Setting Up Windows 11 Pro On New Dell XPS 15 9520?

You will need to enable the Require additional authentication at startup policy to allow BitLocker to unlock the operating system drive with a PIN or USB flash drive.


Afterwards, you'll be able to change how BitLocker unlocks the OS drive at startup below.

Brink said:

You will need to enable the Require additional authentication at startup policy to allow BitLocker to unlock the operating system drive with a PIN or USB flash drive.

Enable or Disable BitLocker to Unlock OS drive at Startup with PIN and USB in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable BitLocker to unlock the operating system drive at startup with a PIN or USB flash drive in Windows 10 and Windows 11. BitLocker Drive Encryption is a data protection feature that integrates with the operating system and addresses the threats...

www.elevenforum.com

Afterwards, you'll be able to change how BitLocker unlocks the OS drive at startup below.

Change how BitLocker Unlocks OS Drive at Startup in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to choose how to unlock your operating system drive at startup with a PIN, USB flash drive, or automatically with TPM in Windows 11. BitLocker Drive Encryption is a data protection feature that integrates with the operating system and addresses the threats of...

www.elevenforum.com

Click to expand...

Hey brink thanks.


1. Okay so to confirm this. At the moment I am in the local account I created. So whenever I turn on my laptop now, it ask for the pin. But why isn't this called the local account password? Because when I set up the local account and gave it a password... why do they call it the pin?

Because I am typing my local account windows password at login and it ask pin. Shouldn't it be asking for password?



2. So the way I have it set up now.... since windows 11 enables bitlocker by default, I am only protected by my local account password? Thus if someone don't know what it is, they can't get access to my hard drive? But not only that, if the person took out the hard drive and put it in another computer, that wouldn't work because the hard drive is encrypted with my local account password?


But if you put a bitlocker pin into it... now there are 2 layers of protection? That person would not only need to know what your bitocker pin is... but they also need to know what is your local account password to get in. Is that correct? I heard mixed opinions about this on windows 10 pro where people said a windows password can be bypassed. But that isn't true if it uses bitlocker right? Example old laptop used windows 10 pro and you had to enter bitlocker pin and then the windows 10 password. If someone know the bitlocker pin, can the person bypass the windows account password? Also my windows 10 account in my old laptop is the local account right? Thus windows 10 password is just another name for the local account password?

I don't know what you have set, so I can't tell you if the PIN is for BitLocker or your account.

A BitLocker encrypted drive cannot be accessed if removed and connected to another computer unless they have your BitLocker recovery key.

Correct. If you add a PIN for BitLocker, then someone will have to enter the BitLocker PIN first at startup to unlock the OS drive, then have to know your account PIN or password to to sign in to your account.

Brink said:

I don't know what you have set, so I can't tell you if the PIN is for BitLocker or your account.

A BitLocker encrypted drive cannot be accessed if removed and connected to another computer unless they have your BitLocker recovery key.

Correct. If you add a PIN for BitLocker, then someone will have to enter the BitLocker PIN first at startup to unlock the OS drive, then have to know your account PIN or password to to sign in to your account.

Click to expand...

Hey brinks thank. I will reply back to that in just a minute.


Right now i have another issue at the moment. I am doing the windows updates now. Can you look at my other thread on windows updates and can please give me response soon on this? I am concerned that I can no longer undo this update because I clicked on download all updates?

Brink said:

I don't know what you have set, so I can't tell you if the PIN is for BitLocker or your account.

A BitLocker encrypted drive cannot be accessed if removed and connected to another computer unless they have your BitLocker recovery key.

Correct. If you add a PIN for BitLocker, then someone will have to enter the BitLocker PIN first at startup to unlock the OS drive, then have to know your account PIN or password to to sign in to your account.

Click to expand...

When I first created the microsoft account to set up windows, i had to create a password for that microsoft account. I also had to create windows hello pin. I then created a local account under the microsoft account login. The password I used for the local account is the same as the windows hello pin for that microsoft account I created originally.


So when I turn on my laptop now, I see it shows my local account name... then under it ask for pin. But shouldn't it ask for password though? The thing is I am entering my windows local account password into it right? Because since I used the same password for the local account password and also the microsoft account hello pin, that is why I am not sure. The reason why i used the same password is because this local account password is the password i wanted to use with the windows account. And I had also used the same password for the hello pin for the microsoft account in case i couldn't create a local account... does that make sense? So this password I use now to enter in my laptop, i always want this password to be the 2nd password to get into my laptop before bitlocker.


