Mac Mini & Firevault
- Thread starter JazzAzz
- Start date
DeltaMac
Tech
Yes, the encryption pauses, as do most other services, if you put your Mac in sleep mode. It will continue when you wake it.
Just my opinion, there's probably not a good reason to put it to sleep when you have started encryption, and not something that I would do. I would suggest letting it continue until completion.
Just my opinion, there's probably not a good reason to put it to sleep when you have started encryption, and not something that I would do. I would suggest letting it continue until completion.
JazzAzz
Registered
Yes, I think you are correct. I had been working with one of the Apple 2nd Level Tech support guys this morning & yesterday on a problem, and I asked him this question and he said that it would continue in sleep, even when SHUT DOWN, which I tended to doubt, but he is the expert
After this encryption is complete, I will be wanting to turn Filevauit off, so he said it will then have to de-encrypt everything. The dang thing has been running for 1.5 days now, what a PIA, since de-encryption will take just as long, and I like to SHUT my PCs down going to bed at night.
Encryption or de-cryption will stop when the hard drive is asleep or you shut down. You can put your monitor to sleep and allow the drive to keep on working. If the drive is asleep or off, the work of the file vault will stop because the drive is not active. It should continue when you wake up the Mac from a sleep.
The technician was correct when he said you need to decrypt your files before turn File Vault off. Otherwise, you will not be able to access your files - which is exactly what File vault is to do - protect your files from other eyes.
The technician was correct when he said you need to decrypt your files before turn File Vault off. Otherwise, you will not be able to access your files - which is exactly what File vault is to do - protect your files from other eyes.
DeltaMac
Tech
And, there's no point to File Vault, if you turn it on (encrypting your hard drive), then turn it off when that is complete, thereby un-encrypting your hard drive again.
If you want the security of File Vault (and it is quite secure!), then let it finish, then ignore it (leave it on). The security that File Vault provides takes care of itself.
In fact, the encryption process has very minor effect on your use of the system (you really have to test and look to notice much of anything while the initial process (encryption) is running.) File Vault takes care of itself (and you) very nicely, thank you
If you want the security of File Vault (and it is quite secure!), then let it finish, then ignore it (leave it on). The security that File Vault provides takes care of itself.
In fact, the encryption process has very minor effect on your use of the system (you really have to test and look to notice much of anything while the initial process (encryption) is running.) File Vault takes care of itself (and you) very nicely, thank you
JazzAzz
Registered
Yes this Filevault may be a very useful tool, but like the Tech told me, if you have some very sensitive stuff that ought to be encrypted, like if yours is a Government or a business with some important stuff. Otherwise if you are an ordinary SCHMOE like me>>LOL>>IMO I would not do it, because if a reason may come up like needing to use the, "MacOS Utility," tool to re-install your OS, like we nearly did, when you do to RE-INSTALL, you have you to wait for that dang FileVault to do its' thing yet, which depending on how much stuff you have could take DAYS. Nope not me, ANYMORE, mine finally finished ENCRYPTING, FINALLY, and now, decrypting, saying, "More than one day."
JazzAzz
Registered
P.S. Before going to bed last night, I made sure in my Settings, that A) I had my monitor go off in 15 mins, B) OPT'g for this machine NOT to go to sleep when the Monitor does off, and 3) telling it to, "Not put the drives to sleep whenever possible." Yet I am confused, waking up & checking, the Screen was dark, not a screen saver in action, and when I went to bed, it said, "One More Hr," until encryption was finished, but 4 hrs. later it was still going>>>>GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
JazzAzz
Registered
I have to add, unless there is definite need, like your computer is used for law enforcement, the FBI, NSA, or something important as those natures, I would NEVER EVER enable FileVault. I began DECRYPT this morning around 7AM, and at that time it said about 6 hrs. which I knew was BS from my experience of it Encrypting. All day, I have had this machine on, when not in use, letting it go to screensaver, and it has just gone no more than maybe 1/3, still saying 8 hrs. to go. IMO Filevault probably does what it says, but is poorly engineered. No reason for it to take this long. So if you ever think you may someday have a reason to do an OS re-install, which fortunately I am not, but if you do, with that sucker enabled, it will take a good three days before you can turn it off, to do what you need to do.
