A method for a computing system, the computing system comprising a processor, a memory and a data storage device, the method comprising: loading, by a boot loader, an operating system of the computing system from a boot partition into the memory; during a user-mode startup of the operating system of the computing system that occurs after the loading of the operating system from the boot partition into the memory, the user-mode startup performed by an execution of one or more user-mode processes (106, 202, 204, 206, 602), and prior to an execution of a service control manager process, pausing the user-mode startup of the operating system, and executing an early retrieval process, the execution of the early retrieval process including: (i) retrieving from a network-attached key management server one or more of a decryption key corresponding to an encrypted file, a decryption key corresponding to an encrypted folder, a decryption key corresponding to an encrypted data partition, or an access control policy, the retrieval of one or more of the decryption key or the access control policy from the network-attached key management server utilizing network services other than that initialized by the service control manager process and (ii) if the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted file is retrieved, transmitting the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted file to an access control driver of the operating system, if the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted folder is retrieved, transmitting the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted folder to the access control driver, if the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted data partition is retrieved, transmitting the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted data partition to a disk filter driver of the operating system, and if the access control policy is retrieved, transmitting the access control policy to the access control driver; and resuming the user-mode startup of the operating system with at least one of the encrypted file, the encrypted folder, the encrypted data partition or the access control policy accessible to the operating system. loading, by a boot loader, an operating system of the computing system from a boot partition into the memory; during a user-mode startup of the operating system of the computing system that occurs after the loading of the operating system from the boot partition into the memory, the user-mode startup performed by an execution of one or more user-mode processes (106, 202, 204, 206, 602), and prior to an execution of a service control manager process, pausing the user-mode startup of the operating system, and executing an early retrieval process, the execution of the early retrieval process including: (i) retrieving from a network-attached key management server one or more of a decryption key corresponding to an encrypted file, a decryption key corresponding to an encrypted folder, a decryption key corresponding to an encrypted data partition, or an access control policy, the retrieval of one or more of the decryption key or the access control policy from the network-attached key management server utilizing network services other than that initialized by the service control manager process and (ii) if the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted file is retrieved, transmitting the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted file to an access control driver of the operating system, if the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted folder is retrieved, transmitting the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted folder to the access control driver, if the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted data partition is retrieved, transmitting the decryption key corresponding to the encrypted data partition to a disk filter driver of the operating system, and if the access control policy is retrieved, transmitting the access control policy to the access control driver; and resuming the user-mode startup of the operating system with at least one of the encrypted file, the encrypted folder, the encrypted data partition or the access control policy accessible to the operating system.