How To Fix TrueCrypt Shared Folder Problem

Are your shared folders in TrueCrypt volumes automatically resetting shared status on reboot? It is a fairly well known problem with very few available solutions. After few days of scouring the web and looking through handful of solutions, I have combined them in a simpler manner. The code below is well documented (:: comments) so that anyone with basic computer knowledge can edit it with ease.

Here we go...
Open notepad, or your favorite simple text editor (notepad++, etc.).
Copy and paste the following code, and follow the instructions in the lines beginning with two colons (::).

@echo off

:: These lines followed by two colons are comments. Please read them carefully.

:: Before you proceed, add your TrueCrypt volume(s) to "Favorites". Otherwise the parameters below won't work.

:: If you need help with adding TrueCrypt volume(s) to "Favorites", please refer to TrueCrypt user manual.

:: Do not check 'Mount selected volume upon logon', or any of the other options around it.

:: The user is required to enter the TrueCrypt password manually, as always, so the password will not be stored in a command file anywhere.

:: Except for entry of the TrueCrypt password, everything happens automatically when a user logs on.

:: The script which does the work will simply wait for the TrueCrypt volume to be mounted, then do the sharing.

:: Windows Vista User Account Control (UAC) need not be disabled or modified.

:: Only simple batch commands using CMD.exe are required - no other scripting language.

:: There are no "tricks," no changes to the registry, no use of undocumented commands.

title Mount TrueCrypt Volume(s)

echo ENTER PASSWORD into TrueCrypt.....

:: Set path to "TrueCrypt.exe"

:: Only change what is between quotes if path to your "TrueCrypt.exe" differs from the one below.

:: For example, in a 64-bit installation the path would be "C:\Program Files\TrueCrypt\TrueCrypt.exe"

:: Please keep the parameters after the quotes unchanged.

@ "C:\Program Files (x86)\TrueCrypt\TrueCrypt.exe" /auto favorites /quit

:: The following code mounts your shared folder

:: This is how the commands "NET SHARE" work...

:: NET SHARE [share name]=[path] /GRANT:[user],[permission]

:: Note- The square brackets [] are for reference only, and should not be used in main commands.

:: [share name] can be any name you give to your particular shared folder.

:: [path] is the path to that folder.

:: [user] can be windows user name(s), or EVERYONE for the folder to be accessible to everyone.

:: [permission] can be FULL for full access, READ for read-only access, etc.

:: Important: If the [share name] or [path] contain space or special characters, put them between quotes. For example: "[share name]=[path]"

:: That is it for the batch command part. Save the file as [filename].bat; for example- truecrypt.bat

:: Follow the instructions bellow to add this batch file to windows startup...

:: Launch the Task Scheduler.

:: Create a new task.

:: Select an Admin account, run only when user is logged on, highest privileges.

:: Trigger at logon, all users (or a specific user), "enabled."

:: Start a program, browse for your script Whatever.cmd (or .bat)

:: Run as soon as possible if scheduled start is missed.

:: The command lines for two shared folders may look something like this...

NET SHARE Pics=D:\Pictures /GRANT:EVERYONE,FULL

NET SHARE "My Documents=D:\My Documents" /GRANT:EVERYONE,READ

PASTEBIN LINK [FULL]
It is recommended to copy-paste the code from the above pastebin link.

The script above may look intimidating, but it is only six lines of code. Rest of it is documentation.

@echo off
title Mount TrueCrypt Volume(s)
echo ENTER PASSWORD into TrueCrypt.....
@ "C:\Program Files (x86)\TrueCrypt\TrueCrypt.exe" /auto favorites /quit

NET SHARE Pics=D:\Pictures /GRANT:EVERYONE,FULL

NET SHARE "My Documents=D:\My Documents" /GRANT:EVERYONE,READ

PASTEBIN LINK [DOCUMENTATION REMOVED]

Also, if the NET SHARE command is executing before TrueCrypt completely loads the volumes, you can insert a delay command in your batch script between line 4 and 5 above.

If you are facing any trouble please let me know by commenting below, or contact me directly via the Contact page.



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