I know this topic has been discussed, but I am posting my own question, since it is confusing reading the previous replies. I only use I IFL gui/cui to image my drive or partition. I am considering using TrueCrypt. I have not decided whether I will encrypt whole disk or just the windows partition
I have a system that has 2 partitions (Windows and manufacturer recovery partition; both use NTFS).
Will be able to continue using IFL the same way or will there be some difference?
Will I be able to select which partition to backup/restore?
Will the .TBI image be encrypted?
Will I be able to still use TBIview within Windows?
Will IFL only backup used sectors (like it does now) or will it have to back up all sectors since it won't be able to read the data?
IFL & Truecrypt
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TeraByte Support(PP)
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Re: IFL & Truecrypt
>Will be able to continue using IFL the same way or will there be some difference?
There will most likely be some difference (unless you want to back up all sectors of the partitions). IFL GUI includes TrueCrypt, which allows you to mount the encrypted partitions to back up or restore them more normally.
>Will I be able to select which partition to backup/restore?
Yes. The partitions can be seen to select them. If not mounted in TrueCrypt they will be seen as RAW and all sectors will be backed up. If mounted, each partition will have its own mount point in the Linux file system.
>Will the .TBI image be encrypted?
The image file will only be encrypted if you select to encrypt it when creating it.
>Will I be able to still use TBIview within Windows?
Only if you backed up the TrueCrypt mounted partition. The RAW/encrypted partition data wouldn't be usable in TBIView.
>Will IFL only backup used sectors (like it does now) or will it have to back up all sectors since it won't be able to read the data?
Used sectors will be used if the TrueCrypt mounted partition is backed up. Otherwise, it will be RAW and all sectors will be backed up. Note that you can also do regular backups in Windows using IFW when system encryption is used.
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If you haven't read through it already, there's a KB article dealing with using TrueCrypt (http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=462). While it doesn't yet include details on using TrueCrypt in IFL GUI it still provides a lot of useful information.
Please note that backing up and restoring an encrypted system can be problematic and risky. It's recommended to maintain additional regular backups and to thoroughly test your restore procedures before depending on them.
There will most likely be some difference (unless you want to back up all sectors of the partitions). IFL GUI includes TrueCrypt, which allows you to mount the encrypted partitions to back up or restore them more normally.
>Will I be able to select which partition to backup/restore?
Yes. The partitions can be seen to select them. If not mounted in TrueCrypt they will be seen as RAW and all sectors will be backed up. If mounted, each partition will have its own mount point in the Linux file system.
>Will the .TBI image be encrypted?
The image file will only be encrypted if you select to encrypt it when creating it.
>Will I be able to still use TBIview within Windows?
Only if you backed up the TrueCrypt mounted partition. The RAW/encrypted partition data wouldn't be usable in TBIView.
>Will IFL only backup used sectors (like it does now) or will it have to back up all sectors since it won't be able to read the data?
Used sectors will be used if the TrueCrypt mounted partition is backed up. Otherwise, it will be RAW and all sectors will be backed up. Note that you can also do regular backups in Windows using IFW when system encryption is used.
---
If you haven't read through it already, there's a KB article dealing with using TrueCrypt (http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=462). While it doesn't yet include details on using TrueCrypt in IFL GUI it still provides a lot of useful information.
Please note that backing up and restoring an encrypted system can be problematic and risky. It's recommended to maintain additional regular backups and to thoroughly test your restore procedures before depending on them.
Re: IFL & Truecrypt
Ok...I am giving TrueCrypt a try. I decided to encrypt only the system partition. I used the standard volume option. Now, how do I backup the partition using IFL gui 2.77? I used the TrueCrypt button in IFL.
I right-clicked on a drive and chose "select drive and mount"
Then chose partition /dev/sda1...I clicked option button and checked "mount partition using system encryption and type the password.
Did I do this correctly? I then clicked the IFL button. when I get to the backup from section, There are 2 listings...dev/mapper/truecrypt1 ATA WDC....
