Question .txt file corrupted after Windows 7 crashed

[moxbetex]

I have a .txt file that was encrypted (in Properties) and after the Windows 7 crashed, when I opened it, text was all in some weird chinese characters.

What is the problem, and how to recover the file?

I do have .pfx certificate backup and I have imported it again, but didn't solve the issue.
Thanks.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Restore the unencrypted backup you made prior to this incident and continue on. You DID make a backup.....Right?

 

[moxbetex]

Of course not.

But I have a printed version which I can retype or scan.
What exactly happened to the file?
This made me think, I won't do encryption of files in Windows anymore.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Likely nothing actually happened to the file at all. Whatever you did to your system invalidated the security on the file. That's how encryption works. Break the chain and it's nearly impossible to put it back together again. If it were as easy as most assume then it wouldn't be secure now would it?