Mac OS, my MacBook Pro and their foibles

Hey,

Just for anyone who's considering a Mac in any shape or form...
Versus Windows, no fight. Before the fanboys jump in, I Beta-tested W7. It's fine but just...boring.

Now, to intricacies. For photo processing, the Glossy screens are unreliably over-contrasty - I've just come back from the print house and my shots match my external (Matte) monitor, but on the glossy screen they've far higher contrast. Understood, with light travelling through glass etc. Just a point to bear in mind.

Lightroom fits in like a glove, lovely to work with and not that slow...I'm only running a MBP because I'm travelling next year and hauling a big custom Hackintosh about Canada...!

GIMP is fine, if rendering is a little slow on 10MP JPEGs. To be expected again.

Now, my gripe (there's only one!). FileVault + Time Machine.

If you have FileVault enabled...TURN IT OFF NOW!!!.
I 'backed up' with no warning from OSX about being logged into a FileVault secured account. I even went to the drive manually, and sure as nuts, there was my home folder with emails etc...
Upon a clean install, restored it all to find that...I couldn't get in there no matter what I did. The user account exists, but no sign of my home folders now. No big sweat, I triplicate backup the extremely important stuff, but that doesn't stop such foibles being annoying.
FileVault and Time Machine DO NOT CO-OPERATE unless you logout and THEN backup - which most users won't know because OSX doesn't make enough hoo-hah about it.

Just be careful guys...and purchase/be happy with your Mac just as long as you don't prick about with FileVault.

I have only had my mac for a few weeks... what is firevault?

FileVault is an encryption system that keeps your home folder (pics, iTunes lib etc.) literally under anally-safe lock and key. So much so that it doesn't work properly with Time Machine while you're logged in and nothing actually gets backed up. There are two ways about this :

Manually move the files and folders to an external place...but that negates the point of FileVault being secure!!! or

Log out and THEN Time Machine backup. It'll work then. But how bloody annoying, it won't just back up in the background!

First hit in Google: http://en.wikipedia.or​g/wiki/FileVault

René Damkot wrote in post #8973039
First hit in Google: http://en.wikipedia.or​g/wiki/FileVault

I'd've come straight out with GIYF!!!!! but I was trying to be polite

lol O boohoo I'm lazy. I asked because of course you can look it up, I wanted to hear how someone else described it. like someone asking about a 18-55 kit lens... duh I can look it up but I would rather have someone say "crap" lol so I find out more.

Psychobiker wrote in post #8972971
Hey,

Just for anyone who's considering a Mac in any shape or form...
Versus Windows, no fight. Before the fanboys jump in, I Beta-tested W7. It's fine but just...boring.

Now, to intricacies. For photo processing, the Glossy screens are unreliably over-contrasty - I've just come back from the print house and my shots match my external (Matte) monitor, but on the glossy screen they've far higher contrast. Understood, with light travelling through glass etc. Just a point to bear in mind.

Lightroom fits in like a glove, lovely to work with and not that slow...I'm only running a MBP because I'm travelling next year and hauling a big custom Hackintosh about Canada...!

GIMP is fine, if rendering is a little slow on 10MP JPEGs. To be expected again.

Now, my gripe (there's only one!). FileVault + Time Machine.

If you have FileVault enabled...TURN IT OFF NOW!!!.
I 'backed up' with no warning from OSX about being logged into a FileVault secured account. I even went to the drive manually, and sure as nuts, there was my home folder with emails etc...
Upon a clean install, restored it all to find that...I couldn't get in there no matter what I did. The user account exists, but no sign of my home folders now. No big sweat, I triplicate backup the extremely important stuff, but that doesn't stop such foibles being annoying.
FileVault and Time Machine DO NOT CO-OPERATE unless you logout and THEN backup - which most users won't know because OSX doesn't make enough hoo-hah about it.

Just be careful guys...and purchase/be happy with your Mac just as long as you don't prick about with FileVault.

The FileVault thing is a known issue (feature). FileVault is a free feature with a few drawbacks - what to you expect for free? Just download TrueCrypt... It's free and powerful. FileVault mounts the encrypted drive when you log in, thus, it can backup what's in the vault. If you're logged into a different account then these vaults are not mounted and will only appear as as larger containers.

People should really read all the instructions and do some research on these things before they start fooling around with their data, encrypting or making claims. No one is keeping anything secret or trying to fool you - there are up's and downs of using included software. Time Machine, FileVault and so on are very useful for the average user, but when you have work requirements that are mandated by local, state or federal agencies then you'll actually have to understand and implement more powerful solutions.

And btw, if I posted warnings of the pitfalls of Windows and OS X due to user error the entire Computer forum section would be saturated.

MaxxuM wrote in post #8973186
People should really read all the instructions and do some research on these things before they start fooling around with their data, encrypting or making claims. No one is keeping anything secret or trying to fool you - there are up's and downs of using included software. Time Machine, FileVault and so on are very useful for the average user, but when you have work requirements that are mandated by local, state or federal agencies then you'll actually have to understand and implement more powerful solutions.

I guess by the tone of that message that you do. I'm speaking about the average 'end user' here, who reckons that if it's 'secure' and 'backed up' then it's good - and how it can be dangerous if misused, and the pitfall ought to be brought before a user before they make such a mistake.

Psychobiker wrote in post #8973247
I guess by the tone of that message that you do. I'm speaking about the average 'end user' here, who reckons that if it's 'secure' and 'backed up' then it's good - and how it can be dangerous if misused, and the pitfall ought to be brought before a user before they make such a mistake.

It's pretty much common sense when you think about it. Your warning is not OS X specific - it's a integral part of the encryption/container method. The only way to avoid this is if you use file level encryption where each file is encrypted with a common hash (on dongal or in memory) - which is not as strong as the container method and can tax a CPU much more than using a container.

Microsoft's BitLocker works the same way and has the same pitfalls. When you try to backup a BitLocked drive a warning comes up saying data on the backup will not be encrypted. There are ways to do so, but the hash/key will be stored with the backup which is bad. Also, NTFS stores the hash on the drive unless you know what you're doing an offload it to a USB flash drive.

TrueCrypt also has the same pitfalls as Windows and OS X - but you have a little more control IF you know what you're doing. However, TrueCrypt will not allow you to offload ANY file to a none encrypted drive when you have a hidden drive/os. Meaning, you have to make a hidden encrypted drive to save to or it just wont let you save a single thing (in hidden methodology).

Long story short (too late ), if you want encryption from start to finish you'll have to impiment enterprise level security (which TrueCrypt can accomplish). Another option is to use a Windows 2003 or higher server to do Active Directory TPM backup/recovery. However, the most simple method is to use backup programs that do their own encryption. Right now I'm playing with Macrium Reflect 64bit as DriveImage XML is being a pain with UAC.

And you do what for a living?

When I was working for Apple I always warned the average user not to use file vault as it encrypts and decrypts on the fly it will cause dropped frame issues with video capture and I have had issues where when drives start to fail and you can no longer boot the system recovering user data is a nightmare at best. My suggestion for people who felt they needed more security for certain files ie quicken or other sensitive info is that OSX will allow you to create an encrypted disk image so you just make a disk image on your desktop or wherever you want it of a reasonable size then when you go to mount it is will prompt for the password you set then unmount when your done and it uses the same level encryption as file vault.

Just don't write Prose about encrypting your Pros and we'll all be fine...I'll get my coat.

The mountable encrypted image seems far more logical, even better if it's stored off-system (external HDD).