Troubleshooting & FAQ

This page covers common issues you may encounter with Necron Vault Manager and provides answers to frequently asked questions.

Key Drive & Key Issues

Key Drive Not Detected

Symptoms: The gatekeeper screen stays visible even though your Key Drive is inserted.

Solutions:

1. Try a different USB port — some ports may have power or driver issues
2. Check the drive is mounted — open your file manager and confirm the USB drive appears as a mounted volume
3. Manual rescan — click the Key Drive status card in the sidebar to trigger a scan
4. Restart the app — this forces a fresh scan of all connected drives
5. Check the key file — the Key Drive must have a key file at the root; if the drive is empty, it hasn't been set up yet

Key Drive Shows Errors

If your Key Drive is detected but shows warnings:

• "Key UID mismatch" — you have the wrong Key Drive connected for the files you're trying to decrypt. Try your other Key Drives.
• "Corrupt header" — the key file may be damaged. Try the Key Drive on another computer to verify.
• "Read error" — the USB connection may be intermittent. Try a different port.

"Key Drive Not Registered" Error

Cause: The server rejected the Key Drive during startup verification.

Possible reasons:

• The Key Drive has been deactivated from your account settings
• The Key Drive was never registered with the server
• Your subscription has expired (Pro tier)

Solutions:

1. Check your Key Drive list at necronsolutions.com account settings
2. If deactivated, you'll need to use a different active Key Drive
3. If subscription expired, renew from the account page

Software Key Not Working (Free Tier)

Symptoms: Free Tier login fails or reports a key mismatch.

Solutions:

1. Make sure you're logged into the same user account on your computer that originally created the software key
2. If key files are missing or corrupted, you'll need to create a new account (previously encrypted data is unrecoverable without the original key)

Common Error Messages

"Key mismatch"

The file was encrypted with a different key than the one currently connected.

What to do:

1. Connect the Key Drive that was used to encrypt the file
2. If you have multiple Key Drives, try each one
3. Different accounts have different keys — you cannot decrypt another user's files
4. If the original Key Drive is lost and you have no backup, the file cannot be recovered

"Encrypted file limit reached"

Free tier accounts can only have a maximum of 1 GB of files encrypted at any one time.

What to do:

• Decrypt or remove some encrypted files to free up space
• Upgrade to Pro for no limit on encrypted file size

"Authentication failed"

The encrypted file appears to be damaged or tampered with.

What to do:

1. Verify you're using the correct Key Drive
2. If the file is stored in a cloud-synced folder, check for sync conflicts
3. Try restoring the file from a vault backup or another location
4. If the file is genuinely corrupted, it may not be recoverable

"Cannot read source file"

The file is locked by another program or inaccessible.

What to do:

1. Close any programs that might have the file open
2. Check that the file still exists
3. Verify you have permission to read the file

"Not enough disk space"

The destination doesn't have room for the output.

What to do:

1. Free up disk space on the destination drive
2. Choose a different destination with more space

Vault Issues

Vault Shows "No Locations Online"

Cause: None of the vault's storage locations are accessible.

Solutions:

1. Check that the folders exist on disk
2. If using cloud locations, ensure the cloud sync client is running and signed in, and that files are saved locally on the device (not on-demand or streamed)
3. For external drives, make sure the drive is plugged in and mounted
4. Check for mount point changes — your OS may reassign drive letters or mount points after reboot

Integrity Check Reports Damaged Files

What to do:

1. If other locations have healthy copies, the app will automatically repair from the good copy
2. If all copies are damaged for a specific file, the file cannot be recovered
3. Check for cloud sync conflicts
4. Run the integrity check again after repairs to confirm everything is clean

See Vault Health & Repair for the full process.

Cannot Create Vault — "Nested Locator" Error

Cause: You selected a folder that's inside another vault's storage directory.

Solution: Choose a different folder that's not inside any existing vault's storage directory.

Vault Browser is Slow

Solutions:

1. If using a cloud-synced primary location, consider adding a local folder as a higher-priority location
2. Try closing and reopening the vault
3. Large vaults with thousands of files may take a moment to load

App Issues

App Won't Start or Crashes

Solutions:

1. Check that your system meets the minimum requirements
2. Reinstall the app — download the latest version from the website
3. The app does not require administrator privileges to run

SmartScreen or Antivirus Warning

Some security software may flag new or less-common applications. Necron Vault Manager is a legitimate, signed application. If you receive a warning:

1. Click "More info" → "Run anyway" for SmartScreen
2. Add an exception in your antivirus software if needed
3. Download only from the official necronsolutions.com website

Dark Mode / Display Issues

Solutions:

1. Ensure your graphics drivers are up to date
2. Try toggling dark mode off and on from settings
3. Resize the window or restart the app

Network & Server Issues

"Server Unreachable" During Login

Solutions:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Try again in a few minutes — the server may be undergoing maintenance
3. The app requires internet for login and verification, but works offline for encryption/decryption afterward

Email Verification Link Not Working

Solutions:

1. Check that the link hasn't expired
2. Try copying and pasting the full URL instead of clicking
3. Re-register with the same email if needed

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Necron Vault Manager on multiple computers?

Free tier: Your software key is tied to one computer. You cannot use it on another machine.

Pro tier: Your Key Drive works on any computer with Necron Vault Manager installed. Just plug it in and launch the app.

Can I share encrypted files with someone else?

No. Encrypted files are tied to your specific key. Only Key Drives with the same key identity can decrypt files. There is no shared encryption or key exchange — this is by design for maximum security.

What happens if I plug in the wrong Key Drive?

The app will read the Key Drive but won't be able to decrypt vaults or files that belong to a different key. You'll see key mismatch errors.

Can I encrypt very large files?

Yes. The app can handle files of any size. Key material is randomly selected for each encryption operation, so it never runs out. Free tier accounts are limited to 1 GB of files encrypted at any one time; Pro accounts have no limit.

Is my data safe if Necron's servers go down?

Yes. The server is only used for account login and Key Drive verification. All encryption and decryption happens locally on your computer. If the server is unreachable, an already-authenticated session continues to work normally.

How do I transfer my vaults to a new computer?

1. Install Necron Vault Manager on the new computer
2. Pro tier: Plug in your Key Drive and launch the app. Cloud-synced vault locations will be available once the cloud client syncs.
3. Free tier: Your software key cannot be transferred. Decrypt all files on the old computer first, then re-encrypt on the new one with a new key.

Contact Support

If you're experiencing an issue not covered here:

1. Note the exact error message and what you were doing when it occurred
2. Email support@necronsolutions.com with the details
3. Visit necronsolutions.com for the latest updates and announcements

For security vulnerabilities, please email security@necronsolutions.com directly.

Further Reading

• Getting Started — installation and first-run guide
• Vault Health & Repair — verify and repair vaults
• Best Practices — prevent common issues
• Glossary — definitions of terms