By Matthew Lindhe (EDGE Tech Customer Support Technician)

Phone: 800-259-6565      Email: support@edgetechcorp.com

Edge Tech Corp’s DiskGO Guardian flash drive utilizes The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) which is a strong encryption algorithm that is commonly used worldwide. AES uses three different key sizes of 128 bits, 192 bits and 256 bits. The Guardian uses a 256 bit key, which is called AES256 and currently considered the strongest mathematical encryption algorithm in use.

AES was adopted from the Rijndael encryption algorithm and was chosen by The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which is a federal technology agency that develops and promotes standards. AES is fast, secure and is less resource intensive than other encryption algorithms.

By trying every possible key, such as in a brute force attack, it would take “far longer than the age of the universe to complete.”  When the AES process was completed, a scientist by the name of Bruce Schneier that was competing with the Rijndael team said in a quote, “I do not believe that anyone will ever discover an attack that will allow someone to read Rijndael traffic.”

Now, with all of this being said, the weakness in this method is the user’s password. It is much more likely for a hacker to crack the password on the unit than the encryption algorithm. The Guardian requires a strong password which requires uppercase letter, lowercase letters and symbols to be used. An example of a strong password is Edg3Te(h. Do not use cognitive passwords since they can be easily detected through the use of password cracking programs.

Excerpts for this article were taken from: CompTIA Security+ by Darril Gibson.

                        Email: support@edgetechcorp.com       phone: 800-259-6565

            By default, all of EDGE Tech Corps external hard drives come preformatted in NTFS (New Technology File System) which is not a supported format for MAC OS. There are a few easy steps you would need to perform in order to make the external drive function properly on your MAC.

For Functionality on MAC only when the drive is <1 TB in size:

1)      Connect the drive to the system using your preferred connection type (USB/Firewire/eSata)

2)      Wait for the drive to mount and show up as an icon on your desktop.

3)      Open Disk Utility. This file path is: GO > Utilities > Disk Utility.

4)      Select the DiskGo! From the menu on the left hand side of the Disk Utility Window.

5)      Once the proper drive is selected, choose the erase tab on top of the window.

**Note** Formatting the drive will erase all data that is currently on the drive, so if you already have transferred data to the drive, please back up your data before continuing with this next step. Also, please be aware that this format will render the drive unreadable on any other operating system.

6)       Select MAC OS Extended from the file table drop down menu and click the erase button to begin             the format.

Once this process is finished close the disk utility window and begin using your new EDGE DiskGo!

For functionality on MAC only when the drive is >/= 1TB in size:

1)      In MAC OSX, you can use the built in Disk Utility to partition and initialize the drive so it will appear          on the desktop.

2)      Open the main drive (the drive that contains the operating system).

3)      File path: Applications folder > Utilities folder > Disk Utility.

4)      The drives are displayed on the left side of the window. Click on the drive that you wish to                      partition (the top drive listing for the hard drive that you want to work with). EDGE DiskGo!

5)      Once you have selected the drive click on partition.

6)      Click on the options button to select the partitioning scheme.

7)      Click on Apple Partitioning Scheme, Apple Partitioning Map, or GUID and click on the OK button. ( I          recommend using the GUID option)

8)      You will see several options for setting up the drive. Once you have selected the number of                    partitions, format type desired and a volume label, click the Partition button.

9)      Once the formatting is completed the drive will appear on the desktop and you can now use your            new DiskGo! Hard drive.

For functionality on both MAC and PC (Using Windows XP):

1)      This can be completed on both MAC and PC; however it is recommended that this procedure is                completed on a PC.

2)      In Windows XP you can only create a partition that is 32GB (32000MB) or less in Fat32.

3)      File Path: Start menu > Control panel > Administrative tools > Computer management > Disk                Management.

4)      Right click the drive you want to format and click ‘new partition’.

5)      Select ‘Primary partition’ and select next.

6)      Change the partition size in MB to 32000 and select next.

7)      Leave the drive letter at E: and select next.

