Issue accessing EFS encrypted files on FAT32 external hard drive using Windows 10 Pro

Hello everyone,

I am facing an issue accessing my files encrypted with EFS on an external hard drive formatted as FAT32, and I'm hoping someone can assist.

Problem Details:
I chose to use EFS encryption on a specific folder on my external hard drive. After the encryption process, the files in question now show a lock icon, indicating they are encrypted. However, I'm now unable to access them, nor can I move, copy, or delete them. Moreover, when I attempted to decrypt the files (Properties > Attributes > Advanced > unchecking "Encrypt contents to secure data"), I received an error message. Alarmingly, I was not prompted to back up the encryption key during the initial process.

Specific Error Messages:

• When trying to open a PDF file: "Failed to open the document. Access denied".
• When trying to open a RAR file: "Cannot open [file path]".
• When trying to decrypt: "Error applying attributes. Failed to apply attributes to the file: [file path]. The specified file couldn't be decrypted".

Attempts to Solve & Outcomes:

1. Check File Permissions: Unable to access the "Security" tab in the properties of the files on the external hard drive, whether encrypted or not.
2. Manual Decryption Attempt: When trying to uncheck "Encrypt contents to secure data" from the file's properties, an error appeared indicating the file could not be decrypted.
3. Command Line Usage: Attempted to navigate to the file's location and use the cipher /d command, but faced access issues.
4. Certificate Check: Found a valid EFS certificate in the certificate manager. Despite the certificate seeming in order, access to the files remained blocked.
5. System Restoration: No option found to restore a previous point on the external hard drive.

System Specifications:

• Windows Edition: Windows 10 Pro.
• Version: 22H2.
• OS Build: 19045.3570.
• Windows Experience: Feature Experience Pack 1000.19052.1000.0.
• Processor: 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-11800H @ 2.30GHz 2.30 GHz.
• RAM: 32.0 GB (31.7 GB usable).
• System Type: 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor.

External Hard Drive Details:

• Brand & Model: PHD 3.0 Silicon-Power SCSI Disk Device.
• Format: FAT32.

Additionally, I have attached some screenshots of the errors I receive when attempting to access and decrypt the files, as well as the valid EFS certificate in the certificate manager.

Any guidance or assistance on how to regain access to my files would be deeply appreciated. Thank you in advance!