Symantec Encryption Desktop (formerly PGP Desktop) Folders, Services, and Registry entries
Article ID: 153414
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
This article details some of the important file folders, services, and registry entries used by Symantec Encryption Desktop (formerly PGP Desktop)
Cause
To resolve some issues with PGP profile you need to delete PGP folders and re-enroll the PGP client, for example, when getting policy from server is needed, but PGP tray is disabled by organization policy.
Resolution
Symantec Encryption Desktop Folders
%USERPROFILE%\My Documents\PGP
This is the default location for the private and public keyring files that store the Symantec Encryption Desktop encryption keys. This folder is not automatically deleted when Symantec Encryption Desktop is uninstalled as that would destroy the PGP keys that are contained inside it.
%USERPROFILE%\Application Data\PGP Corporation\PGP
This is the location where preferences and policy files are stored for Symantec Encryption Desktop. This is also the location where the Encryption Desktop log files are kept in a text file form. If enrollment fails it may be useful to delete this folder and start over after stopping the PGP services.
PGP Desktop Services
PGPTray.exe
This service starts PGP Desktop services when a client computer's services start. The service is added to %USERPROFILE%\start menu\programs\startup folder. This executable checks the preference files located in Application Data (PGP folder) to see if a user already is enrolled and has existing policy. It also checks the PGPSTAMP registry entry for the FQDN of the PGP Universal Server and where to check for policy.
PGPServ.exe
This is the underlying service and service structure for other PGP Desktop services. It is independent of the PGPTray.exe services and may need to be stopped in order to delete the PGP folder in Application Data. It will also need to be started before PGPTray.exe and/or PGP Desktop can be run. PGPServ is started and stopped in the Services tool in Windows.
PGP Desktop Registry Entries
PGPSTAMP
This is a registry entry
On 32-bit Windows it's located here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PGP Corporation\PGP
For 64-bit Windows it is located here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\PGP Corporation\PGP
In non-managed installations of PGP Desktop the entry reads Default PGP Stamp. In PGP Universal Server managed environments of PGP Desktop, this entry is used to determine what PGP Universal Server should be checked with for policy and the stamp will display something similar to:
ovid=keys.example.com&mail=hq-examplemail&admin=1
ovid =someservername refers to the hostname of the PGP Universal Server that the client receives checking policy from.
mail=somemailserver refers to the WINS name or hostname of the mail server that the user utilizes to check mail.
&admin=1 is a PGP reference mark only and does not need to be modified.
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