ATA WDC is the physical drive. I assume that I select dev/mapper/truecrypt1
No matter which one I select, it seems to be backup the whole drive or partition RAW (used and empty space)
How do I backup only the used sectors as before?
I know that I can use IFW but rather use IFL.
I right-clicked on a drive and chose "select drive and mount"
Then chose partition /dev/sda1...I clicked option button and checked "mount partition using system encryption and type the password.
Did I do this correctly? I then clicked the IFL button. when I get to the backup from section, There are 2 listings...dev/mapper/truecrypt1 ATA WDC....
ATA WDC is the physical drive. I assume that I select dev/mapper/truecrypt1
No matter which one I select, it seems to be backup the whole drive or partition RAW (used and empty space)
How do I backup only the used sectors as before?
I know that I can use IFW but rather use IFL.
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TeraByte Support(TP)
- Posts: 305
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:22 pm
Re: IFL & Truecrypt
tbifan39 wrote:
> Ok...I am giving TrueCrypt a try. I decided to encrypt only the system
> partition. I used the standard volume option. Now, how do I backup the
> partition using IFL gui 2.77? I used the TrueCrypt button in IFL.
>
> I right-clicked on a drive and chose "select drive and mount"
> Then chose partition /dev/sda1...I clicked option button and checked
> "mount partition using system encryption and type the password.
>
> Did I do this correctly? I then clicked the IFL button. when I get to the
> backup from section, There are 2 listings...dev/mapper/truecrypt1 ATA
> WDC....
> ATA WDC is the physical drive. I assume that I select dev/mapper/truecrypt1
>
>
> No matter which one I select, it seems to be backup the whole drive or
> partition RAW (used and empty space)
> How do I backup only the used sectors as before?
>
> I know that I can use IFW but rather use IFL.
It sounds like you were doing it correctly. /dev/mapper/truecrypt1 would be the mounted TC volume in unencrypted form, and if you create an image of it, IFL should only back up the used sectors, the same as it would for a normal partition.
What is the size of the resulting image, and how much actual data is on the partition (as seen from Windows)?
Note that if you backed up /dev/sda1, that is the partition in raw, encrypted form, and IFL would back up all sectors if you imaged that.
> Ok...I am giving TrueCrypt a try. I decided to encrypt only the system
> partition. I used the standard volume option. Now, how do I backup the
> partition using IFL gui 2.77? I used the TrueCrypt button in IFL.
>
> I right-clicked on a drive and chose "select drive and mount"
> Then chose partition /dev/sda1...I clicked option button and checked
> "mount partition using system encryption and type the password.
>
> Did I do this correctly? I then clicked the IFL button. when I get to the
> backup from section, There are 2 listings...dev/mapper/truecrypt1 ATA
> WDC....
> ATA WDC is the physical drive. I assume that I select dev/mapper/truecrypt1
>
>
> No matter which one I select, it seems to be backup the whole drive or
> partition RAW (used and empty space)
> How do I backup only the used sectors as before?
>
> I know that I can use IFW but rather use IFL.
It sounds like you were doing it correctly. /dev/mapper/truecrypt1 would be the mounted TC volume in unencrypted form, and if you create an image of it, IFL should only back up the used sectors, the same as it would for a normal partition.
What is the size of the resulting image, and how much actual data is on the partition (as seen from Windows)?
Note that if you backed up /dev/sda1, that is the partition in raw, encrypted form, and IFL would back up all sectors if you imaged that.
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TeraByte Support(PP)
- Posts: 1646
- Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am
Re: IFL & Truecrypt
On the IFL screen after you select the mount point (/dev/mapper/truecrypt1) you should see two entries to select (the "Entire Drive" and the partition you mounted). Highlight the partition and then click the Information button. Does IFL display the Used, Free, and MiB to Restore values?
Re: IFL & Truecrypt
I think I figured out the problem. You have to use Whole Disk Encryption. I restored a previous image before TC was installed and started over and selected Whole Disk Encryption. Now, it seems to back up used sectors only. I have not done a complete test, but it shows the space backing up to be around used space size.