The release versions of Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Windows 2000 include the Cipher.exe command-line tool. Cipher.exe can be used to manage Encrypting File System (EFS) data, but it cannot back up EFS certificates and registry keys.

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Windows XP

Service pack information

This feature is available in the latest service pack for Windows XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Update information

A supported feature that modifies the default behavior of the product is available from Microsoft. However, this feature is intended to modify only the behavior that this article describes. Apply this feature only to systems that specifically require it. This feature might receive additional testing. Therefore, if the system is not severely affected by the lack of this feature, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this feature.

If the feature is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the feature.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific feature. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the feature is available. If you do not see your language, it is because the feature is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this update.

Update replacement information

This update does not replace any other updates.

File information

The English version of this update has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

   Date         Time   Version   Size     File name
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   02-Sep-2003  13:21  5.3.18.6  392,800  Windowsxp-kb827014-x86-enu.exe  
   02-Sep-2003  13:23  5.3.18.6  592,480  Windowsxp-kb827014-ia64-enu.exe  

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Windows 2000

Update information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, submit a request to Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this update.

Update replacement information

This update does not replace any other updates.

File information

The English version of this update has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

     Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   04-Sep-2003  15:28  5.0.2195.6816      40,208  Cipher.exe       
   01-Sep-2003  23:23  5.0.2195.6815     514,416  Ntfs.sys
   04-Sep-2003  15:06  5.0.2195.6801   5,232,128  Sp3res.dll       
  

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Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

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Windows XP

This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.

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The Microsoft Windows Server 2003 version of Cipher.exe enables an administrator to use the /x switch to back up an EFS certificate and its associated keys to a file. This functionality is now available for Windows XP and Windows 2000.

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