Opening Decrypting AES Self Decrypting File in Win 10

Discussion related to AES Crypt, the file encryption software for Windows, Linux, Mac, and Java.
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~anthony
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Opening Decrypting AES Self Decrypting File in Win 10

Post by ~anthony »

I have run into a problem. Windows 10 System will not allow me to right clik and open / decrypt a file I downloaded fom an important business email~! It tries to FORCE ME to Pick an Open With File... Right Clicking does not help. IAm at a loss. I have Tried every trick and work around to resolve this. HELP~!???
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paulej
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Re: Opening Decrypting AES Self Decrypting File in Win 10

Post by paulej »

What is the name of the file? If it doesn't end in .aes, then AES Crypt will not recognize it.

Also, are you saving it to your desktop or somewhere first? If you just double-click on it in an email, I don't know if AES Crypt will work, but even if it did it would decrypt the file some temporary directory where your email client stores attachments. Not the thing you want, I suspect.
~anthony
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Re: Opening Decrypting AES Self Decrypting File in Win 10

Post by ~anthony »

Yes, of course it ends in .aes at the very end of the " filename.pdf.aes" and I downloaded it to my TempDownloads Folder, right 'cliked on it and this particular Win 10 system keeps trying to fource me to pick a file to open it with... ???
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paulej
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Re: Opening Decrypting AES Self Decrypting File in Win 10

Post by paulej »

If you have any regular file on your desktop, can you right-click on the file and see a menu option that says "AES Encrypt"?

If you do, then I really don't know why you' do not see the menu option "AES Decrypt" for the .aes file, as it's controlled by the same logic.

If you do not see that menu option for any regular file, then it sounds like you might have the 32-bit version of the software installed on a 64-bit system (or vice versa).
~anthony
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Re: Opening Decrypting AES Self Decrypting File in Win 10

Post by ~anthony »

Thank you. Do you mean to imply that The Target Computer (to whom the AES Encrypted File was sent) and on whose machine IAm trying to Open (Decrypt) the File must Have a Copy of AES Crypt Installed on that Machine? I thought the AES Encrypted files were "Self-Decrypting" Please Clarify... Thanks so much ~anthony
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paulej
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Re: Opening Decrypting AES Self Decrypting File in Win 10

Post by paulej »

AES Crypt is needed on both machines. I guess you were thinking the file would somehow run when clicked. It doesn't for a few reasons. First, it's dangerous. One should never just let any program run on a computer. Second, such an executable would not work on Linux, Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS. AES Crypt just creates an encrypted file that can then be decrypted with tools on those platforms. Third, it would make files far bigger by sending around executable code. That's less important than the other reasons, but still a valid concern. I encrypt thousands of files for storage, and creating large executable files for each would be a huge waste of space.
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