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ERROR_NO_RECOVERY_POLICY
No usable EFS recovery policy applies to this computer
An EFS recovery policy defines Data Recovery Agent certificates that can recover encrypted files independently of the encrypting user. This error concerns that administrative recovery configuration; it is not equivalent to ERROR_NO_USER_KEYS, which concerns the current user's own EFS key.
On a domain-joined system, examine the effective Group Policy rather than only the local policy editor. Determine which GPO supplied the EFS recovery settings and whether the expected recovery certificates are present. Preserve the corresponding private keys separately; publishing a certificate in policy without retaining its private key does not provide actual recovery capability.
What to inspect
- The effective Encrypted Data Recovery Agents policy and its originating GPO.
- Certificate validity, intended EFS usage, and the existence of the recovery agent's private key.
- Policy refresh and event logs showing whether EFS Group Policy was applied successfully.
- Whether the application truly requires a recovery policy or only a user encryption key.
References
- Microsoft Open Specifications: EFS Recovery Policy
- Microsoft: Back up an EFS recovery-agent private key
- Microsoft: cipher command
- Microsoft Open Specifications: EFS overview
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