Windows Vista Forums

Bitlocker now disabled
  1. #1


    Baldboy Guest

    Bitlocker now disabled

    I have been using bitlocker on a Sony Vaio - with TPM. Yesterday someone used
    my PC to check an XP installation CD. They booted from the CD and when they
    reached the setup screen, they exited. After that I had to enter my key as I
    booted the PC - indicating that bitlocker had detected a change. The way to
    stop having to do that is to turn bitlocker off and then on again.
    I turned bitlocker off, but when I went to turn it one again, it tells me
    that my system is not configured to use Bitlocker. It tells me to remove any
    bootable CD or DVD and reboot and if that doesn't help to upgrade my BIOS.
    There are no CDs or DVDs and my BIOS is the latest version - and was working
    yesterday with Bitlocker.
    I am assuming that the XP instalation CD has in some way altered my disk
    drive so that it no longer appears to be configured to use Bitlocker.
    I have run the Drive Preparation Tool, which reports my Drive as prepared.
    Any ideas?




      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  2. #2


    Bender Guest

    Re: Bitlocker now disabled

    If you have been using BitLocker, did you have a drive encrypted? If you did
    and you can see the drive then BitLocker is still active. You would have to
    unencrypt a drive first to access a drive without BitLocker.

    "Baldboy" <Baldboy@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:6A2A8686-193C-42A9-8620-B1745E76206E@xxxxxx

    > I have been using bitlocker on a Sony Vaio - with TPM. Yesterday someone
    > used
    > my PC to check an XP installation CD. They booted from the CD and when
    > they
    > reached the setup screen, they exited. After that I had to enter my key as
    > I
    > booted the PC - indicating that bitlocker had detected a change. The way
    > to
    > stop having to do that is to turn bitlocker off and then on again.
    > I turned bitlocker off, but when I went to turn it one again, it tells me
    > that my system is not configured to use Bitlocker. It tells me to remove
    > any
    > bootable CD or DVD and reboot and if that doesn't help to upgrade my BIOS.
    > There are no CDs or DVDs and my BIOS is the latest version - and was
    > working
    > yesterday with Bitlocker.
    > I am assuming that the XP instalation CD has in some way altered my disk
    > drive so that it no longer appears to be configured to use Bitlocker.
    > I have run the Drive Preparation Tool, which reports my Drive as prepared.
    > Any ideas?
    >

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  3. #3


    Baldboy Guest

    Re: Bitlocker now disabled

    Thank you. Bitlocker is indeed still active. It is, however, disabled. When
    you turn Bitlocker off for an encypted drive, you gte the choice to decrypt
    the drive or simply turn bitlocker off. Turning Bitlocker off leaves the
    drive encrypted but with a password available in plain text - without a
    passphrase. That way, you can just turn it on again quickly.

    If you have a change in your boot configuration, you will be asked on boot
    to enter the key. This will happen every time you reboot. You "tell"
    Bitlocker that the change is authorised by turning it off for the drive and
    then turning it on again.

    In my case, I turned it off, but cannot turn it on again. Now I cannot
    decrypt the drive, as the option to do that only occurs when you turn it off.
    So I have an encrypted drive with a plain text password - no protection.

    I can't turn Bitlocker on, because it says that my system is not configured
    to use it. Clearly my system is configured to use it as I have the encrypted
    drive.

    Is there anybody out there who's an expert in this matter?

    It is clarly a software bug as it shouldn't be possible for Bitlocker to be
    operating and at the same time saying that it can't operate.

