I use a 2.5" HDD in an encrypted enclosure to hold all my data. I carry it with my to and from work so all my data is accessible from any PC that I use.
I remember that while I had the encrypted enclosure on order, I thoiught I'd get a head start and plug my new HDD into another enclosure and transfer my data to it. Then when the encrypted one came, I could just plug it in and go. Well, I learned a valuable lesson. Plugging in a HDD into an encrypted device causes all data to be lost or unreadable. I can't remember if it was just unreadable and I had to reformat the HDD again, or if it somehow just reinitializes the HDD and erases everything as soon as you plug it into the enclosure.
Anyway, something wierd happend to another HDD in an enclosure (not-encrypted). It was in my bag for a few weeks and when I tried to access it, it wouldn't read the HDD. I thought I destroyed another HDD, but when I took the enclosure apart, I found that the screws that hold the HDD in the enclosure loosened enough and lifting my bag and putting it down and the position of the HDD in the bag was enough to dislodge the HDD from the connector. I just plugged it back in and tighted the screws and it was ok again. I use Cool Gear Drives for my enclosures - I've found that they are very sturdy and they are Firewire and USB compatible.
Now my question is since I carry my encrypted enclosure on a daily basis in my bag that gets lifted and put down, if it somehow dislodges itself like the other one, what will happen to the data on the HDD when it gets plugged back in to the connector?
I've taken precautions and make sure that the HDD is carried with the connectors towards the bottom, so that any jarring would force the HDD into the connectors instead of away from them. I guess that I could also use some medium strength locktite on the screws that hold the HDD into the internal frame of the enclosure so they won't wiggle loose.
I've read some info on the web that if you take an encrypted HDD and put it into a non encrypted enclosure that any data would not be readable, but waht happens to the data if the HDD was unplugged from the encrypted enclosure and then plugged back in? Is it treated like a new HDD like what happened when I installed it the first time or is there some coded data that tells the enclosure's encryption hardware that this HDD is mated to it?
Thanks.
I remember that while I had the encrypted enclosure on order, I thoiught I'd get a head start and plug my new HDD into another enclosure and transfer my data to it. Then when the encrypted one came, I could just plug it in and go. Well, I learned a valuable lesson. Plugging in a HDD into an encrypted device causes all data to be lost or unreadable. I can't remember if it was just unreadable and I had to reformat the HDD again, or if it somehow just reinitializes the HDD and erases everything as soon as you plug it into the enclosure.
Anyway, something wierd happend to another HDD in an enclosure (not-encrypted). It was in my bag for a few weeks and when I tried to access it, it wouldn't read the HDD. I thought I destroyed another HDD, but when I took the enclosure apart, I found that the screws that hold the HDD in the enclosure loosened enough and lifting my bag and putting it down and the position of the HDD in the bag was enough to dislodge the HDD from the connector. I just plugged it back in and tighted the screws and it was ok again. I use Cool Gear Drives for my enclosures - I've found that they are very sturdy and they are Firewire and USB compatible.
Now my question is since I carry my encrypted enclosure on a daily basis in my bag that gets lifted and put down, if it somehow dislodges itself like the other one, what will happen to the data on the HDD when it gets plugged back in to the connector?
I've taken precautions and make sure that the HDD is carried with the connectors towards the bottom, so that any jarring would force the HDD into the connectors instead of away from them. I guess that I could also use some medium strength locktite on the screws that hold the HDD into the internal frame of the enclosure so they won't wiggle loose.
I've read some info on the web that if you take an encrypted HDD and put it into a non encrypted enclosure that any data would not be readable, but waht happens to the data if the HDD was unplugged from the encrypted enclosure and then plugged back in? Is it treated like a new HDD like what happened when I installed it the first time or is there some coded data that tells the enclosure's encryption hardware that this HDD is mated to it?
Thanks.
