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Active Protection, and Windows Encrypted File System

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On Dec 1, 2017 I updated my computers to True Image 2018 (I have three computers running Windows 10 Pro).

I use the Windows Encrypted File System (EFS) to encrypt folders on each computer.  The encrypted folders are all shared through my HomeGroup.  Shortly after updating to TI 2018 I noticed that I cannot share files in the encrypted folders.  This manifested itself when software that I use to synch files between the computers abruptly stopped working for the encrypted folders.  After spending much time trying to debug the synching software, I discovered that the root problem is that I cannot share any files among the encrypted folders even using Windows File Explorer. In other words, the Windows facility for sharing among these folders is broken.

TI 2018 is the only common change I made to the all of the computers at the time the problem started.  So, I tried disabling Active Protection in TI 2018.  It did not help.  Then I discovered several things.  A process called Acronis Active Protection Services is started by Acronis every time the computer boots up, even if the option for active protection is disabled.  If you use Task Manager to End Task for Acronis Active Protection Services, a window pops up saying that Active Protection has been terminated and will be autostarted.  Then usually after some variable delay, Acronis Active Protection Services is restarted.  This behavior occurs no matter whether the option for Active Protection is enabled or disabled.  There are no configurations, e.g. one computer enabled and others disabled, that allow sharing among the encrypted folders.

Has this been reported before and is there any explanation or fix?  In order to experience this you must have Windows 10 Pro, encrypt folders with EFS, and also share those folders among two or more computers.  It's probably not a common configuration.

Thanks

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Still Active...welcome to these user forums.

EFS and ATI 2018 do not get along...If you are not careful, you can lose data.  When ATI 2018 restores a file that is encrypted using EFS, the file is restored at 0 bytes.  The file in the .tib file is listed at the correct size.  My experience is that ATI 2017 works correctly with EFS encrypted files.  I have not run any tests with EFS encrypted folders.

My recommendation is to drop back to ATI 2017 and open a support case with Acronis for ATI 2018.

WRT Acronis Active Protection Services (AAP Services).  AAP Services runs continuously, even if AAP is turned off.  I am not 100% certain of what it is doing, but I believe it is communicating with Acronis servers to keep its databases up to date...sort of like Norton or McAfee.  That way, whenever you turn AAP back on, it is always ready, and does not have to update its database.

You can permanently disable AAP Services, but us must use Windows Services, not Task Manager.  Type Services into Cortana then Right Click and run as administrator.  This will bring up Windows Services.  Click on AAP Services and it should bring up the option to stop the service.  After the service is stopped, right click on the service, which brings up a menu.  Select properties.  In the middle of the properties window, there is an item "Startup Type" which is usually set for "Automatic".  You can set this to "Disable".

If AAP services are off/disabled, you will not be able to turn AAP on.