OK, first is Truecrypt. http://www.truecrypt.org/ You can create this can inside a file or on an empty part of your HD's partition... Some install screen shots tomorrow. I highly recommend that you store your personal docs, tax records, Quickbooks, etc DBs on an encrypted HD. There is nothing on my Laptop that would show any personal info about me or my business. The 'other' area would look like a failed partition format or damaged area of disc. Ironic that I'm pulling this off a truecrypted can to upload here right now. Truly on the fly and after you mounthe drive with your pass, you don't have to think about it again.... download TC here http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads.php
This is an awesome program. I have set it up and started using it. Very simple once done. Many people think this is all over kill. An ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure. Example: Somebody breaks into your home and steals your computer. Do you run quicken or microsoft money? Turbotax? leave any other information on that computer that you wouldn't want anyone to find like names and addresses of people? Well, it is a quite simple solution to partition the drive and separate personal and and convidential information from the rest. Adding a hardrive scrubber is just the next logical thing to do to clear all the junk. I have spent free time lately cleaning up my computer and moving personal information to a separate, removable harddrive which has my important personal information encrypted into file with about 150 pictures. It looks like a picture, except that it is a 10mb picture. The software just about sets itself up 100%, except for your password.
I'm with you Clyde.In this age of ever increasing loss of privacy I jealously guard what I have left. I can't stand it when someone says "If you don't have anything to hide why would you care?" I may not have anything to hide, but that doesn't mean I have anything I want to share!It's my business and no one else's.
Shoot, I guess I will have to upgrade my computer. I was truly hoping to limp by for another year before buying a motherboard and then getting Windows 2000 (I will not run XP for love nor money). I'm still on Windows 98 and cannot run anything higher without a new motherboard and more whatever that stuff is that makes the computer go...(yes I know I'm not good with any of this stuff - but I can make a computer actually run when I have to). I still prefer DOS somedays. Oh heck I still prefer FORTRAN if you want to know the truth.
Damn I wish I would have checked the "Technical" forum sooner (and more thoroughly). I was going to post about True Crypt... but looks like you guys beat me to it by a lot, lol. I was reading an article today that Windows had released "Private Folder 1.0" (would let you encrypt individual folders), but withdrew it after corporate interests complained that it would cause them problems. Thankfully there's True Crypt.
Look at the drive within a drive feature too. Also the drive within a file... Here's a thought. 1GB memstick in your camera. Has 400 pics at around 3 MB a piece. You pull one off and resize it to almost nothing and then TC it as a mountable drive. Make that drive 2.9MB... Add you Taxes and whatever else you want to keep private and then stick it back in your camera. Who would ever think to look there?
TrueCrypt is good stuff I runn it on a 1GB USB drive that lives in my BOB the encripted drive contains all my personal docs & the nonencripted has all the survial docs. Its all safe if its gets into the wrong hands or lost. I just got another 1GB stick that runs U3 programs im trying to figure out how to get it to work on that one as well.
Your U3 stick will show as 2 drives in "My Computer" Mine is G and H. G is the U3 system and H is for apps and storage. Most U3 come preloaded with some stuff but it's all free anyway. If you delete that partition, you can then creat 2 partitons with that space. Create one with your OS and create the other with TC using the method discussed under Plausable deniability. Then Load up the Stick with Firefox, Thunderbird, Open Office, etc and use it like normal. Mount that hidden drive when you need to. You should be able to 'install' TC to the regular side of your Stick as well. You can always just create a Drive within a file but that looks a little fishy to me. I'd rather have a 'letterless' partition that looks like nothing more than a bad format. If I was into this sneaky shit that is...
I just got this working on my USB drive. I opted for the file method and have not yet tried to do the "hidden" volume. I am loving this. I used to be worried about having personal data on my USB drive, not anymore. Not that I have a lot of personal information there, but what is there I want encrypted. I also use GPG encrypt to encrypt some individual files, but I like this a lot better. Ryan
