Encrypted Pictures

there has got to be a way or why else are there so many hackers out there and microsoft is always putting out security updates.  People are always talking about things aren't secure enough.

yes but in my opinion, they dont hack to unlock an encrypted picture...
waste of time for them...

"... there has got to be a way ..." ==> Sorry, but there's not.   BitLocker uses a VERY secure encryption process.   Clearly encrypted data CAN be "broken" --> intelligence agencies have been doing it for years;  but they use large banks of supercomputers that run for DAYS to decypher secure systems ==> the equivalent of YEARS of computer time on a modern PC.

There ARE several articles on "breaking BitLocker" you can find with a simple Google ... but you'll find that they all focus on "clandestine" ways to recover the key => from the swap file;  from old hibernation files; etc.   And these all require physical access to the system that has BitLocker installed on it => which no longer exists in your case.

Microsoft provided an excellent encryption mechanism to secure your data => it does exactly what it's advertised to do:   protects the data from ANYONE without the key ... including YOU :-)

what if i still have access to the hard drive, it still has the master boot record on it and under the encryption details for the files it has users who can transparenly access this file , which it has an older account of mine and it has the a bunch of numbers under the certificate thumbprint

You need the KEY.   Without it, you're simply not going to be able to decrypt the data.   The key is not stored in the MBR.   The "... numbers under the certificate thumbprint ..." are versioning info ... NOT the key.

However ... what do you mean that you have "... users who can transparently access this file." ??   If you have a system that can access the file, then just COPY it to another drive.   The copy won't be encrypted.

it wont let me copy any of them to anywhere.

If you can access them, you should certainly be able to copy them.  Exactly how are you accessing them?

You initially said these files were "... created with vista ultimate 64 bit  bitlocker encryption ..."  but that you had "... since formated and reinstalled operating systems ..."  and were "... now running xp pro 32bit."   In addition, you indicated that you "... no longer have the key or whatever was needed to unlock these files."

==>  That is inconsistent with your later comment that you are able to "... transparently access this file."    If what you mean by the latter is you can find the file still on the disk --> but in its encrypted form;  then you simply can NOT decrypt it.   As I've noted above, without the key ... you will NOT be able to access it.

i didn't say that i could transparently access these files, that is what what windows says when i right click on the files and go to details about the encryption, it has a box of users who are transparently allowed to access the files and it has the account name of the user that i created under vista 64. but i can't do anything with them cuz obviously im not still using that same account under the same os..

where would the key have been?

BitLocker allows you to back the key up to a USB flash device;  to a file of your choice;  or even to print the key.   If you did any of these, THAT is where the key is.   If not, you're simply out of luck;  it was internally retained in an encrypted form ... so it's far too late to recover it.

how would i input the key to decrypt the files?

You'd have to be running a version of Vista that supports Bit Locker.

I disagree with deleting this question.  
The question was "Is there anyway at all to recover these pictures?" -- the answer is No ... as I stated in the very first comment.   There was a lot of subsequent dialogue to try and explain why that is the case => but that IS the answer.

The question here was: "Is there anyway at all to recover these pictures?"

The correct answer is "No."

Why was a totally unrelated response selected as the Answer?

autobotprime was awarded the points for his correct answer, noone else helped correctly.

well so much for the honor of the system, so pay attention people, no matter who you decide gives u the right answer , the moderators will pick who they ar buddies with here because all they care about are the points.  Its all political. MIght as well have no authority to pick the right solution, why even bother giving us the choice. Dont answer doesn't matter with your power trip moderators here.

I have canceled my subscription with this site.  You just lost another customer because of your buddy system.

mcgrunt42 - I'm sorry you took offense at the outcome here, but I spend time here to help folks ... NOT to get points.   I put the same effort into 20 point questions as with 500 point questions.   In fact, this is the FIRST question in the 3 years I've been helping on this site that I've posted an objection to the accepted answer -- because it was clearly the wrong choice and I do think the PAQ database should be kept as accurate as possible.

You asked a straightforward question:  Could you recover the pictures.   The answer is NO, not without the key.   You then implied that you MAY have access to the key -- and I told you how to recover your pictures by re-installing Vista w/BitLocker, which would work if indeed you have the key [The files are still there ... and they "know" who can access them ... but they will NOT be decrypted unless you have the key].

It's obvious you don't "like" the answer -- but it IS correct.   I think the moderators easily recognized that ... that's why this was closed the way it was.   I'm sorry you took offense at the outcome.

For anyone else who read this thread in the future:  As should be obvious from the dialogue, BitLocker is an excellent and very secure encryption mechanism for your drives => but remember that if you use it, BACK UP THE KEY !!   It will indeed protect all of your encrypted files from access by ANYONE without the key -- including YOU.   ... If you lose the key [whether intentionally, as was the case here by reformatting the drive, etc.;  or accidentally via malware infection, disk crash, etc.], you will NOT be able to access the files.