Solved I installed a new C drive and reinstalled Windows, can't enable bitlocker

gustywin · Nov 25, 2024

I recently bought a new 4 TB SSD for my system drive because I needed more speed and space. I installed Windows on it but now realize I made a mistake by not removing the old Windows drive first.

In the screenshot disk 5 is the original Windows drive, which has since been formatted and now used for data, and Disk 4 is the new Windows drive.

When trying to enable Bitlocker I get this error.

I tried to fix it by creating a 500MB partition, but it got formatted as a 499 MB partition and running

bcdboot C:\Windows /s B: /f UEFI

but I still get that error message.

I've installed all my apps and data now, so I don't want to reinstall again if I don't need to.

Ghot · Nov 25, 2024

Hello @gustywin and welcome to ElevenForum.

Is Disk4 MBR or GPT? I don't see an EFI partition.
Or did the install put it on another drive?

"System" shouldn't be on the C:\ partition.
That's what causing the error message you're getting.
It should have it's own partition.

This is mine...

Also, I gave you ten reaction points, just for filling out your computer specs.

gustywin · Nov 25, 2024

Thanks for the reply, it's GPT. Is that what you're asking?

Ghot · Nov 25, 2024

gustywin said:
Thanks for the reply, it's GPT. Is that what you're asking?

Yeah... installation media for Win 11 must have put it on a different drive..
Generally, during a clean install, we disconnect the other drives..

This forces the installer to put the EFI partition on the drive with Windows.
In your case... Disk4

You can probably fix it with Diskpart and a few commands.
Me... I would just do a clean install.

Clean Install Windows 11

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes...

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gustywin · Nov 25, 2024

Ghot said:
Yeah... installation media for Win 11 must have put it on a different drive..
Generally, during a clean install, we disconnect the other drives..

This forces the installer to put the EFI partition on the drive with Windows.
In your case... Disk4

You can probably fix it with Disk Part and a few commands.
Me... I would just do a clean install.

Clean Install Windows 11

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes...

www.elevenforum.com

Yes, I just need to know if I can rectify it without losing my apps and data so I can encrypt my vols with bitlocker.

idgat · Nov 25, 2024

gustywin said:
I made a mistake by not removing the old Windows drive first.

Start again

gustywin said:
When trying to enable Bitlocker

Why do you want to? Is it really necessary?

gustywin · Nov 25, 2024

idgat said:
Start again

Why do you want to? Is it really necessary?

My PC is in an outbuilding, so if it gets stolen I don't want thieves to get access to the data on it.

Ghot · Nov 25, 2024

gustywin said:
My PC is in an outbuilding, so if it gets stolen I don't want thieves to get access to the data on it.

Then start over. ^^
And this time, unhook all the other drives.

This is step #2 in the Clean Install tutorial...

It is recommended to temporarily disconnect or disable all other drives until Windows installation has finished for the following reasons:

To avoid you mistakenly deleting or formatting the wrong disk or drive.

To prevent Windows Setup from installing the boot configuration files (bootloader) to a different connected hard drive instead of on the disk Windows will be installed on.

idgat · Nov 25, 2024

gustywin said:
My PC is in an outbuilding, so if it gets stolen I don't want thieves to get access to the data on it.

Then store your secure/private data in password protected cloud or off-site storage. Really, just have a look through any forums like this on the internet, Bitlocker is just not worth. I could go and live on the French Riviera if I got a dollar for every user who got locked out of their device, for any number of reasons, because of Bitlocker.

gustywin · Nov 25, 2024

Ghot said:
Then start over. ^^
And this time, unhook all the other drives.

I was hoping not to have to do this, but looks like I might have to.

gustywin · Nov 25, 2024

idgat said:
Then store your secure/private data in password protected cloud or off-site storage. Really, just have a look through any forums like this on the internet, Bitlocker is just not worth. I could go and live on the French Riviera if I got a dollar for every user who got locked out of their device, for any number of reasons, because of Bitlocker.

I've been using bitlocker for years on all my Windows devices with no issues, apart from the one just outlined lol, but that was my fault, not bitlocker.

idgat · Nov 25, 2024

gustywin said:
Yes, I just need to know if I can rectify it without losing my apps

The price of making a mistake during installation. You won't be the first, you certainly won't be the last who had to start again

gustywin said:
and data

Your data should be backed up anyway, easily restorable.

Ghot · Nov 25, 2024

gustywin said:
I was hoping not to have to do this, but looks like I might have to.

