DiskCryptor represents the only solution that offers encryption of all disk partitions, including the system partition. The main criteria for open-source software is the availability of its source code under one of the open source licenses.
The only alternative to DiskCryptor that has comparable features is TrueCrypt. There are other alternatives with similar functionality, but they are fully proprietary ones, which makes them unacceptable to use for protection of confidential data.
Originally, DiskCryptor was conceived as a replacement for DriveCrypt Plus Pack and PGP Whole Disk Encryption (WDE). Now, however, the aim of the development of the project is to create the best product in its category.
Moreover, in the future, considerable effort will be devoted to the creation of detailed documentation, explaining the internal mechanics of the program, which would be the best confirmation and demonstration of its security.

Encryption of system and bootable partitions with pre-boot authentication:
· Full support for dynamic disks.
· Support for disk devices with large sector size, which is important for hardware RAID operation.
· Automatic mounting of disk partitions and external storage devices.
· Broad choice in configuration of booting an encrypted OS. Support for various multi-boot options.
High performance, comparable to efficiency of a non-encrypted system:
· Support for hardware cryptography on VIA processors (PadLock extensions for hardware AES acceleration).
· Support for hardware AES acceleration (AES-NI instruction set) on new Intel CPUs.
Transparent encryption of disk partitions:
· Choice to select an encryption algorithm (AES, Twofish, Serpent), including their combinations.
Full support for external storage devices:
· Full support for encryption of external USB storage devices.
· Option to create encrypted CD and DVD disks.
Full compatibility with third party boot loaders (LILO, GRUB, etc.):
· Option to place boot loader on external medium and to authenticate using the key medium.
· Support for key files.

What's New in This Release:
· Added preventing system power state changes during the encryption process.
· Added support for Intel AES-NI instructions.
· Added small bootloader only with AES. This is needed for compatibility with stupid and greedy BIOS'es in PXE boot mode.
· Added Vista-PE plugin.
· Improved volume formatting speed.
· Improved bootloader PXE compatibility.
· New optimization for AES and XTS mode, more perfomance now!
· Greatly improved performance of AES for VIA processors.
· Fixed displaying program icon in the "Add or Remove Programs".
· Fixed incompatibility with Parallels Workstation BIOS.
· Fixed many small bugs.