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I'd be more concerned about the non-encrypted data on my phone than my encrypted file.
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I use a small USB thumb that attaches to my key ring.
It has space inside the USB connector to hold a micro SD card.
I sometimes forget my wallet, but so far a forgot my keys only once.
Brand: CanaKit
Website: Mini MicroSD USB Reader[^]
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Not exactly what you want, but I have a credit card sized USB stick.
The USB thingy flips out of the card, is slightly thicker than the card
where the USB whotsit resides.
Search Amazon, "credit card usb".
They may be sightly more awkward to insert into USB port, as there is no
outer metal shell, just the board inside of the USB shell.
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Woman's wallets frequently have coin pouches with a snap or zipper that is designed to have bulkier items in it. Of course, the assumption is that the wallet is in a purse instead of a back pocket.
Bond
Keep all things as simple as possible, but no simpler. -said someone, somewhere
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I addition to my post two previous to this one:
Search Amazon "credit card micro SD container"
Pretty much exactly what you want.
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Send me a direct link to a sample. All Amazon is showing me are plastic cases, indeed roughly the size of a credit card, but much thicker (and holding a ridiculous number of cards - I just need one). I wouldn't want that in my wallet--nor carry it separately.
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I dont know if I can (and assume that I cant) send direct link.
but on Amazon.co.uk, search
"JJC Micro SD Card Case Carrying Lightweight Slim Holder Storage for 10 MSD Micro SD Memory Cards"
and
"Kiorafoto Credit Card Size Memory Card Holder SD Card Cases for 10 MSD/TF Card - Micro SDHC, Micro SDXC, TF Cards Storage Case Holder"
Both £5.49
I've just added the first one to my Basket, the one with four full sized SD cards (or adapters),
and two Micro SD. (the 10 x Micro SD is probably slimmer than the one I will order)
Google should also find them.
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StainlessS wrote: I dont know if I can (and assume that I cant) send direct link.
Why would you even make that assumption? Have you ever tried?
Prove it to yourself. Load the page showing the item, copy the URL, start a new browser instance in private mode, paste, hit enter. The same page will load, without anything that assumes anything about your login profile. Better yet, try with another browser that knows nothing about you. Or another computer.
Amazon's ability to "search itself" even with exact keywords is notoriously awful, that's why I asked for a direct link. I otherwise generally get better results using Google to search Amazon (how sad). And indeed, I found the items (thanks), but neither were the first result.
They both look significantly thicker than a credit card. I suppose this gives it extra rigidity, but whether that's needed or not remains to be seen. Certainly looks bulkier than anything else I have in my wallet.
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I guess that you could just get a credit card sized plastic see-through wallet
for storing a "Travel Card", "Bus Pass", and just drop the Micro SD in that.
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May I please inquire why you would want to keep backups of your tax forms etc. in your back pocket while exempli gratia sitting at a movie theater or filling up / charging the family auto or getting a hair cut at your favorite barber etc. Does "off site" mean "back pocket".
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You're right, I don't need it. It's merely a matter of why not.
We have these digital storage units capable of storing gigabytes worth of information - dozens, hundreds - in an infinitely small and weightless form that fits comfortable in a wallet. I have old spare cards that are gathering dust. They're perfectly suitable for this. It's not ever going to be the one backup I absolutely must rely on (god forbid), it's an additional backup that practically costs me nothing to have and don't even to think of.
I do have offsite backups of stuff, but they're not always convenient to get to and update.
Let me turn the question around and ask, what's the harm?
I see plenty of people carry around a (much larger) USB thumbdrive with them all the time, on a key chain. Would you ask them the same question?
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You are of course correct there is no harm other than the risk of corruption due to any bending or pressure which may result. If it were me I would place several such backups in various locations of the house each in thermally insulated perhaps w/ aerogel fireproof receptacles also buried in the yard perhaps even several such buried sites though frequent updates may pose a problem unless carefully engineered. As for the back pocket I have little confidence it can withstand the inevitable bending and pressure. As for many individuals carrying their secrets upon themselves stored in USB drives yes I would inquire but of course not insist otherwise as I am merely curious and enjoy polite conversation from time to time. Yes a key chain is convenient and almost seems logical though I would not do so as I would fear loss of same and sill do not see purpose of. Then there are pick-pockets. I believe I have swatted this fly w/ enough shotgun blasts and apologize for doing so.
