encryption & virtual machines

I have encrypted the whole hard disk with TrueCrypt. Now I wanted to install virtual machines ( both VirtualBox-1.6.4-Win_x86 and VMware ESXi). Note that Virtualbox installation process is suppoused to be done after system starts. ESXi installation process can only be done in pre-boot environment.

However, both installations, failed cause the drive is completely encrypted. I understand I have to do it while the drive is decrypted.

-I'm wondering, will the existence of virtual machines affect the encryption in any negative way?
-If I run different versions of TrueCrypt on host and virtual machine could there be any colision (since TrueCrypt driver is running on host all the time) ?

Hope somebody can help me.

 

Keep in mind that TC System Encryption is only supported on Windows Systems, and IIRC ESX basically IS the host machine, so ESX and TrueCrypt are not compatible in that regard.

You could run ESX on a machine, and then use TrueCrypt to encrypt the guest machines that are running Windows and there won't be any issues. While it won't protect the Hypervisor, it will protect the guest OS's and data.

As for VirtualBox, should run just fine. But I will ask, if your using system encryption, why run system encryption within the VM's as well? You will suffer a performance penalty since you hare having to decrypt data twice. Once from hard drive, second time from virtual hard drive.

 

KookyMan, I won't use system ancryption within VM. I will only use a previous version of TC (as I can not do it on host while the whole system is encrypted).

Ok then, ESXi wouldn't work but Virtualbox would.

Thanks for answering! This will be really cool!

 

However, what if I run http://www.vmware.com/download/server/ alone? Without ESXi? Would that work properly along with system encryption?

 

Does it run under Windows? If not, no. Windows must be the Host OS to use TrueCrypt.

 

Yes, it can run on Windows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMware_Server