OT: Can I swap out an encrypted FileVault 2 HD to another similar Macbook Pro then access?

Mhomar
Contributor

I have a mid 2010 Macbook Pro OS X 10.9.5 that is encrypted with FV2 and has a bad video board (no display or external monitor). Can I swap out the encrypted HD with a simialr "Good" MBP and then access that drive from the new computer? Or does it need to be decrypted in the original MBP first? I get the feeling that pre-boot is tied to EFI and some interaction with the recovery drive. If cannot swap the drive then access in good hardware, could I do this in Target Disk Mode? I do not have it in my hands yet. Any advice would be very helpful. Thanks in advance.

2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

rtrouton
Release Candidate Programs Tester

You can move FileVault 2-encrypted drives between machines; they're not tied to a particular machine's hardware in any way.

FileVault 2 uses encrypted Core Storage volumes so everything is done in software. For more information on Core Storage, please see here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_Storage

View solution in original post

Mhomar
Contributor

Thank You Rich! Going to the Users desk now to pick it up!

View solution in original post

2 REPLIES 2

rtrouton
Release Candidate Programs Tester

You can move FileVault 2-encrypted drives between machines; they're not tied to a particular machine's hardware in any way.

FileVault 2 uses encrypted Core Storage volumes so everything is done in software. For more information on Core Storage, please see here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_Storage

Mhomar
Contributor

Thank You Rich! Going to the Users desk now to pick it up!