BitLocker - Remove USB Key on startup??!?!!? HELP!

Hey all,

I'm having a little bit of trouble with BitLocker. I don't have TPM and
have enabled it to use a USB flash drive. Well, the actual encryption part is
working fine, but every time I start up, it makes me "Remove Key Storage
Media" before it will continue the start up process. I enabled BitLocker
before doing a clean install and it worked fine one the last installation - I
didn't have to remove it or anything. I don't really think it makes sense
that I should have to remove it so that makes me a little concerned and it
also means that I can't leave my computer alone to start up. Is there any way
to make it so that I don't have to remove the flash drive while starting up?
Thanks

~This is so annoying.....

I only used Bitlocker when I was dual booting XP with Vista and I have to
say that on every single occasion that I have enabled bitlocker it has
'always' asked me to remove the USB flash drive. I simply assumed that this
was the normal procedure so have never queried it.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

"This is so annoying....." <Thisissoannoying@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote in message news:02DB7EF8-5960-4D7D-BC9A-7C9B891C0957@microsoft.com...
> Hey all,
>
> I'm having a little bit of trouble with BitLocker. I don't have TPM and
> have enabled it to use a USB flash drive. Well, the actual encryption part
> is
> working fine, but every time I start up, it makes me "Remove Key Storage
> Media" before it will continue the start up process. I enabled BitLocker
> before doing a clean install and it worked fine one the last
> installation - I
> didn't have to remove it or anything. I don't really think it makes sense
> that I should have to remove it so that makes me a little concerned and it
> also means that I can't leave my computer alone to start up. Is there any
> way
> to make it so that I don't have to remove the flash drive while starting
> up?
> Thanks
>
> ~This is so annoying.....

I'm glad you are removing the key, because from a security perspective that
would be the right thing to do (not leave your key material anywhere near the
machine). However, there is unfortunately no way to enforce that. If you
simply leave the key in the system it will continue to boot momentarily.

---
Your question may already be answered in Windows Vista Security:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047...otectyourwi-20


"John Barnett MVP" wrote:

> I only used Bitlocker when I was dual booting XP with Vista and I have to
> say that on every single occasion that I have enabled bitlocker it has
> 'always' asked me to remove the USB flash drive. I simply assumed that this
> was the normal procedure so have never queried it.
>
> --
> John Barnett MVP
> Associate Expert
> Windows - Shell/User
>
> Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
> Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
>
> The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
> kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
> reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
> any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
> use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
> mail/post..
>
> "This is so annoying....." <Thisissoannoying@discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote in message news:02DB7EF8-5960-4D7D-BC9A-7C9B891C0957@microsoft.com...
> > Hey all,
> >
> > I'm having a little bit of trouble with BitLocker. I don't have TPM and
> > have enabled it to use a USB flash drive. Well, the actual encryption part
> > is
> > working fine, but every time I start up, it makes me "Remove Key Storage
> > Media" before it will continue the start up process. I enabled BitLocker
> > before doing a clean install and it worked fine one the last
> > installation - I
> > didn't have to remove it or anything. I don't really think it makes sense
> > that I should have to remove it so that makes me a little concerned and it
> > also means that I can't leave my computer alone to start up. Is there any
> > way
> > to make it so that I don't have to remove the flash drive while starting
> > up?
> > Thanks
> >
> > ~This is so annoying.....
>
>

This is so annoying..... wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> I'm having a little bit of trouble with BitLocker. I don't have TPM and
> have enabled it to use a USB flash drive. Well, the actual encryption part is
> working fine, but every time I start up, it makes me "Remove Key Storage
> Media" before it will continue the start up process. I enabled BitLocker
> before doing a clean install and it worked fine one the last installation - I
> didn't have to remove it or anything. I don't really think it makes sense
> that I should have to remove it so that makes me a little concerned and it
> also means that I can't leave my computer alone to start up. Is there any way
> to make it so that I don't have to remove the flash drive while starting up?

There's no point in enabling BitLocker if you leave the key with the
machine. Put the key on your keyring.