8)      Choose the ‘format this partition with the following settings’: File System – Fat32, Allocation unit            size – Default, and Volume label – whatever you want to name it. Check the Perform quick format            button and click next. Then click finish.

9)      Once the formatting is done you will see one “Healthy” Volume and one “Unallocated”.

10)   Right click the unallocated and perform the above steps again; however you can use whichever file           format you choose.

11)   You will now be able to use the 32GB partition on your MAC and PC.

For Functionality on both MAC and PC (Using Windows 7):

1)      In Windows 7 you can only create a partition that is 32GB (32000MB) or less in Fat32.

2)      File path: Windows Orb (start) > Control Panel > Administrative tools > Computer Management >          Disk Management (Side Bar).

3)      Right click the drive you want to format and select “delete volume.”  The drive should now show as          unallocated.

4)      Right click the drive again and select “New simple Volume.” Set Simple Volume size to 32000MB,              assign a drive letter of your choice, set File System to Fat32 and check the “quick format” box.                Select Next and Finish.

5)      Once the formatting is done you will see one “Healthy” volume and one “unallocated”.

6)      Right click the unallocated and perform the above steps again; however you can use whichever file          format you choose.

7)      You will now be able to use the 32GB partition on your MAC and PC.

By Matthew Lindhe ( EDGE Support Technician)

Email: Support@edgetechcorp.com                             Phone: 800-259-6565

Compact Flash cards are small storage devices that can be used in various applications such as Digital Camera’s, Digital Video Recorders, card readers, and as bootable devices. In this article we will explore the differences between “fixed disk” cards and removable media cards.

Removable media Mode: Once inserted into your computer the CF card will read as Removable Disk (Below left picture) and you can safely remove the card by simply right clicking and selecting ‘eject’. This type of CF mode is common when using the card as portable storage and it can be easily moved from device to device.

               Removable Media Mode                                        Fixed Disk Mode

Fixed Disk Mode:  Once inserted in your computer the CF card will read as ‘Local Disk’ (above right picture) and you can safely remove the card by selecting ‘safely remove hardware’ and stopping the drive like you would an external hard drive. The use of ‘fixed disk mode’ is to use the CF card as permanent data storage. You can create fixed partitions, install Operating Systems and set it up as a bootable device.

Email: support@edgetechcorp.com      Phone: 800-259-6565

What is BIOS? I hear this question all the time from consumers when we suggest they do a BIOS update. B.I.O.S stands for Basic Input/output System.  Basically, the BIOS is what helps the operating system get going and is the first code run by a pc when it is turned on.  It is used to identify, test and start hardware such as hard disk and video display cards. This is a program that is built into the computer. 

Most computers will let the user change or set the BIOS options by utilizing special screens or a set of screens.  Please note BIOS is not used in Mac Systems; It is only found in windows based machines.

The BIOS uses a basic set of instructions to boot the computer. The BIOS is always in the machine and these routines are usually stored in ROM (Read Only Memory). The system board has a ROM BIOS which it uses to support its standard functions.  

BIOS Upgrade: This means an upgrade to the programs stored on the ROM Memory (motherboard). This upgrade will update the BIOS, POST AND SET UP of your PC.  Note: Use only updates directly from your manufacturer.  

How to do BIOS Update:

1. Make sure you copy down your BIOS ID String.

2. Identify your pc or motherboard type on the manufactures website.

3. Download the correct BIOS file from the manufactures home page.

4. Download the correct flash program from your manufacturer’s home page.

5. Flash Your BIOS (following instructions outlined by your system manufacturer.)

Email: support@edgetechcorp.com           Phone: 800-259-6565

There are a few items that you will need for proper External Hard Drive Care: Small Fan, Optical Cloth, Canned Air, and a Surge Protector.

1. Make sure your External drive is on a flat, stable, clean surface.
2. Try to keep your External Drive away from heaters, air conditioners, humidifiers and drafts.
3. When your External Drive is in use try to avoid moving it.  Moving it while in use can result in physical damage.
4. If you drive is getting really hot you can plug a small fan by it to keep it cool.
5. Dust your External Drive every so often with a soft optical cloth, and spray the opening of the drive with canned air to remove any dust build up.
6. Instead of plugging your External Drive into a direct outlet use a surge protector. This can help protect the drive against voltage spikes.   

