TrueCrypt Background Task
When the main TrueCrypt window is closed, the TrueCrypt Background Task takes care of the
following tasks/functions:
1. Hot keys
2. Auto-dismount (e.g., upon logoff, inadvertent host device removal, time-out, etc.)
3. Auto-mount of favorite volumes
4. Notifications (e.g., when damage to hidden volume is prevented)
5. Tray icon
WARNING: If neither the TrueCrypt Background Task nor TrueCrypt is running, the above-
mentioned tasks/functions are disabled.
The TrueCrypt Background Task is actually the
TrueCrypt.exe
application, which continues running
in the background after you close the main TrueCrypt window. Whether it is running or not can be
determined by looking at the system tray area. If you can see the TrueCrypt icon there, then the
TrueCrypt Background Task is running. You can click the icon to open the main TrueCrypt window.
Right-click on the icon opens a popup menu with various TrueCrypt-related functions.
You can shut down the Background Task at any time by right-clicking the TrueCrypt tray icon and
selecting
Exit
. If you need to disable the TrueCrypt Background Task completely and permanently,
select
Settings
->
Preferences
and uncheck the option
Enabled
in the
TrueCrypt Background Task
area of the
Preferences
dialog window.
102
Volume Mounted as Removable Medium
This section applies to TrueCrypt volumes mounted when one of the following options is enabled
(as applicable):
•
Tools
>
Preferences
>
Mount volumes as removable media
•
Mount Options
>
Mount volume as removable medium
•
Favorites
>
Organize Favorite Volumes
>
Mount selected volume as removable medium
•
Favorites
>
Organize System Favorite Volumes
>
Mount selected volume as removable
medium
TrueCrypt Volumes that are mounted as removable media have the following advantages and
disadvantages:
•
Windows is prevented from automatically creating the ‘
Recycled
’ and/or the ‘
System
Volume Information
’ folders on TrueCrypt volumes (in Windows, these folders are used by
the Recycle Bin and System Restore features).
•
Windows may use caching methods and write delays that are normally used for removable
media (for example, USB flash drives). This might slightly decrease the performance but at
the same increase the likelihood that it will be possible to dismount the volume quickly
without having to force the dismount.
•
The operating system may tend to keep the number of handles it opens to such a volume to
a minimum. Hence, volumes mounted as removable media might require fewer forced
dismounts than other volumes.
•
Under Windows Vista and earlier, the ‘
Computer
’ (or ‘
My Computer
’) list does not show the
amount of free space on volumes mounted as removable (note that this is a Windows
limitation, not a bug in TrueCrypt).
•
Under desktop editions of Windows Vista or later, sectors of a volume mounted as
removable medium may be accessible to all users (including users without administrator
privileges; see section
Multi-User Environment
).
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