    "Bender" wrote:

    > If you have been using BitLocker, did you have a drive encrypted? If you did
    > and you can see the drive then BitLocker is still active. You would have to
    > unencrypt a drive first to access a drive without BitLocker.
    >
    > "Baldboy" <Baldboy@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    > news:6A2A8686-193C-42A9-8620-B1745E76206E@xxxxxx

    > > I have been using bitlocker on a Sony Vaio - with TPM. Yesterday someone
    > > used
    > > my PC to check an XP installation CD. They booted from the CD and when
    > > they
    > > reached the setup screen, they exited. After that I had to enter my key as
    > > I
    > > booted the PC - indicating that bitlocker had detected a change. The way
    > > to
    > > stop having to do that is to turn bitlocker off and then on again.
    > > I turned bitlocker off, but when I went to turn it one again, it tells me
    > > that my system is not configured to use Bitlocker. It tells me to remove
    > > any
    > > bootable CD or DVD and reboot and if that doesn't help to upgrade my BIOS.
    > > There are no CDs or DVDs and my BIOS is the latest version - and was
    > > working
    > > yesterday with Bitlocker.
    > > I am assuming that the XP instalation CD has in some way altered my disk
    > > drive so that it no longer appears to be configured to use Bitlocker.
    > > I have run the Drive Preparation Tool, which reports my Drive as prepared.
    > > Any ideas?
    > >

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  4. #4


    Bender Guest

    Re: Bitlocker now disabled

    I used the Group Policy editor to enable BitLocker on my old Pentium 4
    system, without a TPM.
    Perhaps that is an area to investigate.
    To start it run "gpedit.msc"
    Then expand the "Administrative Templates", Windows Components, and select
    BitLocker Drive Encryption.
    You can then explore the various options in the right panel.

    "Baldboy" <Baldboy@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:9B5942ED-412C-4217-8EC7-16D6E5BAC0F8@xxxxxx

    > Thank you. Bitlocker is indeed still active. It is, however, disabled.
    > When
    > you turn Bitlocker off for an encypted drive, you gte the choice to
    > decrypt
    > the drive or simply turn bitlocker off. Turning Bitlocker off leaves the
    > drive encrypted but with a password available in plain text - without a
    > passphrase. That way, you can just turn it on again quickly.
    >
    > If you have a change in your boot configuration, you will be asked on boot
    > to enter the key. This will happen every time you reboot. You "tell"
    > Bitlocker that the change is authorised by turning it off for the drive
    > and
    > then turning it on again.
    >
    > In my case, I turned it off, but cannot turn it on again. Now I cannot
    > decrypt the drive, as the option to do that only occurs when you turn it
    > off.
    > So I have an encrypted drive with a plain text password - no protection.
    >
    > I can't turn Bitlocker on, because it says that my system is not
    > configured
    > to use it. Clearly my system is configured to use it as I have the
    > encrypted
    > drive.
    >
    > Is there anybody out there who's an expert in this matter?
    >
    > It is clarly a software bug as it shouldn't be possible for Bitlocker to
    > be
    > operating and at the same time saying that it can't operate.
    >
    > "Bender" wrote:
    >

    >> If you have been using BitLocker, did you have a drive encrypted? If you
    >> did
    >> and you can see the drive then BitLocker is still active. You would have
    >> to
    >> unencrypt a drive first to access a drive without BitLocker.
    >>
    >> "Baldboy" <Baldboy@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    >> news:6A2A8686-193C-42A9-8620-B1745E76206E@xxxxxx

    >> > I have been using bitlocker on a Sony Vaio - with TPM. Yesterday
    >> > someone
    >> > used
    >> > my PC to check an XP installation CD. They booted from the CD and when
    >> > they
    >> > reached the setup screen, they exited. After that I had to enter my key
    >> > as
    >> > I
    >> > booted the PC - indicating that bitlocker had detected a change. The
    >> > way
    >> > to
    >> > stop having to do that is to turn bitlocker off and then on again.
    >> > I turned bitlocker off, but when I went to turn it one again, it tells
    >> > me
    >> > that my system is not configured to use Bitlocker. It tells me to
    >> > remove
    >> > any
    >> > bootable CD or DVD and reboot and if that doesn't help to upgrade my
    >> > BIOS.
    >> > There are no CDs or DVDs and my BIOS is the latest version - and was
    >> > working
    >> > yesterday with Bitlocker.
    >> > I am assuming that the XP instalation CD has in some way altered my
    >> > disk
    >> > drive so that it no longer appears to be configured to use Bitlocker.
    >> > I have run the Drive Preparation Tool, which reports my Drive as
    >> > prepared.
    >> > Any ideas?
    >> >

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  5. #5


    Kos Guest

    Re: Bitlocker now disabled

    On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 02:18:37 -0700, "Bender"
    <imnotgivingmynametoa@xxxxxx> wrote:

    Look in Disk Management and check if your boot partition ( Usually S
    drive ) still designated as "active".