DeltaMac
Tech
Interesting points.... but you have a basic misunderstanding about what File Vault does, and how it works..
Did you notice that you can continue working normally (or doing whatever it is you do with your Mac) while the encryption process continues?
There is, in most situations, very little noticeable performance decrease while either encryption, or decryption takes place. (That would be part of its "poor engineering" )
Notice also that when you log in to an encrypted drive, that you would seldom even know that the drive is encrypted, other than the slight change in opening the drive with a password.
Finally, turning on (enabling) File Vault encrypts your hard drive.
Once the encryption is complete, you would leave File Vault ON. File Vault automatically encrypts new information. There's nothing that you need to do, other than remember the login password, and also the File Vault key that is generated when you first turn on File Vault.
Turning OFF File Vault removes all encryption (and you are back to an un-encrypted volume, back to square one, eh?)
So, if you want the extra security of File Vault (and it is quite secure), then enable File Vault. The initial process takes some time, and you can continue to work normally while that process occurs. You leave File Vault turned on, it takes however long it takes. New information, new data, your added files, all are encrypted when you copy those to a File Vault-enabled drive. That additional process takes very little time, and you won't notice any difference as the process is essentially transparent.
The important point is that you leave File Vault turned on, and that takes care of itself.
You would only turn File Vault off if you want to remove the encryption from the drive completely. Yes, that also takes time. But, it is a process that you probably won't ever need to do, unless you need to turn File Vault off because of some problem that you have with the drive.
You DON'T ever need to turn File Vault off just so you can use the drive. Your data is always protected while File Vault is on, and you can use your drive as normal, even while encrypting, and AFTER the encryption is complete.
BTW - you don't need to turn off File Vault (or de-crypt) your boot volume to reinstall macOS. You just enter your unlocking password when you choose an encrypted volume as the install destination.
Did you notice that you can continue working normally (or doing whatever it is you do with your Mac) while the encryption process continues?
There is, in most situations, very little noticeable performance decrease while either encryption, or decryption takes place. (That would be part of its "poor engineering"
)Notice also that when you log in to an encrypted drive, that you would seldom even know that the drive is encrypted, other than the slight change in opening the drive with a password.
Finally, turning on (enabling) File Vault encrypts your hard drive.
Once the encryption is complete, you would leave File Vault ON. File Vault automatically encrypts new information. There's nothing that you need to do, other than remember the login password, and also the File Vault key that is generated when you first turn on File Vault.
Turning OFF File Vault removes all encryption (and you are back to an un-encrypted volume, back to square one, eh?)
So, if you want the extra security of File Vault (and it is quite secure), then enable File Vault. The initial process takes some time, and you can continue to work normally while that process occurs. You leave File Vault turned on, it takes however long it takes. New information, new data, your added files, all are encrypted when you copy those to a File Vault-enabled drive. That additional process takes very little time, and you won't notice any difference as the process is essentially transparent.
The important point is that you leave File Vault turned on, and that takes care of itself.
You would only turn File Vault off if you want to remove the encryption from the drive completely. Yes, that also takes time. But, it is a process that you probably won't ever need to do, unless you need to turn File Vault off because of some problem that you have with the drive.
You DON'T ever need to turn File Vault off just so you can use the drive. Your data is always protected while File Vault is on, and you can use your drive as normal, even while encrypting, and AFTER the encryption is complete.
BTW - you don't need to turn off File Vault (or de-crypt) your boot volume to reinstall macOS. You just enter your unlocking password when you choose an encrypted volume as the install destination.
JazzAzz
Registered
Interesting points.... but you have a basic misunderstanding about what File Vault does, and how it works..
Did you notice that you can continue working normally (or doing whatever it is you do with your Mac) while the encryption process continues?
There is, in most situations, very little noticeable performance decrease while either encryption, or decryption takes place. (That would be part of its "poor engineering"
Notice also that when you log in to an encrypted drive, that you would seldom even know that the drive is encrypted, other than the slight change in opening the drive with a password.
Finally, turning on (enabling) File Vault encrypts your hard drive.
