Windows 10: Bitlocker conflict on second fixed drive

Hi

I've just replaced my laptop. Both old and new had / have two fixed drives - C drive with the OS one and then a second fixed local drive (mapped as K) that I want to use for backups.

On my old laptop I had Bitlocker full drive encryption working for both, using the instructions at
How to Turn On or Off BitLocker for Fixed Data Drives in Windows 10
and
How to Turn On or Off Auto-unlock for BitLocker Drive in Windows 10

I've succesfully enabled full disk encryption on my new C drive (including setting PIN to unlock on boot), but when I try and turn Bitlocker on on my K drive I get this error message:




I've tried searching here and elsewhere but haven't managed to find anything that matches my issue exactly. If it helps my old laptop didn't have a TPM module, but my new one does.

Hope someone can help me, please.

Many thanks

:)

 

What is unlock-bde context menu

It's at the second level: Control Panel >System and Security >Bitlocker Drive Encryption

 

(BUG) BitLocker eDrive hardware encryption

Hi,

I did a clean install of Windows 10, and tried to use hardware encryption via BitLocker on my eDrive compliant 850 EVO ssd.

First it just would not use the hardware encryption (asks if I want to encrypt whole drive or only used portion) but I found that Intel rapid storage was conflicting with the process (version V14501081)

When I uninstalled IRST, the setup went right, but after the first reboot/system check, BitLocker has just dissapeared. It can't be found in the Control Panel (see screenshot), trying to open it via search doesn't work and it's not listed when right clicking
the system drive, but when right clicking my second HDD there is an option to enable it, this brings me to the initialization screen, the BitLocker settings still can't be accessed. There's also no lock icon on the system drive, but BitLocker does ask for
a password on bootup (don't have TPM).

When typing manage-bde -status C: in the command prompt, I get an error (see screenshot)

screenshot:

https://i.imgur.com/JiHCu3K.png

This worked perfectly on Windows 8.1 for me.

Edit: Now BitLocker suddenly started working properly. The lock sign is there and the settings are back, still this is strange behaviour.

 

Do you have any group policies set for BitLocker? By default they should be all "Not configured."

Group Policy Editor->Computer Configuration->Admin Templates->Windows Components->BitLocker

 

I do yes - I had to enable 'Require additional authentication at startup' in order to enable PIN on boot. Do you think if I disabled that I could then encrypt the K drive and re-enable it afterwards?

 

What are the exact options you set (i.e. Configure TPM startup, Configure TPM startup PIN, Configure TPM startup key, etc.)?

 

Allow Bitlocker without a compatible TPM: ticked
Configure TPM startup: Allow TPM
Configure TPM startup PIN: Require startup PIN with TPM
Configure TPM startup key: Allow startup key with TPM
Configure TPM startup key and PIN: Allow startup key and PIN with TPM

 

I was able to reproduce this on my system. I can encrypt my 2nd drive by setting:

Allow Bitlocker without a compatible TPM: ticked
Configure TPM startup: Do not allow TPM
Configure TPM startup PIN: Require startup PIN with TPM
Configure TPM startup key: Do not allow startup key with TPM
Configure TPM startup key and PIN: Do not allow startup key and PIN with TPM

 

Brilliant, that's worked. Thanks very much for your help *Smile