strongdisk pro basic for microsoft windows 2000 professional/xp/vista 32-bit edition is a powerful data encryption tool. it contains strongdisk pro core components providing encryption protection for data stored on hard disks and removable media on user’s computer and additional utilities are to enforce the security level. strongdisk pro basic creates inside windows file system protected logical drives or discs. these discs are special files or partitions of the hard disk drive. strongdisk pro includes the special driver, which allows you to work with the protected logical disks the same way, as common logical disks. strongdisk pro methodology is quite easy to understand. just imagine having a strongbox with two keys to it. the first key you keep in your head (this is your password), and the second one, the external key, contains specially generated binary code. access can be gained only when both keys are present (you can, of course, use only one key, but it is less secure). strongdisk pro encrypts all data (using both your password and external key as an encryption key) and writes it to a regular file. this file (so-called "disk image file") can be stored in any folder of any logical disk accessible from windows. a driver from the strongdisk pro package allows using this file as a separate protected logical disk ("protected disk" further on). for the operating system your protected disks function just as any other disk, e.g. a cd-rom or a zip drive. after mounting a protected disk you can use it as usual, i.e. create folders, store files (e.g. word or excel documents),and open these files directly from the protected disk, etc.