Well it doesn't have that screen that ask for bitlocker pin like at startup for windows 10 pro though. So this pin... has to be my windows local account password then? I mean it can't be the windows hello pin for the original microsoft account email i created at first right even though I used the same password? When you turn on your windows 11 laptop, it has that sames look of asking you for your bitlocker pin at the top left corner and background is blue right?

The Microsoft account password and PIN no longer apply to the local account since the local account has its own credentials.

If you don't want a PIN for the local account, you can remove it.


This below is what it looks like if BitLocker is asking for a PIN at startup to unlock the OS drive.

Okay so the bitlocker method I am using now is the default TPM unlocked then right?


I remember this with windows 10 pro and it made no sense doing this way because it is like 1 layer of security as oppose to 2 with the bitlocker pin. Isn't the bitlocker pin stronger than the windows local account password as well?


I do not understand why on default, it doesn't ask you for a bitlocker pin. Because if someone doesn't have a windows local account password, then isn't bitlocker completely useless? I remember asking you back with windows 10, if you remove the windows password, well startup, you have to enter the bitlocker pin. But if you don't have a bitocker pin at startup, and don't have a windows account password, is bitlocker still considered on or off? Because if it is considered on, make zero sense since starting the laptop would get you straight to the computer files?

Just to verify, did you do this below I posted earlier to enable and set up a PIN for BitLocker?

Brink said:

The Microsoft account password and PIN no longer apply to the local account since the local account has its own credentials.

If you don't want a PIN for the local account, you can remove it.

Remove PIN from Account in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to remove the Windows Hello PIN sign-in option from your account in Windows 11. Windows Hello is a more personal, more secure way to get instant access to your Windows 11 devices using a PIN, facial recognition, or fingerprint. You'll need to set up a PIN as part...

www.elevenforum.com

This below is what it looks like if BitLocker is asking for a PIN at startup to unlock the OS drive.

Click to expand...

Yes that is the screen that I am suppose to see at startup with bitlocker. I have that on windows 10 pro but not at windows 11 pro.

Brink said:

Just to verify, did you do this below I posted earlier to enable and set up a PIN for BitLocker?

Setting Up Windows 11 Pro On New Dell XPS 15 9520?

You will need to enable the Require additional authentication at startup policy to allow BitLocker to unlock the operating system drive with a PIN or USB flash drive. https://www.elevenforum.com/t/enable-or-disable-bitlocker-to-unlock-os-drive-at-startup-with-pin-and-usb-in-windows-11.4140/...

www.elevenforum.com

Click to expand...

I am going to do that now. You mean change the settings where I could also enter letters as well for the bitlocker pin right? Because the page you sent me, it looked a lot different than the windows 10 bitlocker from a while back.


I went to settings and then accounts. Then clicked on sign in options.


When I click on Pin (Windows Hello), i see

Change your pin
Remove this sign in option



But when i also click below it on
Password

Sign in with your account's password

You're all set up


So that means whenever I get into my computer now, I have to be using the account password? You say the microsoft email account hello pin is completely different from the local account. So that mean right now I don't have a windows hello pin set up for my local account? Whether I click on change pin or change password, it seem I can do that. So is this windows hello pin and the password for this local account the same or something?

I'd recommend using step 2 in option 2 below to enable the ability to add a PIN for BitLocker.


Afterwards, you can add the PIN below.


If you removed the PIN for your account, then you would only have a password left for your "sign-in options".

The link you posted below



Is my issue here this local account is not the administrator? After I created the local account, do I need to delete the microsoft email account that i created at startup?


All I see when I go to manage bitlocker is


OS (C:) Bitlocker on

Suspend Protection
Back up your recovery key
Turn off Bitlocker


Where is the option of change how drive is unlocked at startup? I don't see this with the link you posted with that picture. Can I need to make this local account the administrator? If so, how do i do that?

No. Sign in to your Microsoft account, and make your local account an administrator account first like in the tutorial below.


Afterwards, you can remove the Microsoft account on your computer if wanted.

Brink said:

I'd recommend using step 2 in option 2 below to enable the ability to add a PIN for BitLocker.

Enable or Disable BitLocker to Unlock OS drive at Startup with PIN and USB in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable BitLocker to unlock the operating system drive at startup with a PIN or USB flash drive in Windows 10 and Windows 11. BitLocker Drive Encryption is a data protection feature that integrates with the operating system and addresses the threats...

www.elevenforum.com

Afterwards, you can add the PIN below.

Change how BitLocker Unlocks OS Drive at Startup in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to choose how to unlock your operating system drive at startup with a PIN, USB flash drive, or automatically with TPM in Windows 11. BitLocker Drive Encryption is a data protection feature that integrates with the operating system and addresses the threats of...

www.elevenforum.com

If you removed the PIN for your account, then you would only have a password left for your "sign-in options".