Alun Harford

Yeah, I noticed that you could just leave it in and it would continue to boot
around noon today. Unfortunately, the key i use is also the flash drive I use
for files as the other flash drive i have is severely broken (the case came
off of the circuit board) and though it still works is in a pitiable state
and I prefer not to use it. Thanks for all the help

"Jesper" wrote:

> I'm glad you are removing the key, because from a security perspective that
> would be the right thing to do (not leave your key material anywhere near the
> machine). However, there is unfortunately no way to enforce that. If you
> simply leave the key in the system it will continue to boot momentarily.
>
> ---
> Your question may already be answered in Windows Vista Security:
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047...otectyourwi-20
>
>
> "John Barnett MVP" wrote:
>
> > I only used Bitlocker when I was dual booting XP with Vista and I have to
> > say that on every single occasion that I have enabled bitlocker it has
> > 'always' asked me to remove the USB flash drive. I simply assumed that this
> > was the normal procedure so have never queried it.
> >
> > --
> > John Barnett MVP
> > Associate Expert
> > Windows - Shell/User
> >
> > Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
> > Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
> >
> > The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
> > kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
> > reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
> > any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
> > use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
> > mail/post..
> >
> > "This is so annoying....." <Thisissoannoying@discussions.microsoft.com>
> > wrote in message news:02DB7EF8-5960-4D7D-BC9A-7C9B891C0957@microsoft.com...
> > > Hey all,
> > >
> > > I'm having a little bit of trouble with BitLocker. I don't have TPM and
> > > have enabled it to use a USB flash drive. Well, the actual encryption part
> > > is
> > > working fine, but every time I start up, it makes me "Remove Key Storage
> > > Media" before it will continue the start up process. I enabled BitLocker
> > > before doing a clean install and it worked fine one the last
> > > installation - I
> > > didn't have to remove it or anything. I don't really think it makes sense
> > > that I should have to remove it so that makes me a little concerned and it
> > > also means that I can't leave my computer alone to start up. Is there any
> > > way
> > > to make it so that I don't have to remove the flash drive while starting
> > > up?
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > ~This is so annoying.....
> >
> >

As well as the security aspect of removing the key, you are also asked to
remove it so that you don't overwrite the bitlocker security code which is
something you could quite easily do if you are using the key for data as
well as bitlocker.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

"This is so annoying....." <Thisissoannoying@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote in message news296491C-65E7-45F6-939E-5CE9BA5FE8B6@microsoft.com...
> Yeah, I noticed that you could just leave it in and it would continue to
> boot
> around noon today. Unfortunately, the key i use is also the flash drive I
> use
> for files as the other flash drive i have is severely broken (the case
> came
> off of the circuit board) and though it still works is in a pitiable state
> and I prefer not to use it. Thanks for all the help
>
> "Jesper" wrote:
>
>> I'm glad you are removing the key, because from a security perspective
>> that
>> would be the right thing to do (not leave your key material anywhere near
>> the
>> machine). However, there is unfortunately no way to enforce that. If you
>> simply leave the key in the system it will continue to boot momentarily.
>>
>> ---
>> Your question may already be answered in Windows Vista Security:
>> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047...otectyourwi-20
>>
>>
>> "John Barnett MVP" wrote:
>>
>> > I only used Bitlocker when I was dual booting XP with Vista and I have
>> > to
>> > say that on every single occasion that I have enabled bitlocker it has
>> > 'always' asked me to remove the USB flash drive. I simply assumed that
>> > this
>> > was the normal procedure so have never queried it.
>> >
>> > --
>> > John Barnett MVP
>> > Associate Expert
>> > Windows - Shell/User
>> >
>> > Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
>> > Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
>> >
>> > The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of
>> > any
>> > kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
>> > reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be
>> > liable for
>> > any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out
>> > of the
>> > use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
>> > mail/post..
>> >
>> > "This is so annoying....." <Thisissoannoying@discussions.microsoft.com>
>> > wrote in message
>> > news:02DB7EF8-5960-4D7D-BC9A-7C9B891C0957@microsoft.com...
>> > > Hey all,
>> > >
>> > > I'm having a little bit of trouble with BitLocker. I don't have
>> > > TPM and
>> > > have enabled it to use a USB flash drive. Well, the actual encryption
>> > > part
>> > > is
>> > > working fine, but every time I start up, it makes me "Remove Key
>> > > Storage
>> > > Media" before it will continue the start up process. I enabled
>> > > BitLocker
>> > > before doing a clean install and it worked fine one the last
>> > > installation - I
>> > > didn't have to remove it or anything. I don't really think it makes
>> > > sense
>> > > that I should have to remove it so that makes me a little concerned
>> > > and it
>> > > also means that I can't leave my computer alone to start up. Is there
>> > > any
>> > > way
>> > > to make it so that I don't have to remove the flash drive while
>> > > starting
>> > > up?
>> > > Thanks
>> > >
>> > > ~This is so annoying.....
>> >
>> >