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[Paz]

Hi there, am new to these forums.

I created a PAE file (encrypted) containing folders from my old laptop (Win XP) that had issues.

I’ve recently needed these files and tried to open the PAE file on my new Vista laptop, however upon opening the file it just shows as a “10+” under a plain file icon.

The file properties of this file shows “File Size: ?” and “Ratio: ?” as if it cannot recognise it.

When trying to extract this ‘file’ I get a message that says “Unknown encryption method”

Any ideas?

[TBGBe]

@Paz:

… however upon opening the file it just shows as a “10+” under a plain file icon.

The file properties of this file shows “File Size: ?” and “Ratio: ?” as if it cannot recognise it.

When trying to extract this ‘file’ I get a message that says “Unknown encryption method”

Most important - are you saying that PA accepts the password OK?

Do you remember what version of PA you used to create it? (If you always keep up to date - maybe how long ago it was?).
What type of archive did you encrypt?
What is the file size reported by windows of the PAE file?

[Paz]

Hi mate,

To be honest I can’t specifically remember creating a PAE or a ZIP - something messed up and it changed the extension of the file. But I always created PAE so am 99.99% sure it was a PAE - when I change the extension to a ZIP it doesn’t recognise it at all, and when I change it to the PAE that I am sure it was - then it doesn’t show any error and goes straight into the file (not asking for any password).

It was a long time ago, so I probably created it using 2007 or so and am now trying 2009 to open it - could this be something to do with it?

The file contents are various other PAE files!
File size is 63.2MB

[TBGBe]

@Paz:

Hi mate,

To be honest I can’t specifically remember creating a PAE or a ZIP - something messed up and it changed the extension of the file.

I am not sure what you mean by “it” - that changed the extension. If not done bu the user, that usually only happens with disk cleaner/recovery utilities - but then to “tmp” etc. The only time PowerArchiver changes the extension is when the user uses it to Encrypt an archive and create the PAE file (and entering a password).

@Paz:

But I always created PAE so am 99.99% sure it was a PAE - when I change the extension to a ZIP it doesn’t recognise it at all, and when I change it to the PAE that I am sure it was - then it doesn’t show any error and goes straight into the file (not asking for any password).

If PowerArchiver does not ask for a password, then it is not a valid PAE file. Changing the file extension doesn’t change the contents.
@Paz:

It was a long time ago, so I probably created it using 2007 or so and am now trying 2009 to open it - could this be something to do with it?

The file contents are various other PAE files!
File size is 63.2MB

If it was created using a release version of Powerachiver then that is not the problem. I was just asking (in a roundabout way) for confirmation that you did use PA to create the file.

A (valid) PAE file will be an archive file (Zip, 7z, Tar, Gzip etc) that was created first and then encrypted as it only works on single files. If PA does not ask for a password then the file is not a PAE file and you need to determine what file type it actually should be. Even with multiple PAE files as the contents, you would have to create a single file (e.g. TAR file) first to encrypt again.

Otherwise, it “was” a real PAE file that has been so corrupted as to be unreadable - but that would mean the contents are not retrievable.

This is why you should only use encryption if you test/verify immediately after creation before deleting anything(and keep alternate/multiple backups as well).

[spwolf]

or it could be corrupted if it was stored on cd/dvd media especially.