File Share Encryption

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  • 1.  Can a laptop be unplugged during decryption by recover disk?

    Posted Dec 15, 2015 03:26 PM

    I'm decrypting a drive that was encrypted with PGP Desktop 10.0 using this recovery disk:

    https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.TECH152604.html

    It's idiotic that I didn't think of this before, but I'd rather the laptop be powered through a UPS to reduce the risk of it running out of power in the case of an outage. The decryption looks like it will end up taking another week at this rate.

    Will it halt the decryption if I unplug the laptop to plug it into a UPS?



  • 2.  RE: Can a laptop be unplugged during decryption by recover disk?

    Posted Dec 15, 2015 04:55 PM

    *Should clarify: It was encrypted using PGP WDE and I'm using the recovery disk to decrypt it.



  • 3.  RE: Can a laptop be unplugged during decryption by recover disk?

    Posted Dec 15, 2015 05:24 PM

    Typically we would recommend following our Drive Diagnosis and Recovery article at http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH149679

    However, it sounds like you have already started the recovery process, and decryption is moving along... Unfortunately, that version of PGP Desktop is so old, it would be hard to find an answer. In any case, it is not recommended to unplug a laptop during decryption, but most newer versions of Symantec Encryption Desktop will pause the decryption process when a laptop enters battery power. I can't say what would happen in version 10.0.0 ... 

    I haven't found anything discussing PGP Desktop 10.0 laptop battery decrypt / encrypt operations. However, I did find an excerpt from PGP Desktop 9.6 which advises that unplugging from AC power may cause a loss in data, so I would NOT recommend simply unplugging the laptop to move it over.