Encrypting a partitioned backup drive with TrueCrypt
August 26, 2012 11:25 AM Subscribe
How do I encrypt a partitioned backup drive with TrueCrypt?
I want to back up data to an external drive. I already have a daily backup scheme; this is an extra thing, strictly for extra insurance. I'll only synch it a couple times per year.
The drive has two partitions. #1 will contain a clone of my everyday hard drive, and #2 will back up various data from another external drive. #1 needn't be bootable, but I do want to be able to clone it back to my desktop computer and have THAT be bootable.
I use a Mac, OS 10.6.8. And I want bathroom lock level encryption of all data.
I'm figuring TrueCrypt is the way to go. But they don't have up-to-date Mac tutorials. Can anyone talk me through how to set this up?
And: can I then use SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner to do the clone (and to re-synch once in a while)?
FWIW I own Espionage. But I'm guessing it's overkill for this(??)
I want to back up data to an external drive. I already have a daily backup scheme; this is an extra thing, strictly for extra insurance. I'll only synch it a couple times per year.
The drive has two partitions. #1 will contain a clone of my everyday hard drive, and #2 will back up various data from another external drive. #1 needn't be bootable, but I do want to be able to clone it back to my desktop computer and have THAT be bootable.
I use a Mac, OS 10.6.8. And I want bathroom lock level encryption of all data.
I'm figuring TrueCrypt is the way to go. But they don't have up-to-date Mac tutorials. Can anyone talk me through how to set this up?
And: can I then use SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner to do the clone (and to re-synch once in a while)?
FWIW I own Espionage. But I'm guessing it's overkill for this(??)
Response by poster: I have the paid superduper. Are you sure it can do incremental updates within encrypted disk images (i.e. not just copying over a new disk image over the old one)?
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:49 AM on August 26, 2012
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:49 AM on August 26, 2012
Best answer: You mount the encrypted disk image as a volume, then select the mounted volume as the destination for your backups.
BTW, what is "bathroom lock level"?
posted by sbutler at 12:41 PM on August 26, 2012
BTW, what is "bathroom lock level"?
posted by sbutler at 12:41 PM on August 26, 2012
Response by poster: It means not industrial strength. Minimal encryption merely to deflect prying eyes. Like a bathroom door lock is not intended to give top class security.
posted by Quisp Lover at 1:36 PM on August 26, 2012
posted by Quisp Lover at 1:36 PM on August 26, 2012
Best answer: You will need to "unlock" the disk image so that SuperDuper can read it and write to it, but it sounds like you're doing this rarely enough that it won't be a hardship to do so. Yes, SuperDuper can do incremental updates once the disk image is opened.
posted by BillMcMurdo at 8:38 PM on August 26, 2012
posted by BillMcMurdo at 8:38 PM on August 26, 2012
Response by poster: Doing it via disk image created in Disk Utility and cloning via SuperDuper requires me to have 1TB of scratch space on my drive to create the image.
That's not viable.
posted by Quisp Lover at 8:57 AM on August 27, 2012
That's not viable.
posted by Quisp Lover at 8:57 AM on August 27, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
You can create encrypted disk images within Disk Utility on the external drive and then clone/copy to them. SuperDuper does fine with this. If you get the paid version of SuperDuper you can do incremental updates.
posted by BillMcMurdo at 11:45 AM on August 26, 2012