Image a machine which is Encrypted?

[TechSupp]

Have three Toshiba W7 laptops to set up which also need Truecrypt installing. Can I install Trucrypt then image on to another laptop or will Trucrypt not like that and better to just install Trucrypt after the image. Was just going to create an image on to DVD using the create restore disks program on the laptop to speed things up and just restore to the next laptop.

[Dom_]

Yes - you can encrypt it and then image it, I did a couple of laptops last summer. Not sure if this will always happen, but because it was encrypted the image was massive (70+GB), so it might be worth truecrypting after! (unencyrpted image was 7GB)

[AyatollahPies]

I've played around with this and personally, I'd encrypt them afterwards.

[Dom_]

Just to add the laptops I did were Toshiba L300's - and they worked without any problems.

[AyatollahPies]

Just to add the laptops I did were Toshiba L300's - and they worked without any problems.

 

You lucky man. Was it XP or Win7?

[Dom_]

You lucky man. Was it XP or Win7?

 

XP - I'd probably recommend not doing truecrypt first though, as the extra imaging time only saved us about 30 minutes in total lol

[FN-GM]

You can but i wouldn't. The sucure code (cant remember the exact name) will be identical on each machine, so would make it easier for someone to hack multiple machines.

 

Plus your image would be big.

[AyatollahPies]

Interesting. I've had more issues with encryption on Windows 7 machines than XP.

[Dom_]

You can but i wouldn't. The sucure code (cant remember the exact name) will be identical on each machine, so would make it easier for someone to hack multiple machines.

 

Plus your image would be big.

 

In our case we wanted the code to be the same (primary with not too many tech savvy teachers!)

[TechSupp]

Thanks for the replies, will probably just encrypt afterwards to be on safe side. Not enough time to back track if it does not work! Usual case of new laptops ordered at last minute yet teachers want them for summer working!

[LeMarchand]

teachers want them for summer Facebook/eBay/shopping/keeping kids quiet/Pr0n/filling with GBs of pictures & music/P2P!

 

I've corrected your post .

[TechSupp]

Given you some Rep for that

[dwhyte85]

Yes - you can encrypt it and then image it, I did a couple of laptops last summer. Not sure if this will always happen, but because it was encrypted the image was massive (70+GB), so it might be worth truecrypting after! (unencyrpted image was 7GB)

 

This is because the free space can't be ignored, the free space is encrypted too.

[Dom_]

This is because the free space can't be ignored, the free space is encrypted too.

 

I thought that was the case, but it had a 320GB hdd, and the image was no bigger than 80?

[SYNACK]

Are they not Windows 7 Pro, you may have better luck and speed with bitlocker as then they can be encrypted transparently to the user.

[FN-GM]

Are they not Windows 7 Pro, you may have better luck and speed with bitlocker as then they can be encrypted transparently to the user.

 

Bitlocker isnt included in pro, its only in Enterprise and Ultimate

[featured_spectre]

Best bet is to encrypt AFTER the images has been made. Encryption wont ignore the free space so it will encrypt it and then compress it in the image creation process.

 

We tried this once before and found that it took 5x as long to image a single laptop when the image was encrypted

 

If you encrypt after (which is much much quicker) then you are in good stead. Fine you may have different encryption keys but if you keep a master list in your safe (in a sealed envelop) and a copy printed for yourself somewhere else (securely in your office) then you should be good to go

[SYNACK]

Bitlocker isnt included in pro, its only in Enterprise and Ultimate

 

My bad I forget, being spoilt by a MS Volume agreement.