PGP Whole Disk Encryption

to secure External HD's

[Visit Thailand]

Following on from the recent thread [webmasterworld.com...] about EHD's I have decided it is finally time to encrypt my EHD's and also my laptop in case of theft etc.

PGP has been recommended to me a number of times, but I have to admit I am extremely nervous about installing it.

I have created a fresh Acronis image of my disk. Done back ups of all my important data and programmes etc all onto a new EHD.

I am looking at installing PGP Whole Disk Encryption. While normally I would just plod along, create a new system restore point and install, this piece of software actually encrypts the whole disk, and I am really nervous about something going wrong. (like not being able to get back in, or system restore to a previous point if something did go wrong)

Does anyone here use PGP Whole Disk Encryption and can put my mind at peace? Is there anything they can recommend or any tips, experiences to share?

[edited by: Visit_Thailand at 2:26 am (utc) on July 20, 2008]

[Ocean10000]

Is this external Hard drive only for Backup Purposes? Are the backups done regularly in an automated utility? Why not just PGP zip the files as a encrypted archive and call it a day. No need to enter your pass phrase to encrypt to the public key. And files are still encrypted, but also compressed to save space.

I have not had any experience with the whole disk encryption, but I have had external drives fail on me (dropping by accident). When I was lucky I was able to get it running again but just long enough to copy the files off, some of which were corrupted. I can only imagine what would happen if the entire drive was encrypted.

Basically what I am getting at what is your level of comfort if something went wrong with the drive? Are you willing to lose all the data on it?

[Visit Thailand]

Thanks Ocean10000.

I use more than one EHD, and alternate my backups between them. That way if I were to accidentally drop one then I would still have a back up available.

The reason I am thinking of using PGP Whole Disk Encryption is because the EHD's are so small now they fit in a back pocket, making theft so much easier.

Plus if I ever forgot to put one in the safe when I left a hotel room for example it would not take long for someone to copy it.

The same could happen to my laptop if it were stolen. Hence the reason for wanting to install the encryption.

But as this is such a powerful programme I am just a little more nervous about installing it. I do not have any non crucial machines to do a test run.