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password-protect external HD (USB)?

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f0dder:
If you reinstall windows or really wish to have access to those files in another computer, if you didn't unencrypt (does that word exist?) the files first, you're screwed.

--- End quote ---
decrypt :)

And you don't need to decrypt, you just need to export the keys from the registry.

But yeah, I'd personally prefer truecrypt or a similar protection, you know what you get there - which includes Rijndael instead of DES/whatever.

cthorpe:
As for encrypting with NTFS,

Right click on a folder, then select Advanced, then check the encrypt box.

mwb1100:
They are bound to that user and that windows instalation. If you reinstall windows or really wish to have access to those files in another computer, if you didn't unencrypt (does that word exist?) the files first, you're screwed.
-jgpaiva (January 20, 2007, 10:11 AM)
--- End quote ---

This is a key point - if you want to use EFS (the encryption used with NTFS) you must understand how to be able to recover your data from a reinstalled Windows system, otherwise your data is in grave risk of being totally unrecoverable.  It can definitely be done, but it's not a particularly simple process:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223316
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/cryptfs.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/windows2000/w2kccadm/dataprot/w2kadm21.mspx

Personally, I'd stick with TrueCrypt.  with TrueCrypt, the only things you need to know to have recoverable backups are:

1) a backup of the encrypted container file (a single file, generally)
2) the password (or the keyfile if that's what you're using)

With those 2 things, you can recover your data on any system

brotherS:
Thanks for all your comments, I decided I'll use TrueCrypt too!

How will it work in practice?

* connect my external HD
* start the HD: "power on"
* what comes here?
* Windows and all apps could access the encrypted container file

mwb1100:

* what comes here?-brotherS (January 22, 2007, 12:16 PM)
--- End quote ---
I double-click on the encrypted volume container file and the TrueCrypt mount dialog comes up.  I choose the drive letter to mount the volume on, click the 'mount' button, enter the passphrase, and I have a newly accessible drive letter.

Note that working this way (double-clicking on the container file) requires that TrueCrypt (TC) be installed on the computer, but TC will work without being installed - though you do need admin access to work without installation.

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