I am running Windows 10 and I would like to encrypt the disk. I don't have a CD so I want to create a rescue USB. I downloaded the package VerCryptCreateRescueUSB but the files in it do not work as no matter what I do I get a can't write error. I tried to format the disk but it gives me write access denied. Win10 let me format the disk from Win10 but I can't do it from the file in the zip file. I tried running the grubinst_gui but I get a write error (Iassume the floppy image is the correct mode). I did a search and it says to run in compatability mode of WinXP SP3. I tried this but it still gives me a write error. I want to make a rescue USB before I encrypt incase I run into an issue and I need it as I don't have another windows PC. Any ideas?
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I'm not sure where you downloaded the package you named ("VerCryptCreateRescueUSB"), but I just downloaded the file "VeraCryptUsbRescueDisk.zip" from a link on the page https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/VeraCrypt%20Rescue%20Disk.html, and followed the instructions in "Howto.txt", using my own rescue image file. I'm running Win10 v2004, build 19041.264. Everything went smoothly and I booted my encrypted system from the newly created thumbdrive, so I was unable to duplicate your issues with formatting. Except for the fact that Windows 10 was able to format your drive, I'd suggest that a physical write-protection mechanism on the drive had been inadvertently engaged, but even almighty Windows can't circumvent that, so I'm at a loss. All I can suggest is to look for something unique or unusual about your system. The program displayed no apparent bugs when I used it a few minutes ago.
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Thanks for the help. There isn't a physical protection set. After setting grubinst_gui to WinXP SP3 compatability mode and then I rebooted my PC and then I was able to use the grubinst_gui to put grub on the USB. I formated to FAT32 since FAT format in Windows caused the allocation size to be 64KB which is too big for FAT. I hope FAT32 is okay. I guess if no my other PC is Linux so I could format to FAT there.
I don't have VeraCrypt Rescue iso so I just put puppy linux iso on there to make sure it switched to it and it did.
I had to set the BIOS to Legacy mode on and the it is set to UEFI first and then legacy boot. I assume you need the Legacy boot for the Rescue iso to boot. I hope this setup doesn't cause any issues. Do you do this as well or just switch it in the BIOS when you need to boot the rescue ISO? I'll encrypt tomorrow as I want to make sure I could set up the rescue USB.
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You do apparently have something unusual going on with your system, Jim, because I didn't need any special compatibility settings when I ran either "usb_format" or the "grubinst_gui" program from the archive I downloaded, and I'm using 64-bit Win10. I launched them both from Windows Explorer and they only required the expected Administrative permissions and nothing more. That said, you seem to have powered through like a champ. I don't have an informed opinion on your use of FAT32, but I'm slightly concerned that your substitution of a puppy linux image may not be a really solid test for your rescue booting setup. There's a better test that you can do even before you encrypt, assuming you have made the initial installation of VeraCrypt on your system. You can go through nearly all the steps of system encryption up to the point where your rescue disk image is created. At that point, you can cancel encryption and VeraCrypt will not have changed anything on your system. You can then use that rescue disk image with your thumbdrive to make sure it boots correctly. For testing purposes, it's the real deal, but when you proceed with encryption, you must delete this "sample image" and replace it with the newly created one.
As for your questions about UEFI booting, I'm pretty ignorant. I use legacy BIOS and simply press F8 to choose a temporary alternate boot device like a thumbdrive or DVD. It's pretty simple, like me. By the way, I applaud your cautious approach -- it's noteworthy for its seeming rarity. That said, I'm surprised that you haven't mentioned making a pre-encryption backup.
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Thanks Gary. Not sure why I had the issues with the files in the zip package. I didn't realize you could go that far and then cancel out. I just did the puppy linux to see if switched over to try to boot it.
Actually, I got a thumb drive and made a container with veracrypt and backed up all my files inside the container. This was my first step and then step 2 was to try to make a bootable USB and then next is to encrypt. I know without a rescue ISO you could end up bricking your system.
I used Truecrypt many years ago on a WinXP PC. I had another PC that had a SSD that crashed and the drive wasn't encrypted hence the reason I want to encypt this current PC since it also has a SSD.
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Well I made that harder than it was. The VeraCrypt rescue is no longer an iso with UEFI as it creats a zip file that I just unzipped to the USB and I didn't even have to fool with grub. Naturally, I moved the zipfile off the PC and put it on another flash to have two just in case.
