Protect Private Data on USB Flash Drive Using FreeOTFE

Note: Although this article refers to USB flash drives, you can encrypt your computer's hard drive just as easily!

You will be able to encrypt your entire compact disk, USB flash drive, USB memory stick or any other external storage device.

These instructions apply to both "FreeOTFE" and "FreeOTFE Explorer". They do the same thing, but have a slightly different user interface (FreeOTFE creates a virtual disk drive on your computer, Explorer has an explorer-like interface).

Both of them can be copied to a USB flash drive and carried around, but FreeOTFE Explorer is better for using on other peoples computers.

Steps

1. Create a new virtual encrypted disk by clicking the "New" icon at the top and following the instructions in the wizard. Select "File based volume" when prompted
2. "Mount" the the disk by clicking the "Mount" icon at the top.
   • Entering the filename of the encrypted disk you just created, and it's password.
   • A new disk will then appear on your computer!
3. Fill this disk with your private data
4. Dismount the virtual encrypted drive using the "Dismount" item on the toolbar. This will cause the new disk to disappear, securing your data.
5. Move the file-image to the CD, DVD, a USB flash drive, a USB memory stick or any other external storage device
6. Copy the contents of C:\Program Files\FreeOTFE to the a new folder on your external storage device (you don't need to do this, but then you can take a copy of the software with you and use it on other computers)
7. To access your private data again, simply click the "Mount" button, and specify the filename of the file-image on your USB drive and your password. The disk will appear again, and you can use your data.

Tips

• If you have a PDA, or Windows Mobile device, a PDA version of FreeOTFE is available called "FreeOTFE4PDA" which you can use to secure any data stored on it (see Encrypt Data on Your Windows CE or Windows Mobile PDA)

Related Articles

• Transfer Data Between Two Hard Drives
• Encrypt Data on Your Windows CE or Windows Mobile PDA
• Permanently Remove Files from Your Hard Drive
• Encode a Computer File Into a Base64 Encoded Text File
• Make an Animated Favicons
• Use RadGameTools Video Tools
• Protect Private Data Using Encrypt Stick

Sources and Citations

• http://www.FreeOTFE.org - The FreeOTFE WWW site

See also

• Convert a PowerPoint (ppt) Into a Flash (swf) Animation With OpenOffice Impress
• Encode a Computer File Into a Base64 Encoded Text File
• Attach a USB Drive to Your Computer
• Resize and Create Partitions with Partition Magic 8
• Use Pen Drive As RAM
• Extract Zip Files
• Change a Word Document to JPEG Format
• Partition a Thumb Drive
• Zip Files Together
• Open BIN Files

Read more ...

What links here

• Unmount a Drive
• Take Erotic Photos of Yourself
• Repair a USB Flash Drive
• Open a .Zip File Without Winzip
• Permanently Erase Data Off a Hard Drive
• Check the Remaining Memory on a USB Flash Drive
• Clear the Record of USB Plug in Equipment
• Connect Two Computers Using USB
• Make a 'Virtual PC' on Your USB Device
• Protect Your Computer from Your Parents

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