Email: support@edgetechcorp.com           Phone: 800-259-6565

                                     Data Encryption types, and how it works…

                In the world of data encryption, you have several types of options available these days. I wanted to walk through an explanation of encryption and the different options you have when data deciding what you need. Encryption could be defined as a process that takes information and uses a mathematic algorithm to transcribe data into a different form. It then requires a special “key” to read the encrypted data and translate it back to a useable form. The two most common types of data encryption are:

Software Based Encryption - This type of encryption will typically consist of a standard storage device (Hard Drive, Flash Drive, Digital Media Card, etc.) and a software program to facilitate the encryptions. For example, the standard DiskGO Secure drive comes with a program called CryptArchiver. This software allows the user to create an encrypted “Vault” on the drive, with all files stored in the Vault area to be encrypted in either 256-bit AES or 448-bit Blowfish algorithms. The drawback to this type is encryption is that your system hardware (CPU, RAM) is responsible for all the encryption tasks done during a file transfer. This is compounded by the fact that USB itself relies on your system hardware (CPU, RAM, and hard drive speeds) to maintain reliable speeds. Because of this, you trade security for performance. Data transfers made using this encryption method can cause dramatically reduced speeds for file transfers. For example, let’s say a flash drive can be copied to at an average minimum of 4MB/s. If you added software encryption to the mix, your transfer speeds could drop to as low as 1MB/s for certain types of files.

http://www.edgetechcorp.com/usb-flash-drives/diskgo-secure-flash-drives.asp?product_id=6482

Hardware Based Encryption - The only significant difference with Hardware Based Encryption is that all data intensive encryption tasks are done onboard the storage device, rather than relying on system resources to do the work. With this method of encryption, file transfer speeds will remain more stable during the encryption process. Also, most hardware encrypted drives are built with more robust materials and are typically highly resistant to physical damage and are likely to be water resistant. The drawback to this type of encryption is higher costs to manufacture, which means higher costs for consumers. Hardware based encryption of flash drives can sometimes be 2-3 times as expensive as software based options.

Finding out exactly what type of encryption will work for you can be a challenge, but with a little time and research, you can easily find something to suit your personal or business needs.

http://www.edgetechcorp.com/usb-flash-drives/hardware-secure-flash-drives.asp

Email: support@edgetechcorp.com      Phone: 800-259-6565

BIOS Updates

You just upgraded your computer’s memory and the system won’t boot. The first thing you should try is a BIOS update. The system BIOS, which stands for basic input/output system, loads the Operating System, controls  devices and holds configuration details. The BIOS is designed for the specific system when it was built and can require BIOS updates to fix issues that were not relevant when the system was released. One such issue is the addressing of certain builds and sizes of RAM. For example, a system that was released prior to 2GB modules being released does not have the knowhow or the capability of reading such module. For this reason, the motherboard and system manufacturers release updates to fix memory and other known system issues.

One current known issue is with motherboards that have Intel 4 series chipsets. These systems were originally released before certain builds of memory were released, and thus are not able to recognize them once installed. In order to fix this issue you will need to visit the support site for the PC or motherboard manufacturer and download the latest BIOS version. If you are unsure of which chipset your motherboard has you can search the model through EDGE Tech Corps. Memory Configurator and retrieve that information.

If you have just installed new memory and your system won’t boot, please reinstall the old memory and download the latest BIOS version from the manufacturers support site. If you still have trouble with your install contact Customer Support for additional troubleshooting.

Email: support@edgetechcorp.com    Phone: 800-259-6565

The main difference between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows has to do with memory accessibility.

In a 32-bit version of Windows, users will not be able to install and use more than about 3GB of memory. Though many 32-bit versions of Windows list a 4GB maximum memory, they are not able to address anything more than 3GB. This is due, in part, to the way your system sets up memory addresses in your computer.

