Password protecting an external drive

apologies if this has already been asked and answered:
I back up my Macbook onto an external La Cie hard drive; my macbook is protected by account and login passwords - how can I password protect the identical data on my backup drive?

Use the Disk Utility application in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder to create an encrypted disk image on that drive, and then move your data on the external drive to it followed by throwing the unencrypted data away and choosing Secure Empty Trash from the Finder menu. If you don't uncheck the box to add the image's password to the keychain and the keychain password is the same as your login password, which is the default setting, the image will be unlocked to your account when you login, but will remain encrypted to other accounts, including root.
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I'm trying to find an external drive for the MacPro that will allow me to password protect the external drive in case it is taken. Any suggestions on a very reliable on that is 2TB or a third party software that is compatable with the need I describe?

I'm trying to find an external drive for the MacPro that will allow me to password protect the external drive in case it is taken. Any suggestions on a very reliable one that is 2TB or a third party software that is compatable with the need I describe?

How much of a hurry are you in, and are you considering upgrading to Lion?
File Vault on Snow Leopard only encrypts home folders you select, and doesn't work well with Time Machine.
But Lion will have "full disk encryption" of local or external disks. See File Vault 2 here: http://www.apple.com/macosx/whats-new/features.html

Simplest way to password protect an external drive??

I want to clone my Macbook onto an external drive - I don't want to have to turn on filevault - never used it - i would ideally like to password protect the "Macintosh HD" icon on the external drive.... is there a really simple way to do this?

Well, whenever I want to password protect anything, I just encrypt it using disk utility.
After opening Disk Utility, go to File, New, Blank Disk Image. Then you select how much space you'd like to take up with the encrypted folder (you have to preset the size of the folder anticipating further change). The folder can be made on your main HD or Flash drive or external HD. It offer 256bit encryption but the folder can still be deleted by anyone with access to it even without the password.

How do I encrypt/password protect an external drive?

Hey, I have over 80 gigs of music saved on an external hard drive I use with my MBP. I take this disk to different studios, etc and want to make sure that I am the only one who can access the external drive when it is plugged into a computer. Is there a way to encrypt/passwork protect an entire external drive? I looked into the disk image thing, but as far as I can tell there are space limitations with this (or am I wrong)?
I would really appreciate anyones help with this. Thanks.

If you want to password protect a folder ...
Launch /Applications/Applescript/Script Editor
Paste this in:
on opening folder This_Folder
repeat
tell application "Finder"
set dialogresult to display dialog "Restricted Folder. Please enter the password to access folder:" buttons {"Ok", "Close"} default button 1 default answer "" with hidden answer
copy the result as list to {PWText, button_choice}
set button_choice to the button returned of dialogresult
if button_choice is equal to "Ok" then
set PWText to the text returned of dialogresult
if not PWText = "your password" then
display dialog "Access Denied" buttons {"Ok"} default button 1
else
display dialog "Access Granted" buttons {"Ok"} default button 1
exit repeat
end if
else if button_choice is equal to "Close" then
tell application "Finder"
close folder This_Folder
exit repeat
end tell
end if
end tell
end repeat
end opening folder
Click 'Compile' then 'Save As'
(Where it says "*your password*" insert the one you want)
Then CTRL-click on a folder / (Enable Folder Actions if not on) / Configure Folder Actions / Activate and select your script.

Help- how to password protect an external hard drive?

I'm just stuck. There must be a way to encrypt or password protect an external hard drive. No?

The easiest way is to make an encrypted disk image of the folder contents with Disk Utility. Go to Disk Utility's File menu -> New -> Disk Image from Folder. There you can pick an encrypted disk image. Once you have made that image, delete the folder that it came from and leave the image behind. Mind you, there is always the risk you might lock yourself out permanently from that data if the image becomes corrupted. You are safer keeping the external hard disk in a physically safe place when not in use.

How to password-protected an external disk on yosemite?

