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From: Ricky Hunt on 11 Aug 2008 01:36
I can't find anywhere how to password disks/diskettes.

1) How do you password a 3.5" diskette (both before and after formatting if
possible)

2) Can you password a whole diskette (with files/folders already on them)? I
can password my image files. And I know you can password a ZIP file. But I
need to password a whole disk (hopefully at root level so once unlocked I
won't have to fool with unlocking each file, etc. Or at the very least
password the highest level folder (and thereby all files under than, again
not having to unlock files after disk/folder is unlocked).

--
Thanks,

Ricky Hunt


From: Sue Morton on 11 Aug 2008 07:47
I've not tried to do what you want (password only). Perhaps someone here
has experience with that.

Running encryption will achieve what you want. Better be able to run the
decryption program or your data will be lost forever, the whole idea being
that the encryption is virtually impossible to crack so you're not likely to
get your back if you can't decrypt it. I've never tried to encrypt a
floppy, so I can't recommend anything that I know for a fact will do that.

http://www.zdnetasia.com/techguide/security/0,39044901,62031111,00.htm is
an article on using Windows' built in EFS but I don't know if it will do
floppys, I doubt it.

There are several programs with more features, my pick is TrueCrypt. It's
free and open source http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads.php I know you can
encrypt an entire USB flash drive and/or create an encrypted container on
the flash drive, again dunno about floppys...

Here's some other possibilities besides TrueCrypt:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/security/encryption.shtml

If you can't find anything that will encrypt/decrypt a floppy on the fly, a
bit of work but you might be able to image the floppy to disk or USB stick,
and encrypt there, then store it back on the floppy. You'd have to do the
reverse to read it, though, so this isn't the same thing as being able to
browse encryped floppy on the fly. I use the program Undisker for imaging
and restoring images, not free but works beautifully
http://www.undisker.com/ I've not looked for freeware alternatives as I've
had this proggie a long time. Depending on your reason for wanting to
protect a floppy and your intended use of that floppy, this may or may not
be a viable workaround for you.

(I have Undisker because floppy in particular has a very short readable
lifespan, by imaging a good floppy I can keep the image stored and backed
up, and write out a brand-new floppy whenever I need one. I haven't used
this program much in recent years, since floppys are getting more rare. But
it is still useful from time to time.)
--
Sue Morton

Ricky Hunt wrote:
> I can't find anywhere how to password disks/diskettes.
>
> 1) How do you password a 3.5" diskette (both before and after
> formatting if possible)
>
> 2) Can you password a whole diskette (with files/folders already on
> them)? I can password my image files. And I know you can password a
> ZIP file. But I need to password a whole disk (hopefully at root
> level so once unlocked I won't have to fool with unlocking each file,
> etc. Or at the very least password the highest level folder (and
> thereby all files under than, again not having to unlock files after
> disk/folder is unlocked).


From: Sue Morton on 11 Aug 2008 07:51
Just spotted this
http://www.iusmentis.com/technology/remailers/securedrive.html

