encryption questions

[ubet]

Hello, I just downloaded an encryption program truecrypt, to my laptop. I tried encrypting a file, and now, it wont bring it up, and or recognize it. I have read through the faqs, and when I go to click on the file I encrypted, it wont let me look at anything. When I go into the truecrypt put in my password, and pick the drive/file, it says that its either not encrpypted or partially encrypted.

My question is, how do I acces the files? I have tried the permanent decrypt and it says the message above.

Thanks

[Fmt662]

In truecrypt, you select the file, then double click the empty drive letter to mount, and enter your passcode exactly as it was. Make sure you entered any special characters, capitals, and any keyfiles you used.

[ubet]

Ok, I can get it to come up. But the info that had been there before it was encrypted, I cant click and get anything to come up (its just a file of targets), I didnt want to encrypt anything important before I knew what I was doing.

After I mount it (this is on my harddrive) I cant ever find anything with it. I just used the basic options when doing it.

[Fmt662]

Basic options should be fine. It should show up as an extra drive in your My Computer.

[hamfan]

Here's the way Truecrypt is supposed to work ... Create an empty volume file. You set the size of the volume and Truecrypt makes an empty encrypted volume. Put your files in the volume, unmount the volume, and all your files inside that volume are encrypted. Open that encrypted volume with Truecrypt and it will open that volume as a drive and you will see all your files.

AFAIK, Truecrypt will not encrypt an existing file or folder.

[SwissFluCase]

It is easier and more transparent to encrypt the entire system drive. Just because you encrypted the file doesn't mean you got the data in the pagefile or a temp directory.

I encrypt all of my desktop and laptop systems. It will ask for a password before Windows starts, and then it doesn't bug you again.

This advice is worth what you paid for it, and keep in mind that a mistake with encryption can be a real big mistake. Read the manual thoroughly.

Regards,


SwissFluCase

[ubet]

Thanks, I figured its not worth it, I dont have stuff I really need to hide.

Swiss, that is originally what I wanted to do, but I didnt want to brick my laptop either.