I search for hours but with no results...
I'm searching for a simple and free application that will password protect my external disk I'm moving from one place to another one. There are a lot of free solutions for PC but I have a hard time finding a solution for Mac.
Encryption with disk utility is not a solution for me since my 10.6.8 computer would not recognize the disk.
Moreover, I only want a simple password-protection.
I bought a WD elements and thought I could use Wd security but it looks like it only works with WD my passport (that contains this software) and that WD is preventing WD elements hard disks to be recognized by this application....
I searched the internet and it looks like there is no free solution. Or any free solution is not updated (not yosemite compatible).
Is there a free app ? Or do I have to buy a software (in that case which one would you recommend me)?
Thanks for your advices.

Thank you Kappy but you didn't read all my post. I quote "Encryption with disk utility is not a solution for me since my 10.6.8 computer would not recognize the disk."

I want to password protect an external dvd. I try using disc utility, but it won't format with encryption as it claims in the Help instructions. I am using Lion. Any ideas?

I want to password protect an external dvd. I try using disc utility, but it won't format with encryption as it claims in the Help instructions. I am using Lion. Any ideas?
Using Disk Utility, I select the disc image that contains the data that I want to backup to a DVD and select Burn. The program asks that a blank DVD be inserted. When I do that, no format pop-up appears as is indicated in the Help instuctions. If I procede with the burn, there is no password protection. Before I converted to Lion, I used to use Disk Utility to burn backup DVDs without any problems.

AFAIK, you create an encrypted disk image and burn that to DVD. There's nothing else to do, but I might be mistaken.

How to password protect an external hard drive

I just bought an external HD to use with Time Machine and for some extra space, but I would really like to password protect it. Since it has all my files on it, it is just as important as password protecting my computer. I'm thinking I probably have to use Disk Utilities, but I'm not quite sure how to do it.
Please be as detailed as possible, because I don't delve into Utilities very often.
Thanks
P.S. My HD is a Toshiba Portable Hard Drive, if it makes any difference. It advertises on the back that it can be password protected, but I have been unable of finding any way to do so.

Hello FidgetingFinhc,
The best protection for your data is to maintain the data as a encrypted disk image. Creating a "sparse image" will require a password to open:
I would follow the instructions provided by the Apple Support document below on how to make this happen.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1578
Hope this helps.
B-rock

Password Protecting An External Hard Drive.

I am running 10.6.2 on my Macbook Pro 2.33 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo.
I've just used Super Duper to back up and make a bootable copy of my Macbook Pro's internal hard drive. My question is can I password protect this new external hard drive, and it if it password protected, will I still be able to boot up from it should anything go wrong with the internal hard drive?
If the answer is yes to both questions, then I would very much appreciate some tips on how to go about this.
Many thanks in advance.

there are no built in tools for that. but you can turn on filevault on your home directory and encrypt your home folder. that's enough for most people as there really isn't any sensitive data outside your home directory. then of course the home directory on the clone will be just as protected.
if you want full disk encryption you need to use 3rd party tools like TrueCrypt or PGP encryption. I'm not familiar with them and don't know if they allow you to boot from encrypted drives.

How do I password protect the external hard drive used for Time Machine backup

Can anyone help me to put password protection on the external hard drive I use to Time Machine backup my iMac internal hard drive? I use Snow Leopard 10.6

I think that was FileVault 1. Starting with Lion (10.7) Mac OS X uses FileVault 2, which is whole disk encryption.
Based on complaints seen in these forums, I would say FileVault 2's only complaint has been when people forget their password/encryption key (it seems an encrypted disk does prevent anyone without the password from accessing the data, including the real owner). Otherwise it does not seem to be causing any serious issues. Your Mileage may vary and objects are closer than they appear in your side view mirror (standard disclaimer). Of course this is all academic while you are using Snow Leopard (10.6).
There are other whole disk encryption packages available, such as PGP Whole Disk Encryption, HOWEVER, I would not advise it for your Mac OS X boot disk, as it has been known to be a problem when you try to install operating system updates or upgrade to a new version. NOTE: I have not seen PGP Whole Disk Encryption discussed much, ever since FileVault 2 came along.