I would.
After installing Windows 10 a while back, I started keeping copies of everything I installed, and text files of the tweaks I did.
This comes in real handy, at a time like this.

Once you get your Windows drive fixed up... the items below might come in handy.

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Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software... 1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup. 2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup. 3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2. 4. Repeat...

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Windows 11 Tweaks - Leader Board.

These are tweaks I've seen asked for... many times. They are collected here for easy access. All of these and more can be found in the Eleven Forum Tutorials section. Make sure to read the "notes" in the various tutorials. At the bottom of the first post in all the "tutorials", there are...

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zbook · Nov 25, 2024

How come the default partition architecture was modified?

Please run:

a) diskparinfo

https://www.tenforums.com/attachments/bsod-crashes-debugging/355861d1640707960-batch-files-use-bsod-debugging-diskparinfo.bat

Batch files for use in BSOD debugging - Windows 10 Help Forums

Information This thread is for use by the BSOD team to store batch files that can be used to collect additional data, fix settings or anything else that is useful in debugging BSOD problems in Windows 10. The way I see it working is the first

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Batch files for use in BSOD debugging - Windows 10 Help Forums

Information This thread is for use by the BSOD team to store batch files that can be used to collect additional data, fix settings or anything else that is useful in debugging BSOD problems in Windows 10. The way I see it working is the first

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To function correctly, BitLocker requires a specific disk configuration.

BitLocker requires two partitions that meet the following requirements:

The operating system partition contains the operating system and its support files; it must be formatted with the NTFS file system
The system partition (or boot partition) includes the files needed to load Windows after the BIOS or UEFI firmware has prepared the system hardware.
BitLocker isn't enabled on this partition.
For BitLocker to work, the system partition must not be encrypted, and must be on a different partition than the operating system.
On UEFI platforms, the system partition must be formatted with the FAT 32-file system.
On BIOS platforms, the system partition must be formatted with the NTFS file system.
It should be at least 350 MB in size.

BitLocker planning guide

Learn how to plan for a BitLocker deployment in your organization.

learn.microsoft.com

SIW2 · Nov 25, 2024

ESP partition should be of this type
C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

you can change your system reserved partition to an ESP with the free version of diskgenius.

DiskGenius Download Center | Free Download DiskGenius

Free download DiskGenius to recover lost data & partitions, manage disk capacity, backup Windows and personal data, and fix disk issues on PCs and Servers.

www.diskgenius.com

rt click the system reserved partition and select "modify partition parameters"

select Efi system partition in the dropdown

click OK

then click Save All

next you need to get your bios to use the boot files on the esp partition , instead of the boot files in the EFI folder on your os partition.

You can do that using

gustywin · Nov 25, 2024

Thanks for the posts, but I already reinstalled Windows 11 again, all good now, if not slightly time-consuming.

idgat · Nov 25, 2024

gustywin said:
... if not slightly time-consuming.

Now, download Macrium Reflect (freeware version from majorgeeks) and/or AOMEI Backupper (freeware) and create image(s) of new system. Repeat as you install/change more/other software. Then repeat regularly 1-2 x weekly forever

Ghot · Nov 25, 2024

gustywin said:
Thanks for the posts, but I already reinstalled Windows 11 again

Now THAT is how it should look.

1. I would temporarily disable Bitlocker, and shrink the C:\ partition, down to something like 250 or 500GB.
2. When you make a backup, the backup will include the EFI, Recovery and C: partitions.
3. With a 4TB C: partition... you WILL fill it up, sooner or later.
4. At default settings, 3rd party backup software, will make backups 1/2 the size of the "used space" on the C: partition.
5. A decent backup plan, requires 2-3 months worth of backups.
5. If you get say... 2.5 TB of stuff on the C: partition, each backup will be about 1.25TB

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here's some other things that you may find useful...

Quickie Eleven Forum Setup Guide for new Members

Quickie Interface tour... Quickie set up... At the top right, click on your name, then choose "Preferences". Then go through everything on the left side. Quickie navigation... Click Forums and choose a subforum, OR... Click Forums, then New Posts or What's New Ranks, Trophies...

www.elevenforum.com

Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software... 1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup. 2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup. 3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2. 4. Repeat...

www.elevenforum.com

Windows 11 Tweaks - Leader Board.

These are tweaks I've seen asked for... many times. They are collected here for easy access. All of these and more can be found in the Eleven Forum Tutorials section. Make sure to read the "notes" in the various tutorials. At the bottom of the first post in all the "tutorials", there are...

www.elevenforum.com

Solved I installed a new C drive and reinstalled Windows, can't enable bitlocker

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