A 32-bit processor is programmed to use 32 bits (hence the name) to locate each byte of memory.  To determine how many addresses this gives us, we would need to take 2 (each bit can be either 0 or 1) to the 32^nd power, therefore, 2³² = 4,200,000,000. This means that each memory address 32 bits long can only refer to a location within this number (4.2 billion, or 4GB). Because your computer uses these memory addresses to locate all peripherals in the machine, it cannot address 4GB of memory even if it is installed

This means that if you would like to use more than 3GB of memory, you would need to have a 64-bit Operating system.  It is fairly easy to tell which version of Windows you have. You can check this by clicking on the Start button and going to Control Panel, then by selecting the System icon.

Windows XP:

                On the General tab, next to Windows XP, it will say x64 if you have a 64-bit version of the OS.

Windows Vista:

                Click View and Print Details. In the System section, it will show the version of the OS under System Type. If your machine is capable of running a 64-bit OS, but is not running one, it will tell you.

Windows 7:

                Under Windows edition, it will tell you if you have a 64-bit version.

Note: If you would like to install a 64-bit version of Windows, please check with your system manufacturer to ensure that you have a 64-bit processor as 32-bit processors are not able to run a 64-bit OS.

Email: support@edgetechcorp.com   Phone: 800-259-6565

                       Looking for back-up software, try this simple file back-up solution…

             Recently I have been trying to find simple, affordable software to do standard automated file backups to hard and flash drives. I have tried several different types of freeware and shareware, but have found that for my money, I like Dmailer.

The Dmailer software uses customizable data synchronization to allow you to synchronize and save all your personal data. This includes photos, music, emails, contacts, calendars, Favorites/Bookmarks, etc. These files can be backed up to a few different types of media, including USB flash drive, internal or external hard drives and any type of digital media card (via card reader). The full version direct from Dmailer even has a built in e-mail client.

Another feature the software has is the ability to automatically encrypt your documents and also offers a secure browsing mode that leaves no traces behind including any browsing history thus ensuring your data remains secure. When re-connected to the source PC, you just plug in your storage device and launch Dmailer, and all you’re new or modified data will be synchronized between your PC and your storage device. Because of this, your data back-up is always kept up to date and secure.

For more information about Dmailer, please visit the Dmailer website at http://www.dmailer.com/.

If you are interested in more information on Edge Tech Corp Dmailer back-up solutions, check out the links below.

For external hard drives, click here - http://www.edgetechcorp.com/storage/usb-hard-drive.asp

For portable flash, click here - http://www.edgetechcorp.com/usb-flash-drives/backup-flash-drive.asp

Date : March 23, 2011

Author : Gilles Pauzié

This document lists the main issues a customer could encounter using Dmailer applications after the migration of dmailer.dmailer-online.com to online-storage.yuuwaa.com.

This migration happened on March 25, 2011

I cannot create an online account (error message « Account Creation failed »)

Cause 1: The user is certainly behind a proxy server (it happens when using it from the office)

How to solve it: He must use it from a place where there is no proxy (from home). We plan to deploy a version in H2 that will allow the user to use it behind a proxy server.

Cause 2: The user has used an email address already used in the YuuWaa solution (email address used either on www.yuuwaa.com, online-storage.yuuwaa.com, dmailer.dmailer-online.com)

How to solve it: The user must use a different email address

My online backup doesn’t work anymore (customer has been disconnected from his backup application for the online part)

Cause 1: The user didn’t accept yet the Gemalto Terms and Conditions

How to solve it: the user must:

1. go online to this website online-storage.yuuwaa.com
2. enter his username and password (same username and password used for dmailer.dmailer-online.com)
3. Select his country
4. Read and accept the Gemalto terms and Conditions

Cause 2: The user changed his password from his online account. He must also change it on his

How to solve it: the user must:

1. Click on Logout button from the online pane on his Backup application
2. Click on Login and enter username and new password

I want to close my online account

There is no automatic process for such request

How to solve it: escalate to Level 3

I don’t want to accept the Gemalto Terms and Condition but I want to retrieve my data stored on dmailer.dmailer-online.com

How to solve it: escalate to Level 3 and we’ll send a specific link to this user to download his data.