypted files must be stored in the \My Documents\My Encrypted Data\ folder (or its subfolders). You have manually moved the encrypted files to a different location.

In this case, when you download the files, they will not be decrypted automatically. What you need is to backup your local files to a different folder; then recreate the "My Encrypted Data" folder in the "My Documents" folder on DriveHQ. You can then copy all files back to your local PC.

The reason encrypted files must be placed in the "My Encrypted Data" folder is because encrypted files cannot be decrypted by other client applications, such as web browsers or FTP clients. They must be downloaded by FileManager or DriveHQ Online Backup. You should use the Encrypted Folder only for highly confidential data. Otherwise, you must use our client software; and it is hard to share encrypted files due to the encryption key protection.

Sorry about this, but one more thought. In synching, I am presented with the choices of "Overwrite remote" or "Overwrite Local" or "Overwrite older" or "Skip". I believe I may have chosen "Overwrite older" on the original synch, and then stopped this process part way into it, as I realized I didn't need to resynch having just uploaded the files previously, and there were no changes. I now think this pin points the problem. If I resych again through the correctly renamed encrypted folder on DriveHQ and choose "Overwrite local" will ALL the files get encrpted locally? And if so, how do I then open them? Why does the encryption process encrypt local files if this is the case??

Please take these steps to recover encrypted files:

(1) Make a copy of your local encrypted files; but don't delete any files. (just for safety)

(2) Delete the synchronization task via the menu: Tools -> Manage Synchronization;

(3) Rename the encrypted folder back to its original name. "My Encrypted Data"

(4) Copy all files back to local. The local files should have been automatically decrypted.

The reason it overwrites your local files is because: after you renamed the Encrypted Folder name, the software treated the encrypted files as un-encrypted, then it treated the files as being different from your local files. In a synchronization process, it then overwrites older files, which you clicked Ok.

All is well. Everything recovered perfectly. Thanks for the great support, and excellent ftp program.

Great, thanks for letting us know.