File Vault Encryption and Cloning Hard Drives

[bunnspecial]

I have a 15" mid-2012 classic MBP that is both a main personal and work computer. I own it outright, but use it for work related tasks.

My university has recently implemented a policy that all computers-whether personally or university owned-that are used to handle sensitive information have to employ file encryption. Because I handle student information(I'm an adjunct instructor in addition to my regular work duties) I have to follow this policy. The policy does specifically state that File Vault in OS X meets the required encryption standards. I'm not disagreeing with the policy-in fact I think it's a great(and necessary) idea-but I have a small concern about it.

I'm planning to upgrade the computer to an SSD soon, but my budget won't permit me to buy the drive I want(1TB Samsung Evo) until next month. I have until the end of the month to implement encryption, and really would prefer to do it sooner rather than later.

I had intended to clone the current drive when I installed the SSD(what I've done for virtually every other SSD installation I've done). I've always used Carbon Copy Cloner. What I'm wondering is if File Vault will affect my ability to correctly clone the drive.

If it will, I'll need to just go ahead and buy the drive on credit(which I'd prefer not to do) and clone it before encrypting. If, on the other hand, I can clone after encrypting without issues I'll wait.

Does anyone know how this would work?

 

[austinted]

I have a 15" mid-2012 classic MBP that is both a main personal and work computer. I own it outright, but use it for work related tasks.

My university has recently implemented a policy that all computers-whether personally or university owned-that are used to handle sensitive information have to employ file encryption. Because I handle student information(I'm an adjunct instructor in addition to my regular work duties) I have to follow this policy. The policy does specifically state that File Vault in OS X meets the required encryption standards. I'm not disagreeing with the policy-in fact I think it's a great(and necessary) idea-but I have a small concern about it.

I'm planning to upgrade the computer to an SSD soon, but my budget won't permit me to buy the drive I want(1TB Samsung Evo) until next month. I have until the end of the month to implement encryption, and really would prefer to do it sooner rather than later.

I had intended to clone the current drive when I installed the SSD(what I've done for virtually every other SSD installation I've done). I've always used Carbon Copy Cloner. What I'm wondering is if File Vault will affect my ability to correctly clone the drive.

If it will, I'll need to just go ahead and buy the drive on credit(which I'd prefer not to do) and clone it before encrypting. If, on the other hand, I can clone after encrypting without issues I'll wait.

Does anyone know how this would work?

No problem at all cloning a file vault encrypted drive. I run my CCC clone every night. Your clone won't initially be encrypted. If you want the clone to be encrypted you'll need to boot from the clone and turn it on same way as you do on the normal boot drive.

 

[DoFoT9]

Probably the most effective and efficient way to perform this, would be to use Time Machine - this has support already built in to 'handle' the encryption of drives. Once you get the new drive, you simply install the OS on the new drive and restore the Time Machine backup.

 

[bunnspecial]

No problem at all cloning a file vault encrypted drive. I run my CCC clone every night. Your clone won't initially be encrypted. If you want the clone to be encrypted you'll need to boot from the clone and turn it on same way as you do on the normal boot drive.

Thanks-with that in mind I'm going to turn on File Vault in the next few minutes.