Cryptainer Volume

What is a "volume" / "virtual drive"?

Cryptainer creates a volume that can only be accessed with a password. This volume is also known as a "vault". This volume stores files in the encrypted form. This Cryptainer drive is like any other drive you normally work with. It functions like any other drive (C: or D:) on your computer.

The Cryptainer Drive (vault) is actually a file. All data is stored encrypted within this file. The file behaves like a regular Windows drive only after mounting it through the program interface; it shows up under Windows as a new drive (E: or F: etc.). You can treat it as an "Vault" for all your data.

Can I create multiple vaults (drives)?

Yes - You can create as many volumes as you may need. You can load up to four Cryptainer drives working at the same time.

Can I increase or change a Cryptainer Volume size after creation?

The Cryptainer volume/drive cannot be resized, it is only a matter of creating a new one of desired size and copying the files from the previous volume into the new one. You can have up to four Cryptainer drives working at the same time.

Can I delete the volume (drive) created by Cryptainer, if I decide not to use it ?

Yes - Once you exit Cryptainer, the volume is like any other file or folder on the Windows system. You can delete the volume like you delete any other file.

By default, Cryptainer creates a volume in the ../../system32 directory. In Windows 2000 Systems, the default location is ...\WINNT\system32\cxl17xx while on Win XP and Win 98, it is ...\Windows\system32\cxl17xx.

The volume file once deleted, goes to the Recycle Bin, since when unloaded, it is like any other file. All standard windows files operations apply to cryptainer vault files as well.

I have lost a cryptainer volume and cannot find it, please advise?

The Cryptainer Drive (vault) is actually a file. All data is stored in the form of encrypted within this drive.

The file behaves like a regular windows drive only after mounting it through the program interface. Once you exit Cryptainer, the volume is like any other file or folder on the windows system.

You need to remember the location of the drive(you may want to search for it by looking for files of say a XX mb created ..., named cxd1708). The default location is ...\WINNT\system32\cxl1708 under Win2k and

...\Windows\system32\cxl1708 under WinXP and Win 98/WinME.

What happens to the files you delete from Cryptainer? Is there a way to retrieve them?

There is no way to retrieve files deleted from the Cryptainer volume. In the interest of the security of your data these files are not stored in the Recycle bin. If you confirmed the deletion when prompted the files are deleted permanently.

Can I make the Cryptainer Volume "delete-proof"

There is no way to make volume file "delete-proof". Cryptainer volume is like any other file or folder under the windows operating system. Cryptainer like any other program, works within the advantages as well as the limitations that the OS superimposes. Deletion of files is a matter of privileges, that other OS's deal with differently. The Mac OS or Unix for example handles it very well. File protection (easier understood as access rights) in the Unix world is set up by the operating system. To illustrate, a appropriate user can set up a file so that only specific people can delete. There is no way to be able to do this in a acceptable manner, technically, within the ambit of Windows currently. Protection (delete protection etc) in Windows, if any, is completely cosmetic. Attributes can be reset easily, to illustrate. Like any data that is valuable a, there is no other answer, save regular backups of all important data including Cryptainer Volume files, as in the case of all computer data.

Is it possible to access cryptainer volume on network?

Yes, it is possible to access encrypted volumes across a network. All you do is to create a Cryptainer volume on your network drive and then mount it. Please note, however, that you will need to map the remote drive/folder in which the Cryptainer volume is created on to the local machine as a mapped drive. Thereafter, you can mount the volume, from

this mapped drive, on the local machine.

In the interest of security, Cryptainer volume may not be directly loaded on more than one computer at a time.

Can I install and run programs from a Cryptainer drive?

Using Cryptainer it is also possible to load an application within the Cryptainer Volume which would serve much the same purpose. (You can try it by installing a application to the Cryptainer Volume). During the process of install, simply point to the Cryptainer Drive letter.

All most all applications like MS office, Adobe products etc work fine. Outlook Express and Internet Explorer difficult to install in a Cryptainer drive. Other e-mail clients work fine (The Bat, Eudora etc..)

When I try to load my Cryptainer volume file I get the error message "The special volume had been compressed on an NTFS Partition. This is not supported, Please remove the compression attribute" What should I do?

Cryptainer volumes unfortunately cannot function if compression is enabled on your NTFS drive. You will need to change the attributes of the drive on which cryptainer volume is to be created. Please Right Click on the drive, Select "Properties" and uncheck the compress drive tab.