Decrypting a TrueCrypt drive pulled from another machine

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I work in a corporate environment and we are now required to encrypt laptops.

I have already encrypted about 5 or 6 out of 40.

I still have a few questions before we go all out with TrueCrypt.

Can I decrypt a hard drive by plugging it into my desktop using a data transfer kit? I tried this and the hard drive showed up asking me to format before using the volume.

If I have the TRD from each laptop backed up do I still need to backup the volume headers?

What else do I need to back up?

Thanks.

Blakeg08

Posted 2012-08-29T14:55:24.300

Reputation: 41

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Did you read the FAQ at the truecrypt site?...http://www.truecrypt.org/faq

– Moab – 2012-08-29T15:02:15.817

1I will read over it more thoroughly. I think the FAQ indirectly answers the question but I would still like to know if anyone has had any hands on experience with this issue. – Blakeg08 – 2012-08-29T15:10:34.857

@Blakeg08 - You need to do the research before you come just asking for "hands on experiences" otherewise you will ask additional questions already answered by a FAQ. – Ramhound – 2012-08-29T15:26:08.470

Decrypt is very easy and quick to use. Just try it on a small thing. Like creating a virtual drive with a few pictures in it. I suggest using Truecrypt first as a test, as to say "decrypt a truecrypt drive pulled from another machine" doesn't make sense as far as I know (And I don't know much). What truecrypt does is it creates a virtual drive which it stores as a file. So you can't pull a virtual drive from a machine!!! Truecrypt is far less invasive than that! – barlop – 2012-08-29T15:29:36.903

@Moab I think he is under such a misconception about how truecrypt works, that the FAQ wouldn't address him. The FAQ does not address his misconception. – barlop – 2012-08-29T15:31:11.067

@barlop Trucrypt can be much more invasive than that, especially when doing full-disk encryption. – Darth Android – 2012-08-29T15:47:10.487

Here's what I have. A laptop with a 500 Gigabyte hard drive with Windows 7 64 bit on it. I installed truecrypt and ran the "encrypt system/drive" process on it. Now the drive is fully encrypted. What I want to do is pull that drive out of the laptop. Then plug it into my desktop and recover data off of it. Can I decrypt the drive WITHOUT IT BEING PLUGGED INTO THE LAPTOP THAT I USED TO INITIALLY ENCRYPT THE DRIVE? That's my question. – Blakeg08 – 2012-08-29T15:49:01.887

@Blakeg08 Pull it out and try it... and then come back and answer your question below so that others looking for the answer can find it easily. Some quick googling suggests that this is easy to do: Removing Encryption

– Darth Android – 2012-08-29T15:59:35.273

@Blakeg08 - Of course you can. – Ramhound – 2012-08-29T16:20:23.410

Install truecrypt on the host PC, mount the drive and enter the encryption keys....http://serverfault.com/questions/46336/mount-truecrypt-encrypted-system-drive-on-other-computer

– Moab – 2012-08-29T19:08:59.907

Answers

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If you need to recover data off of a truecrypt encrypted hard drive do the following:

  • Step 1: plug in the hard drive to a computer with Truecrypt installed.
  • Step 2: Open Truecrypt and click "Select Device" in the box where it says "Volume".
  • Step 3: Select the partition that in encrypted and click "OK"
  • Step 4: Pick a drive letter from the list then click "Mount"
  • Step 5: After the password box pops up click "Mount options..." check "Mount volume as removable media" and "Mount partition using system encryption without pre-boot authentication" and click "OK".
  • Step 6: Enter the password and click "OK"
  • Step 7: Right click on the mounted device in the drive list and click "Open."

This should allow you to see the entire drive and copy over any data you may need.

blakeg08

Posted 2012-08-29T14:55:24.300

Reputation: 61

3" I still don't know how to decrypt a mounted drive. "- Your solution is doing EXACTLY that. – Ramhound – 2012-08-30T15:53:07.757

Asked: 2012-08-29T14:55:24.300

Viewed: 17 605 times

Active: 2012-09-23T20:49:55.647