Truecrypt

My plan is to use Truecrypt to create a hidden volume and encrypt my entire 1.8TB HD. However, I have a question:

1) When using the 'non-system partition/drive' option, will there be enough space left on the drive for me to install a traveler's disk on the external HD or do I need to select an encrypted file container and leave a bit of room for the traveler's disk?

2) Something I don't understand is that if you have the following types of files on an external HD: images, videos, PDF files, word documents, etc... wouldn't you have to use programs that are on your system drive and wouldn't that leave residual information about them on your system drive?

 

1. Correct, it will do the whole partition. If you need space for Traveler, use containers, or put a tiny partition on it.

2. Correct! You just never know, which is why FDE is recommended. But you can use portable apps from the container with less worry about contamination. If it will put you in a concentration camp...FDE the OS.

PD

 

Thanks for the advice.

I have some other questions.

1) I have a 2 TB HD that is NTFS. TC recommends that I use FAT32. Wouldn't I have to use FAT32 for the entire volume, both outer and inner?

2) OK, so once I place stuff on the outer volume, I just leave it alone right? Otherwise I risk overwriting files in my inner volume?

I think I'm finally understanding this, lol.

 

The type of files that will be stored, dictate the file system, generally. Large movie files, etc need NTFS. If just small files, FAT32 is fine. NTFS is more robust, so your call.

You can mix and match outer and hidden file systems...FAT32 outer, NTFS hidden, etc...

If you plan on going with the "ah, I just created this thing to try it out, I don't use this stuff" if asked, then you don't have to touch the decoy files. But it looks better if you do. TC has an option to protect the hidden volume when messing with the outer container - USE IT!

PD

 

I just used a regular encryption because I have no idea what type of decoy files to put into the outer volume and considering I want 500GB in the inner volume, I'd either have to use up a ton of space for no reason or I'd have a 1 GB outer volume which wouldn't look right at all.

Thanks for all your help PaulyDefran.

 

Type your Social Security Number and bank account numbers in a text file. Seems reasonable to me that a person would want to protect that type of info. Who cares how it *looks* to have one text file on a 500GB drive...it's what can be proven (in due process societies). Heck, with the price of drives these days, I have 500GB drives just laying around, doing nothing.

"What, this drive? No clue, lets pop it in a dock and see. Ohhhhhh, yeah, I was playing around with some James Bond encryption stuff and planned to put everything on it. It was too hard though, so I never used it".

All through your lawyer of course, why would anyone talk to the police at all?

I also have a 1TB drive installed in a machine, but am only using about 200GB...I just don't have massive storage needs.

Proof, not appearance.

PD

 

seems legit