[Mac_crypto] FileVault Causes Data Corruption/Can't Mount Disk Image Files

[R. A. Hettinga]

<http://www.macattorney.com/panther.html#Anchor-FileVault-22658>

OS X Panther Solutions

Presented by
Randy B. Singer


LAST UPDATED 11/5/03

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	 3.  	FileVault Causes Data Corruption/Can't Mount Disk Image Files

This problem isn't as nasty as #2, above, but it is still a big problem.
FileVault, a security feature of Panther that works by encrypting your user
folder has been causing data loss. Not for everyone, but for enough users
that FileVault should not be trusted. People are losing their Mail
settings, iTunes Libraries, Address Books, etc. FileVault corrupts user's
directories, and thus destroys all their user data, preferences etc.

Some folks say that the damage only occurs when FileVault reports that it
is "recovering disk space". If that is the case, then if FileVault asks you
to allow it to recover disk space, you should not allow it!

FileVault's has also been implicated with corrupting disk image files
(.dmg). Users with this problem get a "no mountable file systems" error
message when they try to mount a disk image.
http://discussions.info.apple.com/WebX?50@0.l3kGaXr4hEN.4@.599a6665

There has been a lot of traffic in Apple's Discussion forums about this
problem:
http://discussions.info.apple.com/WebX?128@50.UZO4aLp8jrG.15@.599b5b08
http://discusssearch.info.apple.com/WebX?14@212.6OtEaPI9jPW.0@.599b5b08
http://discusssearch.info.apple.com/WebX?13@212.6OtEaPI9jPW.10@.599b5267/3
http://discusssearch.info.apple.com/WebX?14@212.6OtEaPI9jPW.14@.599b6cee

As a precaution: If you have not yet installed Panther, I would do a custom
install and not install FileVault at all. If you have already installed
FileVault and it is on, and it asks permission to reclaim disk space, don't
allow it to. I recommend turning FileVault off, and leaving it off until
Apple offers an update to repair this utility.


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-- 
-----------------
R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'