Truecrypt: Encrypt hard drive without formatting
If you want to encrypt your hard disk with TrueCrypt, this also works without formatting the hard disk. We show you the exact procedure in our instructions.
Step 1: encrypt the hard disk with TrueCrypt without formatting
- Start TrueCrypt and click on the "Create Volume" button in the middle.
- Select the option "Encrypts a partition / drive" and then "Standard TrueCrypt Volume".
- Click on the "Disk" button and select the hard drive you want to encrypt.
- Then call the "Encrypt partition in place" option. This way, your data is retained on the hard drive, even if the encryption takes a little longer.
- For security reasons, you should now back up your data. Then confirm the following query with "Yes".
Step 2: Complete the formatting of the hard disk with TrueCrypt
- Now you have to choose an encryption method. We recommend the safe mode "AES".
- In the next step, set a password for the drive. If the password is unsafe, encryption does not help either. Therefore, read our article "Creating secure passwords".
- Now the encryption is being prepared. To do this, move the mouse back and forth in the window for about 30 seconds. This makes encryption a little more secure.
- Then click "Next" to "safely delete" the hard drive. This process can take a few minutes to hours, but otherwise professionals can easily restore your data. However, if you don't have state secrets on your computer, you can select the "None" option.
- Now confirm this with the "Encrypt" button. The process starts and can take up to several hours depending on the size of the hard drive.
In the article "Cracking passwords" we show you how to decrypt encrypted files of any kind.