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I am running Windows 10 and I would like to encrypt the disk. I don't have a CD so I want to create a rescue USB. I downloaded the package VerCryptCreateRescueUSB but the files in it do not work as no matter what I do I get a can't write error. I tried to format the disk but it gives me write access denied. Win10 let me format the disk from Win10 but I can't do it from the file in the zip file. I tried running the grubinst_gui but I get a write error (Iassume the floppy image is the correct mode). I did a search and it says to run in compatability mode of WinXP SP3. I tried this but it still gives me a write error. I want to make a rescue USB before I encrypt incase I run into an issue and I need it as I don't have another windows PC. Any ideas?
Hi Jim,
I'm not sure where you downloaded the package you named ("VerCryptCreateRescueUSB"), but I just downloaded the file "VeraCryptUsbRescueDisk.zip" from a link on the page https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/VeraCrypt%20Rescue%20Disk.html, and followed the instructions in "Howto.txt", using my own rescue image file. I'm running Win10 v2004, build 19041.264. Everything went smoothly and I booted my encrypted system from the newly created thumbdrive, so I was unable to duplicate your issues with formatting. Except for the fact that Windows 10 was able to format your drive, I'd suggest that a physical write-protection mechanism on the drive had been inadvertently engaged, but even almighty Windows can't circumvent that, so I'm at a loss. All I can suggest is to look for something unique or unusual about your system. The program displayed no apparent bugs when I used it a few minutes ago.
Hi Gary,
Thanks for the help. There isn't a physical protection set. After setting grubinst_gui to WinXP SP3 compatability mode and then I rebooted my PC and then I was able to use the grubinst_gui to put grub on the USB. I formated to FAT32 since FAT format in Windows caused the allocation size to be 64KB which is too big for FAT. I hope FAT32 is okay. I guess if no my other PC is Linux so I could format to FAT there.
I don't have VeraCrypt Rescue iso so I just put puppy linux iso on there to make sure it switched to it and it did.
I had to set the BIOS to Legacy mode on and the it is set to UEFI first and then legacy boot. I assume you need the Legacy boot for the Rescue iso to boot. I hope this setup doesn't cause any issues. Do you do this as well or just switch it in the BIOS when you need to boot the rescue ISO? I'll encrypt tomorrow as I want to make sure I could set up the rescue USB.
You do apparently have something unusual going on with your system, Jim, because I didn't need any special compatibility settings when I ran either "usb_format" or the "grubinst_gui" program from the archive I downloaded, and I'm using 64-bit Win10. I launched them both from Windows Explorer and they only required the expected Administrative permissions and nothing more. That said, you seem to have powered through like a champ. I don't have an informed opinion on your use of FAT32, but I'm slightly concerned that your substitution of a puppy linux image may not be a really solid test for your rescue booting setup. There's a better test that you can do even before you encrypt, assuming you have made the initial installation of VeraCrypt on your system. You can go through nearly all the steps of system encryption up to the point where your rescue disk image is created. At that point, you can cancel encryption and VeraCrypt will not have changed anything on your system. You can then use that rescue disk image with your thumbdrive to make sure it boots correctly. For testing purposes, it's the real deal, but when you proceed with encryption, you must delete this "sample image" and replace it with the newly created one.
As for your questions about UEFI booting, I'm pretty ignorant. I use legacy BIOS and simply press F8 to choose a temporary alternate boot device like a thumbdrive or DVD. It's pretty simple, like me. By the way, I applaud your cautious approach -- it's noteworthy for its seeming rarity. That said, I'm surprised that you haven't mentioned making a pre-encryption backup.
Thanks Gary. Not sure why I had the issues with the files in the zip package. I didn't realize you could go that far and then cancel out. I just did the puppy linux to see if switched over to try to boot it.
Actually, I got a thumb drive and made a container with veracrypt and backed up all my files inside the container. This was my first step and then step 2 was to try to make a bootable USB and then next is to encrypt. I know without a rescue ISO you could end up bricking your system.
I used Truecrypt many years ago on a WinXP PC. I had another PC that had a SSD that crashed and the drive wasn't encrypted hence the reason I want to encypt this current PC since it also has a SSD.
Well I made that harder than it was. The VeraCrypt rescue is no longer an iso with UEFI as it creats a zip file that I just unzipped to the USB and I didn't even have to fool with grub. Naturally, I moved the zipfile off the PC and put it on another flash to have two just in case.