Beware PGP

[ArcticDiver]

Bought new computers. Downloaded and installed newest PGP, 10.1. Encypted both hard drives. Now neither will boot. It seems that PGP encrypts even the reovery partition of the hard drive. It does this without warning. Except after the fact the Chat Rep will say that you shouldn't do that. In short, PGP knows there is this problem but doesn't bother to tell you up front.

Now I have to find an application that will boot a bootable CD and attempt to boot from that. Failing that I have to download and install PGP on another machine and attemp a decrypt from that. Last time I tried removing a hard drive and decrypting on another machine it didn't work.

Off to find a program that will burn a bootable CD under Windows 7.

[ArcticDiver]

Lots and lots of burners. But so far none that from their descriptions at least make bootable CDs. The native burner in Windows 7 doesn't.

Any recommendations on a burner to burn an iso to bootable CD?

[kat]

the ability to boot depends on the info on the disc, any burner will recreate it.

[Norris]

You shouldn't need a specific "burner" to create a bootable CD. Many free programs out there will burn an iso to CD and create a "bootable" CD. Unless I am misinterpreting what you are trying to do. Here is the application I use, and it is free..


http://www.imgburn.com/

[ArcticDiver]

Their tech support said to download the iso file from their web site which I did. Then to burn it as a bootable CD. I used the native Windows 7 burner which apparently did not make it bootable. I get the first screen of PGP recovery but there it stops. Their tech person says that means the CD is not bootable.

imgburn will make it bootable?

[dsteding]

Can't help you, but seeing PGP brought back memories, my Dad started that company in the mid-90s.

[ArcticDiver]

Now they are owned by Symantec. Their products have always been more Techie than User Friendly. But, not a lot of competition so they have survived. This latest thing is a new low though.

No warning. Just encrypt the disk. Then a "no problem just download our iso file, find a burner that will make it bootable and decrypt the HD". If that doesn't work find another pc, install PGP on that one, remove HD and connect it to the other one and decrupt" Oh yes, "This only works if the master boot record hasn't been corrupted". "We won't know that until you are finished" 500G drive will take about 24 hours to decrypt.

Am I unhappy??

Went to the imgburn web site. That is convoluted at best so haven't figured out yet what I'm downloading. They seem to want to download a lot of stuff that has nothing to do with burning.

[Norris]

Let me norrow that link down for you...

http://fileforum.betanews.com/download/ ... 28426215/1

This will get you right to the download area. Click the Active X bar when the page opens and download file. Once installed, the software is very easy to use, and getting what you want out of it should be straight forward...You are welcome to PM me if you have specific questions...

[ArcticDiver]

Just did before seeing this. I'll let you know what I find out. Thanks.

[dsteding]

Now they are owned by Symantec. Their products have always been more Techie than User Friendly. But, not a lot of competition so they have survived. This latest thing is a new low though.

No warning. Just encrypt the disk. Then a "no problem just download our iso file, find a burner that will make it bootable and decrypt the HD". If that doesn't work find another pc, install PGP on that one, remove HD and connect it to the other one and decrupt" Oh yes, "This only works if the master boot record hasn't been corrupted". "We won't know that until you are finished" 500G drive will take about 24 hours to decrypt.

Am I unhappy??

Went to the imgburn web site. That is convoluted at best so haven't figured out yet what I'm downloading. They seem to want to download a lot of stuff that has nothing to do with burning.

Yeah, I know he sold it probably in 1997. Was one of those "way before it's time" things back then, the guy that came up with the original encryption algorithm is a quite a character.

[airsix]

Arctic,
The CD issue isn't about bootable/not. It's an issue of your software being able to correctly write an iso image. You just need a burner that handles iso images correctly.

Regarding the PGP issue, what you wanted was "encrypt partition", not "encrypt entire disk". Not trying to be mean, but it did exactly what you asked it to. Some users need a full disk encryption and "leaving out some parts" just isn't an option. Unfortunately it did exactly what it was supposed to do.

-Ben

[ArcticDiver]

To the person who knows I suppose that is a good answer. But, when the menu name is Whole Disk Encryption. When selected it highlights the Whole Disk as the Only Selection then that is what I pick. It did not show two partitions. It showed one drive, period.

The Chat person acknowledged that the only indicator was a + sign. That was never pointed out in either the release notes or the help file. So, how was I supposed to know?

Others, I find out now, have had the same problem with Dell reserved partition hard drives and PGP.

An ongoing issue with PGP has been its' orientation to the IT professional.

[ArcticDiver]

When things go south they do it big time. I just discovered that the new owners of PGP, Symantec, have changed the terms of the support agreement I purchased a month ago. No more telephone support as a part of the package. Plus, they reduced the Chat support to 8 hours per day starting at 0400 MST.

[CaptnJack]

Exactly what state secrets do you have up there in AK anyway??

[ArcticDiver]

Exactly what state secrets do you have up there in AK anyway??

Written like either a person who doesn't realize the value to others of personal information, or just trying to get a rise out of me.

[CaptnJack]

Exactly what state secrets do you have up there in AK anyway??

Written like either a person who doesn't realize the value to others of personal information, or just trying to get a rise out of me.

You have more computer problems up there than the rest of us combined, why is that? There are alternatives to hard disk encryption you know, like improving your firewall, securing your wifi connections better, and not putting critical personal information on your hard drive in the first place.

[ArcticDiver]

Exactly what state secrets do you have up there in AK anyway??

Written like either a person who doesn't realize the value to others of personal information, or just trying to get a rise out of me.

You have more computer problems up there than the rest of us combined, why is that? There are alternatives to hard disk encryption you know, like improving your firewall, securing your wifi connections better, and not putting critical personal information on your hard drive in the first place.

Actually, not so many problems as trying to reach out from a relatively isolated place to others to see what the best solution is for certain situations. There are a lot of options. There are a bunch of talented people on this NWDC.

No there isn't any substitute for good encryption other than not to put the data there at all. In today's world that just isn't possible for most people, including me. In today's world just about anything you do on the computer; pay bills, email exchange with docs, businesses, insurance, the State, etc leaves data on the hard drive. That data is sought after and often used to the individual's detriment.

Anyone who travels or is in a place where physical access to the machine is possible needs encryption. Firewalls, etc only prevent remote access, not physical access. Lots of places when traveling where physical access can be gained.

I personally have had adverse impact from data taken from another computer, not my own, due to a loss another due to a data compromise of a bunch of us, some 4000 Ithink. I could go on and on but in the end only the most naive downplays the need to protect personal data, let alone corporate.

[ArcticDiver]

Thanks to Norris for help in this situation. Symantec was of little or no help since they unilaterally changed the support agreement. With Norris' help I was able to wend my way through the options and the problem will be resolved.

One outcome from this episode is that I can no longer recommend PGP to anyone unless they are a professional IT person who is intimately familiar with all the information on the PGP web site. The correct information was on the web site along with pages of data on what PGP isn't compatible with. Unfortunately Symantec/PGP didn't see fit to include the critical portions in the material they sent me.

Summary:Beware PGP it is hazardous to your computer's health.