Filevault

[zenapple]

Hi all,

I'm about to reformat my MacBook Air and would like to enable Fielvault. I'm planning to enable it right after formatting the drive and reinstalling El Sierra, before I put any of my data on it.

Is this the best way to go?

After I encrypt it and put all my data and install my software will those be automatically encrypted?

Ben

 

[KALLT]

The whole Macintosh HD volume will be encrypted. You don’t really have to wait until the encryption is done before importing your data, all data will eventually be encrypted.

 

[zenapple]

Thanks

 

[IHelpId10t5]

As KALLT states, no need to wait. Just make SURE that you know how the recovery key options work and also have a good backup strategy in place. Full disk encryption is a great thing if treated with the respect it requires. It can keep your data safe if used wisely but can just as easily make all of your data inaccessible to you as well.

 

[zenapple]

Thanks for the advice. encryption took only ten minutes! I added about a 100GB of data after that and it doesn't seem to be processing that as was mentioned somewhere. Maybe after restart?

I'm also thinking about putting file vault on my time machine and other external backup drives. For time machine I know it's possible but is it also possible for a regular external drive?

Got the key save somewhere. So I'm good to go with that.

 

[KALLT]

Thanks for the advice. encryption took only ten minutes! I added about a 100GB of data after that and it doesn't seem to be processing that as was mentioned somewhere. Maybe after restart?

Data is encrypted on-the-fly once the volume has been fully converted to FileVault.

I'm also thinking about putting file vault on my time machine and other external backup drives. For time machine I know it's possible but is it also possible for a regular external drive?

You can encrypt external drives in Finder.

 

[Weaselboy]

For time machine I know it's possible but is it also possible for a regular external drive?

Very easy... just right click in Finder and Encrypt.

 

[zenapple]

Great! looks easy enough! Thanks guys