File Share Encryption

i ran across a lenovo laptop at the pawnshop today and could not pass up the $40 pricetag it had on it. I saw that it had Symantec PGP Desktop on it when i tried to boot it. I have never seen or heard of the product, because all ive ever used is an antivirus. Anyway, my qustion is, is there any way to get it off of the laptop so I can use it like a normal one? I tried to do some research on it, but i have hit deadends. any insight would be greatly apppreciated.

Hi rstout01,

The Symantec PGP login that you are getting is because the machine is encrypted with software. 

This is a Data/Disk encryption product from Symantec, please see the below link for more details on it.

http://www.symantec.com/products-solutions/families/?fid=encryption

The only way to get into it is providing the password for the bootguard (encrypted machine), else you can format the disk and install new OS and continue using the machine.

They most likely sold it so cheap due to the encrypted hard drive. Format the disk and install a version of Windows of your choosing

Hi rudyCNP

Symantec Encryption is security software which encrypts your drive and keeps your data secure in case of your machine is lost or crashed. Even if you want to dump an encrypted machine, you don’t need to format the drive, once encrypted it is safe