Says it encrypts floppies... YMMV I have not used this program.
--
Sue Morton

Sue Morton wrote:
> I've not tried to do what you want (password only). Perhaps someone
> here has experience with that.
>
> Running encryption will achieve what you want. Better be able to run
> the decryption program or your data will be lost forever, the whole
> idea being that the encryption is virtually impossible to crack so
> you're not likely to get your back if you can't decrypt it. I've
> never tried to encrypt a floppy, so I can't recommend anything that I
> know for a fact will do that.
> http://www.zdnetasia.com/techguide/security/0,39044901,62031111,00.htm
> is an article on using Windows' built in EFS but I don't know if it
> will do floppys, I doubt it.
>
> There are several programs with more features, my pick is TrueCrypt. It's
> free and open source http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads.php I
> know you can encrypt an entire USB flash drive and/or create an
> encrypted container on the flash drive, again dunno about floppys...
>
> Here's some other possibilities besides TrueCrypt:
> http://www.thefreecountry.com/security/encryption.shtml
>
> If you can't find anything that will encrypt/decrypt a floppy on the
> fly, a bit of work but you might be able to image the floppy to disk
> or USB stick, and encrypt there, then store it back on the floppy. You'd
> have to do the reverse to read it, though, so this isn't the
> same thing as being able to browse encryped floppy on the fly. I use
> the program Undisker for imaging and restoring images, not free but
> works beautifully http://www.undisker.com/ I've not looked for
> freeware alternatives as I've had this proggie a long time. Depending on
> your reason for wanting to protect a floppy and your
> intended use of that floppy, this may or may not be a viable
> workaround for you.
> (I have Undisker because floppy in particular has a very short
> readable lifespan, by imaging a good floppy I can keep the image
> stored and backed up, and write out a brand-new floppy whenever I
> need one. I haven't used this program much in recent years, since
> floppys are getting more rare. But it is still useful from time to
> time.)
> Ricky Hunt wrote:
>> I can't find anywhere how to password disks/diskettes.
>>
>> 1) How do you password a 3.5" diskette (both before and after
>> formatting if possible)
>>
>> 2) Can you password a whole diskette (with files/folders already on
>> them)? I can password my image files. And I know you can password a
>> ZIP file. But I need to password a whole disk (hopefully at root
>> level so once unlocked I won't have to fool with unlocking each file,
>> etc. Or at the very least password the highest level folder (and
>> thereby all files under than, again not having to unlock files after
>> disk/folder is unlocked).


From: Ricky Hunt on 12 Aug 2008 18:38
"Sue Morton" <867-5309(a)domain.invalid> wrote in message
news:dJVnk.17947$mh5.16636(a)nlpi067.nbdc.sbc.com...
> Just spotted this
> http://www.iusmentis.com/technology/remailers/securedrive.html

Thanks, Sue. The disk isn't a big deal since any sensitive data (credit
cards, passwords, etc.) are all on my images and are passworded. The rest is
my audio disk from Sonar and stuff I've downloaded so it doesn't matter who
reads it. I keep a floppy (and have a list USB dongle from when my stepdad
died) that I keep all my passwords, installations codes, to do list, etc. on
an update frequently. I've got the images ready to store offsite now so if a
fire, etc. happens I can grab the diskette/USB stick and have most of what I
need to get my email, etc. up and running on a new machine.


From: Sue Morton on 12 Aug 2008 21:56
Here's something I use, it's free, and very very handy. It's nothing more
than a tiny footprint notepad that makes itself into an encrypted executable
when you save it. If you don't know the password to run the executable and
decrypt the notepad to view or update, bye bye. It uses 256-bit
AES/Rijndael in CBC mode so it's pretty unlikely you can crack it. Don't
lose that password!

http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Other/fSekrit/

You can change the password and re-save and the new executable will be
encrypted with the new password. You can put it on floppy or whatever, the
EXE is very small (60K plus the text). You can name the executable whatever
you like, and you can even temporarily rename the extension, just remember
to rename it back to EXE so you can run it.

Of course if you run the executable to view the data, that is just plain old
text stored in your PC's memory, for that limited time period you have the
same vulnerability as almost anything else you might use. If your machine
is clean of beasties and you're careful about who uses it, should'nt be much
of an exposure.
--
Sue Morton

Ricky Hunt wrote:
> "Sue Morton" <867-5309(a)domain.invalid> wrote in message
> news:dJVnk.17947$mh5.16636(a)nlpi067.nbdc.sbc.com...
>> Just spotted this
>> http://www.iusmentis.com/technology/remailers/securedrive.html
>
> Thanks, Sue. The disk isn't a big deal since any sensitive data
> (credit cards, passwords, etc.) are all on my images and are
> passworded. The rest is my audio disk from Sonar and stuff I've
> downloaded so it doesn't matter who reads it. I keep a floppy (and
> have a list USB dongle from when my stepdad died) that I keep all my
> passwords, installations codes, to do list, etc. on an update
> frequently. I've got the images ready to store offsite now so if a
> fire, etc. happens I can grab the diskette/USB stick and have most of
> what I need to get my email, etc. up and running on a new machine.



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