How to Mount the Standard Volume

In this section, you will learn how to 'mount' your newly created Standard Volume. In TrueCrypt, 'mounting' refers to making the volume available for use.

To begin mounting your Standard Volume, perform the following steps:

Step 1: Start the TrueCrypt program.

Step 2: Select a drive from the list as follows:

Figure 12: The TrueCrypt main screen

The Standard Volume will be mounted on the M: drive.

Note: In this example, the 'M' drive letter is selected, but you can choose any other available drive letter.

Step 3. Click:

The Select a TrueCrypt Volume screen will appear as follows:

Figure 13: The Select a TrueCrypt Volume screen

Step 4. Select the Standard Volume file that you created , then click:

The Select a TrueCrypt file screen closes to reveal the main TrueCrypt window.

Step 5: Click: to activate the Enter password for prompt screen as follows:

Figure 14: The Enter password prompt screen

Step 6: Type the password in the Password: text field.

Step 7:` Click:

TrueCrypt will begin to mount the Standard Volume.

Note: If the password you typed is incorrect, TrueCrypt will notify you and you will need to re-type your password and click: . If the password is correct, the Standard Volume will be mounted as follows:

Figure 15: The TrueCrypt main screen displaying the newly mounted Standard Volume

Step 8. Double-click the highlighted entry in TrueCrypt or double-click the corresponding drive letter in the My Computer screen to access the Standard Volume now mounted on drive 'M:' on your computer).

Figure 16: Accessing the Standard Volume through the My Computer screen

Note: We have just successfully mounted the My Volume Standard Volume as a virtual disk 'M:'. This virtual disk behaves like a real disk, except that it is entirely encrypted. Any files will be automatically encrypted when you copy, move or save them to this virtual disk (a process known as on-the-fly encryption).

You can copy files to and from the Standard Volume just as you would copy them to any normal disk (for example, by dragging-and-dropping them). When you move a file out of the Standard Volume, it is automatically decrypted. Conversely if you move a file onto the Standard Volume, TrueCrypt automatically encrypts it. If your computer crashes or is suddenly switched off, TrueCrypt will immediately close the Standard Volume.

Tip: Its recommended to use the 'secure move' feature of the Eraser program for transferring files to the Truecrypt volume. This will ensure that no traces of the files are left behind on the computer or USB memory stick that they came from.

3.1 How to Dismount the Standard Volume

In TrueCrypt, 'dismounting' a Standard Volume simply means closing it.

To close or dismount a Standard Volume and make its files accessible only to someone with a password, follow these steps:

Step 1. Select the volume from the list of mounted volumes in the main TrueCrypt window.

Figure 17: Selecting the Standard Volume to be dismounted

Step 2. Click:

You have now successfully dismounted (or closed) the TrueCrypt Standard Volume.

Important! Make sure to dismount your TrueCrypt volume before putting it in Standby or Hibernate mode. Better yet, always shut-down your computer or laptop if you plan on leaving it unattended. This will prevent anyone from being able to gain your volume password. 

To retrieve a file stored in your Standard Volume once you have closed or dismounted it, you will have to mount it again.