    Just guessing..

    >I used the Group Policy editor to enable BitLocker on my old Pentium 4
    >system, without a TPM.
    >Perhaps that is an area to investigate.
    >To start it run "gpedit.msc"
    >Then expand the "Administrative Templates", Windows Components, and select
    >BitLocker Drive Encryption.
    >You can then explore the various options in the right panel.
    >
    >"Baldboy" <Baldboy@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    >news:9B5942ED-412C-4217-8EC7-16D6E5BAC0F8@xxxxxx

    >> Thank you. Bitlocker is indeed still active. It is, however, disabled.
    >> When
    >> you turn Bitlocker off for an encypted drive, you gte the choice to
    >> decrypt
    >> the drive or simply turn bitlocker off. Turning Bitlocker off leaves the
    >> drive encrypted but with a password available in plain text - without a
    >> passphrase. That way, you can just turn it on again quickly.
    >>
    >> If you have a change in your boot configuration, you will be asked on boot
    >> to enter the key. This will happen every time you reboot. You "tell"
    >> Bitlocker that the change is authorised by turning it off for the drive
    >> and
    >> then turning it on again.
    >>
    >> In my case, I turned it off, but cannot turn it on again. Now I cannot
    >> decrypt the drive, as the option to do that only occurs when you turn it
    >> off.
    >> So I have an encrypted drive with a plain text password - no protection.
    >>
    >> I can't turn Bitlocker on, because it says that my system is not
    >> configured
    >> to use it. Clearly my system is configured to use it as I have the
    >> encrypted
    >> drive.
    >>
    >> Is there anybody out there who's an expert in this matter?
    >>
    >> It is clarly a software bug as it shouldn't be possible for Bitlocker to
    >> be
    >> operating and at the same time saying that it can't operate.
    >>
    >> "Bender" wrote:
    >>

    >>> If you have been using BitLocker, did you have a drive encrypted? If you
    >>> did
    >>> and you can see the drive then BitLocker is still active. You would have
    >>> to
    >>> unencrypt a drive first to access a drive without BitLocker.
    >>>
    >>> "Baldboy" <Baldboy@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    >>> news:6A2A8686-193C-42A9-8620-B1745E76206E@xxxxxx
    >>> > I have been using bitlocker on a Sony Vaio - with TPM. Yesterday
    >>> > someone
    >>> > used
    >>> > my PC to check an XP installation CD. They booted from the CD and when
    >>> > they
    >>> > reached the setup screen, they exited. After that I had to enter my key
    >>> > as
    >>> > I
    >>> > booted the PC - indicating that bitlocker had detected a change. The
    >>> > way
    >>> > to
    >>> > stop having to do that is to turn bitlocker off and then on again.
    >>> > I turned bitlocker off, but when I went to turn it one again, it tells
    >>> > me
    >>> > that my system is not configured to use Bitlocker. It tells me to
    >>> > remove
    >>> > any
    >>> > bootable CD or DVD and reboot and if that doesn't help to upgrade my
    >>> > BIOS.
    >>> > There are no CDs or DVDs and my BIOS is the latest version - and was
    >>> > working
    >>> > yesterday with Bitlocker.
    >>> > I am assuming that the XP instalation CD has in some way altered my
    >>> > disk
    >>> > drive so that it no longer appears to be configured to use Bitlocker.
    >>> > I have run the Drive Preparation Tool, which reports my Drive as
    >>> > prepared.
    >>> > Any ideas?
    >>> >

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

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