Can VeraCrypt open an old TrueCrypt container?

Question

I have a TrueCrypt container that was made some time in 2013. It's exactly 25MB and named secret.tc. I installed VeraCrypt 1.19 in macOS Sierra, but cannot seem to mount the container.

The error in the VeraCrypt GUI is:

Operation failed due to one or more of the following:

- Incorrect password.
- Incorrect Volume PIM number.
- Incorrect PRF (hash).
- Not a valid volume.

Looking through the --help I do seem to recognize the word nokernelcrypto, but not why. It's been quite a few years.

I have attempted both with and without TrueCrypt Mode enabled. Are there compatibility issues?

wickles · Answer 1 · 2023-10-02T19:02:40.620

Unfortunately VeraCrypt has discontinued support for TrueCrypt volumes as of version 1.26.7 (October 1st, 2023). I can confirm that with the latest version of VeraCrypt I am no longer able to open TC volumes and there is no longer an option for "TrueCrypt Mode". They are now officially recommending an older version to access TC volumes.

Starting from version 1.26.7, VeraCrypt discontinued support for the TrueCrypt format to prioritize the highest security standards. However, recognizing the transitionary needs of our users, we have preserved version 1.25.9, the last to support the TrueCrypt format.

On this page, users can find download links for version 1.25.9, specifically provided for converting TrueCrypt volumes to the more secure VeraCrypt format. We strongly recommend transitioning to VeraCrypt volumes and using our latest releases for ongoing encryption needs, as they encompass the latest security enhancements.

https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Downloads_1.25.9.html

score 5 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 23 '17 at 15:59

I have had the same issue and just to re-confirm what others are saying - Veracrypt can sometimes fail in opening older TC volumes. To fix this just download an older version of TC and migrate to a compatible VC volume.

Edit: Just to clarify this should only be an issue you have a volume created with a version of TC <6. So if you created the volume with say v5 of TrueCrypt you would not be able to open that volume, and you should see a message like such:

score 5 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 04 '24 at 12:03

I can confirm VeraCrypt won't open some of the containers created by TrueCrypt.

I've some containers from about 2005 and 2006, which I recently recovered from old CD backup discs, which failed to mount in VeraCrypt (TrueCrypt mode enabled) I tried for hours using variation of the password I may have used, always ended up in error.

Today I have got a copy of TrueCrypt v7 and installed it in Windows XP virtual machine, and presto, works straight away.

So don't give up on your old TrueCrypt volumes, just try with latest version of TrueCrypt (7.1 I think was the latest).

score 2 · Answer 4 · edited Aug 04 '24 at 12:05

Just to distill the content here and provide my experience - yes - really old volumes of TrueCrypt cannot be opened by VeraCrypt.

It it's important, get the last version of TrueCrypt (7.2), decrypt or mount those volumes in TrueCrypt, create a suitably sized and secure empty VeraCrypt volume, copy all your recovered TrueCrypt files into the new VeraCrypt volume, and you are done.

Could there be problems? Perhaps, but I've done this with no problems with TrueCrypt volumes created over a decade ago. If you are worried about security breaches, sandbox the TrueCrypt and volume to decode into clear text, uninstall TrueCrypt, create a suitable VeraCrypt volume, copy decoded cleartext you got from the old TrueCrypt volume, into the new VeraCrypt volume, delete both the clear text and the TC volume, and now you should be pretty much converted and are good to go

Bottom line is if you have some really old TrueCrypt volumes you wold like to recover, your options are basically give up, or do the one time port with original TrueCrypt, import them into your new VeraCrypt volumes, then delete TrueCrypt and those volumes from your system. No guarantees, but that probably the most reasonable compromise if you ever want to see those old files again.

Oh, and PS - just for extra care, copy the .tc file you want to decrypt. If something goes terribly wrong and it gets corrupted, you still have the originaL.

score 1 · Answer 5 · edited Aug 04 '24 at 12:05

1

You would have no problems to mount TrueCrypt container from VeraCrypt application - with or without the TrueCrypt check box checked.

So you problem is probably with entering an incorrect password or entering a PIM (you must not to enter it) or with the corrupted file (if you have a backup of it try it).

edited Aug 04 '24 at 12:05

Giacomo1968

58,727

answered May 19 '17 at 12:09

MarianD

2,726

score 0 · Answer 6 · edited Aug 04 '24 at 12:06

0

No, you cannot. I have volumes from 3.x encrypted with Whirlpool by a simple password, and VeraCrypt will not mount them no matter what, even in TrueCrypt mode. An old copy of TrueCrypt 6 mounts them just fine.

edited Aug 04 '24 at 12:06

Giacomo1968

58,727

answered Oct 26 '17 at 22:31

DenjinJ

1

score 0 · Answer 7 · edited Aug 04 '24 at 12:07

I have the same problem with veracrypt & a truecrypt volume that I converted to veracrypt years ago. I found two solutions.

Use zulumount. It opened the volume fine. See this zuluCrypt page.
Use cryptetup in Linux as follows:
```
sudo cryptsetup open /dev/sdx3 Usb3vcrypt --type=tcrypt --veracrypt
sudo mount /dev/mapper/Usb3vcrypt /media/Usb3Mount
```
Usb3vcrypt Usb3Mount should be created first using your own names in /dev/mapper and /media. The /media/Usb3Mount will be the name that you used to use in VeraCrypt.

Can VeraCrypt open an old TrueCrypt container?

7 Answers7