Once the encryption is complete, you would leave File Vault ON. File Vault automatically encrypts new information. There's nothing that you need to do, other than remember the login password, and also the File Vault key that is generated when you first turn on File Vault.
Turning OFF File Vault removes all encryption (and you are back to an un-encrypted volume, back to square one, eh?)
So, if you want the extra security of File Vault (and it is quite secure), then enable File Vault. The initial process takes some time, and you can continue to work normally while that process occurs. You leave File Vault turned on, it takes however long it takes. New information, new data, your added files, all are encrypted when you copy those to a File Vault-enabled drive. That additional process takes very little time, and you won't notice any difference as the process is essentially transparent.
The important point is that you leave File Vault turned on, and that takes care of itself.
You would only turn File Vault off if you want to remove the encryption from the drive completely. Yes, that also takes time. But, it is a process that you probably won't ever need to do, unless you need to turn File Vault off because of some problem that you have with the drive.
You DON'T ever need to turn File Vault off just so you can use the drive. Your data is always protected while File Vault is on, and you can use your drive as normal, even while encrypting, and AFTER the encryption is complete.
BTW - you don't need to turn off File Vault (or de-crypt) your boot volume to reinstall macOS. You just enter your unlocking password when you choose an encrypted volume as the install destination.
"BTW - you don't need to turn off File Vault (or de-crypt) your boot volume to reinstall macOS. You just enter your unlocking password when you choose an encrypted volume as the install destination."
Not what the Support (2nd Level Tech and I ran onto). When he had me go to "MacOs Utilitiy," and click on "Reinstall OS," it told me that Filevault would have to DECRYPT FIRST and began the process that apparently depending on how much STUFF you have could take DAYS, maybe WEEKS, if you have your entire music and movie collection on there>>LOL. Went to bed with it saying 8 hrs. to go, this morning hardly no progress and saying 13 hrs. Can't wait to turn THAT CRAPPOLA off and will never turn it on EVER EVER AGAIN. But y'all do what you want
Have a great day.
JazzAzz
Registered
"BTW - you don't need to turn off File Vault (or de-crypt) your boot volume to reinstall macOS. You just enter your unlocking password when you choose an encrypted volume as the install destination."
Not what the Support (2nd Level Tech and I ran onto). When he had me go to "MacOs Utilitiy," and click on "Reinstall OS," it told me that Filevault would have to DECRYPT FIRST and began the process that apparently depending on how much STUFF you have could take DAYS, maybe WEEKS, if you have your entire music and movie collection on there>>LOL. Went to bed with it saying 8 hrs. to go, this morning hardly no progress and saying 13 hrs. Can't wait to turn THAT CRAPPOLA off and will never turn it on EVER EVER AGAIN. But y'all do what you want
Addendum>>>Came out here after showering, getting dressed, bringing it out of screensaver, it initially said 20 HOURS TO GO now 4>>LOL>>, imagine!!!! Was it designed by a Yo Yo manufacturer. Now don't y'all get mad at me, not trying to be a SmartButt, but this is ridiculous. I had asked the support dude if we could force it to stop, and he said, "Yes, but we would have to wipe the HD,">>>>REALLY, MY GOSH. Sure am glad we did not have to do a Re-install after all, just living with a very easy work around.
DeltaMac
Tech
I guess I have been around computers for too long.
I have become accustomed to "estimated time remaining" often being inaccurate. 'tis an estimate, after all. It recalculates as the task proceeds, and estimates can go up or down...
Good thing that Apple does not require you to use File Vault. It remains, as always, an option.
I have become accustomed to "estimated time remaining" often being inaccurate. 'tis an estimate, after all. It recalculates as the task proceeds, and estimates can go up or down...
Good thing that Apple does not require you to use File Vault. It remains, as always, an option.
JazzAzz
Registered
I guess I have been around computers for too long.
I have become accustomed to "estimated time remaining" often being inaccurate. 'tis an estimate, after all. It recalculates as the task proceeds, and estimates can go up or down...
Good thing that Apple does not require you to use File Vault. It remains, as always, an option.
And it BETTER REMAIN an option>>LOL. Making it mandatory would be a MAC deal breaker for MOI