Sophos Safeguard (encryption) MBR repair

[jmak]

Hi All

 

Long shot before I re-image a teacher machine. Win 7 Pro x64 client encrypted with Sophos Safeguard 5.61 won't boot it's stuck at "Windows is loading files". It gets past the first part where Sophos unlocks and allows access to the OS, but then gets stuck.

 

I have tried booting with a Windows install disk, but no joy - it runs the diagnostics and comes back with the error message "Boot sector for system disk is corrupt". Error code 0x490. I guess this is because when I boot from DVD, it doesn't have access the the OS as it loads before Sophos has unlocked the HDD.

 

According to the Sophos website, the MBR can be repaired using one of their tools, be_restore.exe. They say:

 

"You can find the

tool and the required files in your Sophos SafeGuard program directory under

tools\KeyRecovery and restore"

 

Unfortunately that folder doesn't exist on my installation - either on the server or on the other clients.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks as always...

[plexer]

Sent you a link to it.

 

Ben

[jmak]

You're a star - giving it a go now

[jmak]

Now getting different error message when it tries to run be_restore:

 

"The subsystem needed to support the image type is not present"

 

I've followed the instructions including adding the OLEDLG.dll file to the same folder as the other files - any other ideas?

 

Thanks again

[plexer]

Wondering if it's a 32/64 bit issue it opens fine on my 64 bit Win 8.1 machine

 

Ben

[jmak]

Wondering if it's a 32/64 bit issue it opens fine on my 64 bit Win 8.1 machine

 

Ben

 

Machine in question is 64 bit win 7 Pro

 

Maybe it's time to give up.......just feels like a cop out, even though it's quicker to re-image.

 

Thank you

[Wubbalubbadub]

Completely un-related. But using sophos encrytion. Does that require all the laptops to still have TPM?

[jmak]

Completely un-related. But using sophos encrytion. Does that require all the laptops to still have TPM?

 

No. We use Sophos Safeguard for the full encryption process. The most common (and it almost feels encouraged by Sophos) implementation now seems to be to use it as a console to manage key recovery for Bitlocker. Bitlocker is included in Win 7 Enterprise (we have Pro, hence using Safeguard) and Win 8.1 Pro and Enterprise. If your laptops don't have TPM and you want to use Bitlocker with Sophos Safegaurd, you can set up USB keys to unlock the drives.