- Cheerios
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S'all good.
If my MicroSD card bends/breaks over time, well, it'd be no big loss as it otherwise was serving no purpose whatsoever and collecting dust in a drawer.
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I have a couple of external USB drives for backups of data, attached to my PC. The drives are Bitlocker encrypted, in case one gets lost or stolen. Everytime I start the PC I have to use my Bitlocker password to get access to the drives.
However, I recently discovered that once I have access to a drive, if I turn off the PC by hitting the power button instead of doing a proper shutdown through the Start menu, any "open" drives remain open. Next time I start the machine, the drive is immediately accessible. No password needed! You have to go through the proper shutdown procedure to ensure your machine won't have immediate access to the drive on the next startup.
I must admit I haven't checked if a different computer will also have access to the drive left open on my main PC. But the point is: My main PC may get stolen with the external drives during a burglary, for example.
Ok, I have had my coffee, so you can all come out now!
modified 21-Jun-24 9:54am.
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Check the power management settings - your power button is probably set to "sleep" or "hibernate" but there is a "Shut down" option which should restart the OS on power up and require access control to the drives: Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Chose what the power buttons do
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Yes, I found the setting to change what the power buttons do. I changed that from "sleep" to "shut down".
BUT: There is no way to save this change!  At least not in the very latest version of Windows 11! When I exit the settings panel, Windows resets the setting to the default "sleep"! Stoopid Windows!
Ok, I have had my coffee, so you can all come out now!
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Did you hit the "Change settings that are currently unavailable" - the system settings are in UAC Registry so unless you are elevated, it won't change. Mine is set to "Shut down" and that is persistent.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Yes I did change that setting and it is NOT persistent. Note: I am the only user on this machine and I am the only administrator. It is running Windows 11 Pro fully updated. I have hibernation mode turned off as it bloats up my system backup images.
Ok, I have had my coffee, so you can all come out now!
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Well, if your system does go in sleep mode, then it'll have to do a full power-up anyway if your system gets stolen and spends any amount of time without any power, just as if you'd have yanked the power cord while it was turned on, rather than doing it while it was sleeping--the results would be the same. Unless it's a laptop and the battery runs long enough.
But perhaps more importantly (from my perspective): If your external drives are backups, physically disconnect them and only power them on when doing an actual backup. Ransomware is just as capable of encrypting your mounted backup drives as your main system. Especially since you enter your Bitlocker password on every boot, conveniently making your backups accessible to said malware.
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Sound advice, but I use Windows Security Ransomware Protection on all folders where data are stored. My Macrium system images are protected by Macrium's Image Garden against any and all unauthorized alterations. Then I also maintain an old style 8TB Western Digital spinning disk drive for off-line storage of all important data. This drive is kept powered down an disconnected 99% of the time.
On top of all that: I make at least every week a DVD backup of all new critical data. The DVDs are closed and locked after creation to prevent any further changes. I have a high pile of such old DVDs in my off-line collection.
As regards my system drive: If the worst happens I can always clean my systems drive and do a clean install of Windows on the drive. I have done many clean installs and it typically takes me 3 or so hours to be fully up and running. I always keep a few flash drives with the bootable tiny Windows PE operating system that has embedded the Diskpart utility that can forcibly clean any disk and prepare it for a clean install.
I don't have much faith in backups on the cloud and mostly avoid that. Some of my critical backups are stored off site in a relative's residence.
If you want to know more about Windows PE, see:
Windows PE (WinPE) | Microsoft Learn[^]
Ok, I have had my coffee, so you can all come out now!
modified 21-Jun-24 14:33pm.
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Sounds like you have a solid strategy already in place. Carry on. 
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You might want to back off the coffee
Seroiusly, that's a lot off effort you've gone to. Why? Is it the nature of the data?
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
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You have to be running as an administrator to save the change.
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Ironically, the shutdown option does not fully shut down the machine, it hibernates things for a faster start up, while the reboot option does quiesce the files for a fresh start up.
Check this link for more information if you do not think I'm right. Actually, don't believe me - check it for yourself.
How to disable Windows 10 fast startup (and why you'd want to) | Windows Central[^]
The search string to Google for is "Disable fast startup"
Just switching your machine off at the power probably doesn't make Windows any less reliable. The filesystem should pretty much cope - though odd applications will require their files to be saved or the program to be exited to avoid the loss of data.
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