Solved BitLocker & Clean Installing Windows 11

IanMosley · Sep 18, 2023

My drive arrangement is this -

Disc 0 contains most of my user partitions and I install to / boot from disc 1 - both are internal drives.

The issue I'm exeriencing is that the Windows boot drive C: is always bitlocked, as well as drives D: , E: , & F:

I've taken an image of disc 0 using Macrium Reflect, so I can erase these partitions as part of the clean install procedure.

However, how do I ensure disc C; is not bitlocked?

neemobeer · Sep 18, 2023

From Powershell

Code:

# Is the volume encrypted
Get-BitlockerVolume -MountPoint C:

Decrypt the volume
Disable-Bitlocker -MountPoint C:

# run the first command to check status and make sure the volume is fully decrypted

IanMosley · Sep 18, 2023

Thanks for the information.

However, is there no way to stop the partitions being encrypted in the first place?

neemobeer · Sep 18, 2023

It should not encrypt by default unless the system is configured to do so. I don't use a MS account, but it certainly is possible this setting/config transfers. If there is no bitlocker policy then disabling bitlocker on a volume should prevent re-encryption.

glasskuter · Sep 18, 2023

You may find this helpful. Both Device Encryption and Bitlocker on?? How to turn both off?? - Windows 10 Help Forums

Also I ran across this Dell article regarding updating your bios that you might want to be aware of if you leave bitlocker on

Precision 3660 Tower Service Manual | Dell US

BobOmb · Oct 1, 2023

Once you disable device encryption manually it shouldn’t auto encrypt drives moving forward.

In admin CMD prompt the below cmd should disable Bitlocker/Device Encyption for the specified drive letter:

Batch:

MANAGE-BDE -OFF C:

IanMosley · Oct 1, 2023

glasskuter said:
You may find this helpful. Both Device Encryption and Bitlocker on?? How to turn both off?? - Windows 10 Help Forums

Also I ran across this Dell article regarding updating your bios that you might want to be aware of if you leave bitlocker on

Precision 3660 Tower Service Manual | Dell US

Very interesting - thank you.

BobOmb said:
Once you disable device encryption manually it shouldn’t auto encrypt drives moving forward.

In admin CMD prompt the below cmd should disable Bitlocker/Device Encyption for the specified drive letter:

Batch:

MANAGE-BDE -OFF C:

I - initially - used the command you gave me.

I am just completing a clean install of Windows 11 Pro v 23H2 (Build 22631.2361) with no sign of 'Bitlocker Interference'!!

:shawn:

hsehestedt · Oct 4, 2023

Please see this thread for a detailed discussion regarding this:

How to prevent automatic drive encryption in Windows 11?

So I work for a company that sells computers and I do some tweaking to disable telemetry and whatnot for customers who choose to do so. Some SSDs which support hardware encryption such as the Samsung 980 PRO and many of the new ones, the moment you create a Windows account you will notice that...

www.elevenforum.com