Windows 7 - BitLocker Drive Encryption Without Ultimate

**Duckling** · 08-27-2009

I like to get my OS to be genuine. But, I only qualify for a Home Upgrade.
Anyone know of a way to still use this feature?

Without having Ultimate?

sup3rsprt · 08-28-2009

TrueCrypt - Free Open-Source On-The-Fly Disk Encryption Software for Windows Vista/XP, Mac OS X and Linux

**ccatlett1984** · 08-28-2009

all versions of windows 7 (except for "starter") support an upgrade to ultimate (paying fee of course)

**critofur** · 12-13-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by ccatlett1984

all versions of windows 7 (except for "starter") support an upgrade to ultimate (paying fee of course)

It seems you didn't read all of his post. "Without having Ultimate" he said.

The upgrade price is totally unreasonable, but, Bitlocker seems like a sensible feature that would be popular, if you didn't have to pay the ridiculous price to get "Ultimate".

I love Windows 7, but, it's really upsetting that they sell different "versions" (some without all the features. I don't like this recent trend by Microsoft. I much prefer Apple's method of selling OS. Though, I build my own PCs and don't want to pay the hardware premium price of a Mac either.

Hopefully somebody will come up with a registry setting or such that lets us turn on Bitlocker in our non "Ultimate" versions of Windows 7.

Quote: Originally Posted by sup3rsprt

TrueCrypt - Free Open-Source On-The-Fly Disk Encryption Software for Windows Vista/XP, Mac OS X and Linux

This is more helpful than the other post. Do you know, does TrueCrypt have an option to automatically flush passwords/keys out of memory after a certain time, in case you step away from your PC or such? Wouldn't want a Hacker to be able to steal your files by doing a memory dump or such.

I looked it up on the TrueCrypt page:

Quote:

Inherently, unencrypted master keys have to be stored in RAM too. When a non-system TrueCrypt volume is dismounted, TrueCrypt erases its master keys (stored in RAM). When the computer is cleanly restarted (or cleanly shut down), all non-system TrueCrypt volumes are automatically dismounted and, thus, all master keys stored in RAM are erased by the TrueCrypt driver (except master keys for system partitions/drives — see below). However, when power supply is abruptly interrupted, when the computer is reset (not cleanly restarted), or when the system crashes, TrueCrypt naturally stops running and therefore cannot erase any keys or any other sensitive data. Furthermore, as Microsoft does not provide any appropriate API for handling hibernation and shutdown, master keys used for system encryption cannot be reliably (and are not) erased from RAM when a computer hibernates, is shut down or restarted.**

To summarize, TrueCrypt cannot and does not ensure that RAM contains no sensitive data (e.g. passwords, master keys, or decrypted data). Therefore, after each session in which you work with a TrueCrypt volume or in which an encrypted operating system is running, you must shut down (or, if the hibernation file is encrypted, hibernate) the computer and then leave it powered off for several minutes before turning it on again. This is required to clear the RAM.

Windows 7 - BitLocker Drive Encryption Without Ultimate

BitLocker Drive Encryption Without Ultimate problems?