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Q: Help! How to decrypt external hardrive on timemachine?

I've encrypted my WD Passport external hardrive but I'm not able to view in any other mac (i.e. my laptop) than my desktop where I originally encrypted. It certainly was easy to encrypt on timemachine but there isn't option to undo! I would like to decrypt withouth compromising any of the data of course hence looking for an option that will not force me to reset.

Posted on Feb 8, 2014 6:55 AM

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Q: Help! How to decrypt external hardrive on timemachine?

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  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Feb 8, 2014 7:00 AM in response to gproducer
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Feb 8, 2014 7:00 AM in response to gproducer

    The most information that can be found on TimeMachine is http://pondini.org/TM/Home.html

     

    Encrypting with one computer and then trying to decrypt with another is a problem as you must have the encryption key installed on both machines.

  • by Neville Hillyer,

    Neville Hillyer Neville Hillyer Feb 8, 2014 8:51 AM in response to gproducer
    Level 4 (1,877 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2014 8:51 AM in response to gproducer

    The two things I advise users never to do are:

     

    1. Encrypt data on a hard disk
    2. Set a firmware password

     

    In my experience they often result in permanent loss of important data and hence cause more trouble than they are worth.

  • by gproducer,

    gproducer gproducer Feb 8, 2014 4:43 PM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 8, 2014 4:43 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Thanks Ralph for the link but unfortunately there was'nt any information regarding my need.

     

    There is has got to be a way to decrypt the external hardrive. I cannot understand why there isn't an easy solution as having an option to remove the existing password and go back to an "open" hardrive if you will. Pretty frustrating as this hardrive will be of no use as I bought to be able to work on my mac dekstop and laptop  back and forth mostly. 

  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Feb 8, 2014 4:49 PM in response to gproducer
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Feb 8, 2014 4:49 PM in response to gproducer

    The only reliable way to do what you want is to decrypt it on the machine used to encrypt, then keep it in plain text so it is accessible by both.  If both machines have identical versions, meaning builds, of the operating system and both have the same encryption key, you might succeed.  But the slightest difference in algorithms and that is impossible.

  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Feb 8, 2014 5:05 PM in response to gproducer
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Feb 8, 2014 5:05 PM in response to gproducer

    This is definitely an interesting question...so far I have been unable to find any guidance on how to use a disk encrypted on one machine with another.