How do I password protect an external hard drive?

I'm using a 500 GB external hard drive to back up my PowerMac. I'd like to find a simple, robust "password protection" tool or software, to password protect this drive, in case it falls in to nefarious hands. If it's free, that's fine, but I'm also happy to buy. Any idea's?
Thanks!

Hi-
The best protection for your data, is to maintain the data as a encrypted disk image. This will provide both the need for a password, as well as decryption. Creating a "sparse image" will require a password to open:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107333
Ext. HDD passwords, in OS X, are just permissions, which can be changed, or hacked, and don't give much protection.

Password on Canvio External Drive

Is it possible to put on a password on the Canvio External Drive? I know the restore feature has one, I have other files on my unit and was wondering if I could somehow encrypt the drive so if I los it the drive cannot be opened unless a password is put in.
Tony

You don't disclose anything about your computer, Tony. In case you have Windows 7 Ultimate, this applies.
Help protect your files using BitLocker Drive Encryption
-Jerry

Password protecting a Flash Drive?


When I plug in my FlashDrive it opens up a Disk Image, I was wondering if it is at all possible to set up that Disk Image as a Password Protected disk image?
So when I insert the Flash Drive it will prompt me for a password and then open. I am starting up a small company and I would to keep all my confidential files on a Password Protected Flash Drive.
I know how to set up a password protected disk image using disk utility. But Disk Utility wont let me put a password on the disk image that automatically opens when inserting the flash drive, I have tried reformatting the flash drive, etc. but can't seem to get it to work.
The closest I've gotten is putting a .dmg file on the flash drive and then after opening the drive, open the .dmg file. Which would then prompt me for a password and open a new disk image. but I would like it a little less troublesome.
Please some one tell me if this is possible or not and How to do this?? Thanks


there are no built in tools to do that. the best you can do using built in tools is to make an encrypted disk image and put that on your flash drive. but you say you don't want that. the only other option would be a 3rd party full disk encryption tool like TrueCrypt or PGP. I'm not familiar with either so you'll have to investigate that yourself.

How Do I Erase a Password Protected USB Thumb Drive

I have a SanDisk Cruzer 16GB Thumb Drive that I Password Protected.
I have forgotten the PASSWORD and I made the hint to hard also. How do I just erase the Whole Thumb Drive and start over?
I have tried using Disk Utility but the Thumb Drive is all "greyed out"
Thanks for any help.

If you can connect the drive to a computer running Windows or a version of OS X older than 10.7, erase the drive that way. Otherwise see the link below.
Hard disk bricked after using file vault with time machine

Removing Password Protection From External Disk Attached to Time Capsule

I have an TV and when I try to watch a show it always says that "file format is not recognized." I am pretty sure it is because my computer gets disconnected from the external disk that all the media is on. This disk is attached to my time capsule. I wish I could make it so it would automatically reconnect with the disk after being disconnected, but I can't figure out how to make the external disk non password protected without making my network password protected also. Does that make sense? How do I make a disk so it is not password protected if it is on my password protected network? If my computer is on the network then I should be able to access discs without having to put in an additional password, no?

I have an TV and when I try to watch a show it always says that "file format is not recognized." I am pretty sure it is because my computer gets disconnected from the external disk that all the media is on. This disk is attached to my time capsule. I wish I could make it so it would automatically reconnect with the disk after being disconnected, but I can't figure out how to make the external disk non password protected without making my network password protected also. Does that make sense? How do I make a disk so it is not password protected if it is on my password protected network? If my computer is on the network then I should be able to access discs without having to put in an additional password, no?

Password protecting an external drive

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