Click to expand...

Okay I see that part now.

Brink said:

No. Sign in to your Microsoft account, and make your local account an administrator account first like in the tutorial below.

Change Account Type in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to change the account type of users to be either a standard user or administrator in Windows 11. Having different accounts on a shared PC lets multiple people use the same device, all while giving everyone their own sign-in info, plus access to their own files...

www.elevenforum.com

Afterwards, you can remove the Microsoft account on your computer if wanted.

Delete User Account in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to delete a user account to remove it from your Windows 11 PC. Having different accounts on a shared PC lets multiple people use the same device, all while giving everyone their own sign-in info, plus access to their own files, browser favorites, and desktop...

www.elevenforum.com

Click to expand...

I didn't do anything with the admin but doing the

Privacy and Security Enable or Disable BitLocker to Unlock OS drive at Startup with PIN and USB in Windows 11​

allowed me to see the Change how drive is unlocked at startup.


Right now i am still using the local account. I want to use only the local account. But which account is the admin account now? Is it the microsoft account or is it the local account? Do I need to make sure this is the admin account first before i configure bitlocker with the pin at startup?

Is there any harm just keeping the microsoft account even though I don't plan to use it? I want to set up bitlocker correctly with this local account.

Under my local account, I went to accounts. Then I see my name

Newmann as that is the name of the local account name I created
Local Account
Administrator


So that means my local account Newmann is the administrator but the microsoft email account I created at setup isn't then?

newmann said:

Under my local account, I went to accounts. Then I see my name

Newmann as that is the name of the local account name I created
Local Account
Administrator


So that means my local account Newmann is the administrator but the microsoft email account I created at setup isn't then?

Click to expand...

That show your local account is an administrator type of account.

I assumed you switched your Microsoft account to a local account instead. ??

Do you only have the local account listed, and not a Microsoft account?

You should be able to do what I posted earlier to enable and set up a PIN for BitLocker with your local account.

Brink said:

That show your local account is an administrator type of account.

I assumed you switched your Microsoft account to a local account instead. ??

Do you only have the local account listed, and not a Microsoft account?

You should be able to do what I posted earlier to enable and set up a PIN for BitLocker with your local account.

Click to expand...

I set up the microsoft account at setup because I had to do this at the setup for the new dell xps 9520 with windows 11 pro.


I then created a local account as suggested by someone else and you since I did not want to do a clean reinstall of windows 11 pro on the new laptop.


So that mean I switched to the local account now right?


I have that original microsoft account I created but in order to get into that account, wouldn't at startup of the laptop I click on sign up options and then log into that microsoft account? The thing that I am confused about here is I created the local account... while I was in the microsoft account. Does that make sense? It was where you and the other person had suggested I could do that. So is this local account and the microsoft account linked together? I assume not and they are completely separate right?


Okay so I can set up a pin for bitlocker now the way I want it. The other thing is this. On the manage bitlocker page, I do see the backup your recovery key option. I should first do that before anything else? Thus do that before I enter a bitlocker pin for setup? I would save it to a usb flash drive as that is the best option? Back with windows 10 pro, I would backup your recovery key once I set bitlocker the way I want. But the way windows 11 is set up, they already enabled bitlocker. So I should have actually backed up the recovery key earlier? But it isn't a big deal because I have nothing important in it now right?


So now backup your recovery key first and then do the bitlocker pin at startup?


So ignore the microsoft office account right since I don't plan to use that?

Also isn't the other change I need to make with bitlocker pin besides the


Require additional authentication at startup I just did earlier...



Allow enhanced PINS for startup?


Because I want letters as well in the pin since without it, the pin would be all numbers? I don't see a elevenforum link to this part? But all you have to do is click on that and just click Enabled and that is all?

Hi, in recent days I've been reading all your posts about your new laptop. You have covered MS account, pin, bitlocker, windows updates, bios updates, driver updates, Dell bloatware, and using a docking station among others. Please do not take this the wrong way, but I get the sense from some of your answers that before you have a good understanding how to resolve one issue, you go to something else. Might I suggest you deal with one area of concern at a time before you tackle the next one. If you don't, all this stuff could compound on you and it would be very difficult to backtrack to a point where you can resolve any other problems that might occur. Before making multiple changes, one of the most important things a user can do to protect himself is to make a full system backup. This is your insurance policy that you can recover your system if changes cause undesirable results.. As more changes are made, additional backups should also be made. Nothing I've read so far indicates this has been done at any point in the setup of your new system.

No matter how long it takes, I promise it is in your best interest to fully understand each thing as you go along. It also makes it easier for the knowledgeable members here to help you.