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    FDE hard drive

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by hceuterpe, Jan 26, 2010.

  1. hceuterpe

    hceuterpe Notebook Evangelist

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    Has anyone gotten an FDE hard drive to work properly in their Lenovo Thinkpad? I think I managed to figure out that I can set a strong HDD password to enable that feature, and then retrieve it with a fingerprint so I don't have to enter it everytime and instead just swipe. Wondering if there's an alternative to that, like tying the HDD to the laptop itself (like bitlocker does with a TPM chip).
     
    hceuterpe, Jan 26, 2010
    #1
  2. Tadeus

    Tadeus Notebook Enthusiast

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    Tadeus, Jan 26, 2010
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  3. jaredy

    jaredy Notebook Virtuoso

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    I just have my full drive encrypted with truecrypt.

    edit: which isn't FDE level of course...
     
    jaredy, Jan 26, 2010
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  4. rippeer

    rippeer Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm always weary of those types of things....
    If tied to the TPM, and something goes in the laptop then you won't be able to access the contents......ever (right?)
    As for FDE, what happens if you try to access it in another computer/windows goes bad?
     
    rippeer, Jan 26, 2010
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  5. realwarder

    realwarder Notebook Evangelist

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    If TPM is used with something like Bitlocker, you simply use the backup key that you save when you set it up.

    If FDE, as the BIOS simply passes the drive the password at boot (after you enter a password/fingerprint in), you just type the disk password into another laptop BIOS.


    In this day and age, encryption for businesses is quite important.
     
    realwarder, Jan 26, 2010
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  6. hceuterpe

    hceuterpe Notebook Evangelist

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    No. TPM stores the HDD password that's locked with what's probably a hash of your finger print.
    The smart (albeit really paranoid) thing to do would be to jot that down in a text file on a seperate desktop computer, encrypt it via AES-256 in a compressed file with a password you can remember, store it on 2 too-small outdated SD cards, erase the txt file on said desktop, seal them in a tamper evident envelope and lock it in a lock box in my desk at work, locking the cabinet. Yeah... that's actually my plan...
     
    hceuterpe, Jan 28, 2010
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  7. philfna

    philfna Notebook Evangelist NBR Reviewer

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    I have a the Toshiba SSD 256 GB with FDE (Lenovo part #43N3417), and it works flawlessly and is nearly as fast as my 256 GB SSD Samsung. Boot up swipe fingerprint, and go.

    Phil
     
    philfna, Jan 29, 2010
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