Windows 8.1 Will Automatically Encrypt Your Stuff.

Computer Help and Discussions Windows Security
21

Perhaps some old jank was removed from Windows 8 during the upgrade?

At 12% of the contents of the drive it would seem to be quite a lot of old jank!

I've solved the problem of being forced to sign in with a Microsoft Account each time I startup the computer or bring it out of standby - all I did was go to Settings -> Change PC Settings -> Accounts and then signed out of my Microsoft Account. I'm now back to being logged on as a local user account and this stays the same even when restarting the computer.

22

Robbie, did that encryption get enabled during the installation?

The cited article seems to indicate that it will if the computer meets certain criteria.

I must get over to the win 8 forum and read about it before I turn this one on next time.

23

Robbie, did that encryption get enabled during the installation?

The cited article seems to indicate that it will if the computer meets certain criteria.

I must get over to the win 8 forum and read about it before I turn this one on next time.

The installation process took about an hour and a half so I wasn't taking much notice of the laptop... all I did see was a set of generic installation screens "eg "devices" each displaying the % of installation for that particular part of the installation. The specifics of each part of the installation wasn't displayed.
24

OK. Thanks. I'll read about it over at the win 8 forums, as I wish for it to be turned off, just in case something goes awry and file recovery becomes necessary.

My first choice for that would be a Linux OS, but I don't think that will work if the files are encrypted.

25

Bizarrely, after installing Windows 8.1 I have an additional 12GB of free space on my C: Drive which is the drive I use for the system files. The drive is 100GB in size and the free space available has increased from 33GB to 45GB. Quite how or why I don't know.

If you have a Macrium Reflect Partition Image backup of Windows 8 you can mount that as a virtual drive and use TreeSize Free to rapidly analyze the sizes of all folders and subfolders,

and launch a second instance of TreeSize to analyze your real Windows 8.1

and do a side-by-side comparison to see the cause of the 12 GB difference.

I guess that you could do the same with NON-Macrium image backups.

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If you have a Macrium Reflect Partition Image backup of Windows 8 you can mount that as a virtual drive and use TreeSize Free to rapidly analyze the sizes of all folders and subfolders,

and launch a second instance of TreeSize to analyze your real Windows 8.1

and do a side-by-side comparison to see the cause of the 12 GB difference.

I guess that you could do the same with NON-Macrium image backups.

Thanks for the suggestion - I'd saved a Macrium Reflect image last night in case anything went wrong when I installed Windows 8.1. There are differences in a few folders but the main ones are 1. The System restore points are all gone. There are no longer any system restore points from prior to the upgrade. I think these may have been over 4GB in size in total. 2. The WinSxS folder is over 6GB smaller
27

Nice to see you again Robbie. :)

Where's the Magpies badge?

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Nice to see you again Robbie. :)

Where's the Magpies badge?

Hi Dennis :)

The Magpies badge is back!

29

Just right mate. I didn't recognize you. :lol:

30

Maybe that's why it took over an hour with 4 seperate loading screens. But I don't see any files encrryped... is there something i'm missing?

31

Yes, that update takes a long time by all reports.

Fwiw, a bit over half way down on that page linked in the first post, it shows "How to Disable Device Encryption".

That might show you how to determine if encryption is on or off.

Also, I suspect that the encryption will be transparent to the logged in user...not sure of that, maybe someone can confirm it?

I have not tried it yet.

Indeed I won't turn the win 8 computer on until I can make some sort of restorable image that will remove that update if need be.

Studying about the best way to do that now.

32

It doesn't encrpt my files... I don't see that option ether. You can safley update it.

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It doesn't encrpt my files... I don't see that option ether. You can safley update it.

I have never yet known a Windows Update that was safe :angry:

Even Microsoft do not think them safe or they would not create a System Restore Point as part of the installation :P