Can't open encrypted external drive

To open an encrypted external drive, do you have to restart the machine with the drive plugged in and have the machine have the same boot password or can you add it to a machine running CDE?

I regret that I cannot help the questioner with his or her problem.
Question 1: is anybody willing to help me to start a new topic?
Question 2:
I am interested in using Comodo Disc Inscription Inscription software on my Dell laptop with operating system Windows XP.
For backup I am using a Seagate Free Agent Pro external drive.
Naturally I would like to be able to do my backups and possible restorations from the external drive back to my laptop in the simplest manner possible.
Please advice.

Never did hear back from comodo on this nor was it in the help documentation.