Password Protected Discs In Mac!

Hello and welcome!

This blog is intended for Macintosh users. Windows users will not be able to do this without access to a Macintosh computer.

It is recommended that you have the latest version of Mac OS X. At the time of this writing, the latest version is 10.5.6. Though this will work for previous versions, it's simply good practice to stay updated.

Today, you're going to learn how to create your own disk images. But first, what is a disk image? Well, a disk image is, simply put, like a small(or large) partitioned amount of space that you've set aside in order to store files. There are many uses for this, but today I'll show you how you can make a disk image into your own personal vault secured with a password for storing sensitive information.

The uses for this include:
- Storing files that have saved log-ins and passwords for frequently visited websites
- Locking away your latest and greatest of business plans so no one else can steal it!
- Securely locking away important emails, pictures, videos, or audio files
- Anything that would require a password to access!

First, we need to open up an application called Disk Utility. Go to spotlight and type that program name in.


Once Disk Utility opens, we're going to create a "New Image". You can do this by clicking the circled icon near the top of the window, as shown on the right.



Now, select a name for the Disk Image. I've called mine "Protected Files"(pictured above) to be generic. Specify the location in which you wish to save this personal vault. After that, name the 'folder' that you will be making. I've called mine "Secret Documents" and added a clever deterrent for those wanting to snoop into my personal files. Select the amount of size you'd like to dedicate towards this personal vault. I don't have a lot of secret information, so I've given only 10 MB to this folder. However, depending on what you're putting in there, you can have terabytes of storage (that's 1000 gigabytes!) for this folder. For the format, select "Mac OS Extended". Here's a quick look at what the other formats do:
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- The 'journaled' format allows you to make a bootable image, which would be useful if you were making a Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7 boot image to start a computer off of.

- The 'case-sensitive' format allows you to create multiple images under the same name, while keeping the cases as unique. For example, in the same folder I could have "Disk Image", "disk image", and "dIsK iMaGe" since the case in each varies. This can get confusing, though, and some third-party applications have a hard time interacting with case-sensitive images.

- The 'standard' format allows for previous versions of Mac OS to use the disk images, such as Mac OS 9.0, 8.0, 7.0, and so on.
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Now, back to the project! Keep the format as "Mac OS Extended" for simplicity reasons. Select the type of encryption you want. Selecting "none" will allow anyone to access it without the need for a password. Selecting "128" or "256" will add an encryption and password to the disk image. 256 encryption is safer, but takes much longer to make.

In the "Partitions" drop down menu, select "Hard Disk".

Select "Create" and you're almost done! Disk Utility will now ask you to type in your password, if you opted to have one. Make sure it's difficult to guess, otherwise people close enough to you can guess it and get into your files!

Now, Disk Utility may need a minute or two depending on the size of your Disk Image and the encryption method you selected. Once it's done, you can now store files into your image! The place to store files is circled in red on the left.

Once you've added what you wish to add, right click that same partition (circled on the left) and click "Eject..." You can now move the "Protected Files.dmg" (or your equivalent) where ever you'd like! You can put it hidden away in a folder somewhere or add it to your flash drive for mobile use.

When you want to access your personal vault, find the "Protected Files.dmg" file and double click it. Once you put in your password correctly, you'll have access to your files again!

I hope you've enjoyed this blog! To keep up with my latest tech-tips, subscribe or add me to your RSS reader!

Thanks for reading,
-Nick