Bitlocker - need a simple "handbook"

I have a laptop with a TCM chip and XP 32-bit and Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit installed in a dual-boot arrangement. I wish to prevent a laptop thief from seeing the contents of the hard disk.

I'm trying to find a simple handbook or manual (simple = 3 pages max.) which describes Bitlocker. I've been thrashing around the web for a simple description of Bitlocker and the installation procedure and options. I've also trawled the Microsoft websites. Most of the material seems to be written for administrators of large networks who want to deploy Bitlocker over several hundred systems and leaves me clueless. It's difficult to find a text which doesn't slide into geek-speak after the second sentence. This forum has various bits and pieces on the subject but I haven't been able to find a simple synoptic text.

I would also like to know whether anyone has installed/tried to install Bitlocker on a dual-boot system and whether it succeeded. It seems that Bitlocker has certain partition requirements and I don't want it scrambling my dual-boot system.

Paddy

Have you tried just encrypting the drive and then seeing if the laptop can access the drive? I don't think the laptop will be able to access the drive unless you give it specific permission.

I am not an expert on Bitlocker but I think you should try that, and just have a mess around with it, thats the best way to learn IMO. Just don't forget to remember passwords etc.

Heres a short tutorial.

TUTORIAL: Enable BitLocker On Windows Vista And Windows 7 | BradGroux.com

Bill2 said:

Heres a short tutorial.

TUTORIAL: Enable BitLocker On Windows Vista And Windows 7 | BradGroux.com

Thanks for this. Very clearly written tutorial.

Before going ahead I want to be sure that the BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool will not disable my dual-boot startup (XP/W7). On following the DBPT link I see that

The BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool automates the following processes to configure the hard disk drive correctly:
1. It creates a second volume, if one is not already present.
2. It moves the boot files to the correct volume, and ensures that the operating system is correctly configured to find them at startup.
3. It configures the correct volume as the active partition on the drive for startup.

The bits about "....mov(ing) the boot files to the correct volume...." and "....ensures that the operating system is correctly configured to find them at startup" make me cautious because they refer to "...the operating system...." in the singular.

Do you happen to know whether the DBPT leaves dual-boot systems intact ? I ask because setting up the dual-boot system on the move from XP to W7 was not trivial, to which the large number of sad postings on the Web attests.

Paddy

BomberAF said:

Have you tried just encrypting the drive and then seeing if the laptop can access the drive? I don't think the laptop will be able to access the drive unless you give it specific permission.

I am not an expert on Bitlocker but I think you should try that, and just have a mess around with it, thats the best way to learn IMO. Just don't forget to remember passwords etc.

My aim is to encrypt the drive. I could do it with True Crypt - a superb tool which I use constantly - but I'd like to take advantage of the TCM chip on the machine. Hence my posting.

Paddy

pacman10 said:

BomberAF said:

Have you tried just encrypting the drive and then seeing if the laptop can access the drive? I don't think the laptop will be able to access the drive unless you give it specific permission.

I am not an expert on Bitlocker but I think you should try that, and just have a mess around with it, thats the best way to learn IMO. Just don't forget to remember passwords etc.

My aim is to encrypt the drive. I could do it with True Crypt - a superb tool which I use constantly - but I'd like to take advantage of the TCM chip on the machine. Hence my posting.

Paddy

You can only use bitlocker providing you have the chipon the mobo. Just encrypt then it will work, I have tried to do it on my PC but was told I couldn't do it as I never had the chip. Think TBH your just making a very easy operation more difficult just encrypt the drive then your laughing aren't you.

Theres some info about a Vista-win7 dual boot with bitlocker here.

BitLocker Drive Encryption in Windows 7: Frequently Asked Questions

Building a dual boot system with Windows Vista BitLocker protection with TPM support - Cyril Voisin (aka Voy) on security - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

Bill2 said:

Theres some info about a Vista-win7 dual boot with bitlocker here.

BitLocker Drive Encryption in Windows 7: Frequently Asked Questions

Building a dual boot system with Windows Vista BitLocker protection with TPM support - Cyril Voisin (aka Voy) on security - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

Thanks very much for these references. Both describe how to set up dual-boot systems but I am starting from an existing dual-boot system so I'll have to go carefully here. I had thought of simply imaging the whole disk and then trying it out so that if anything goes wrong I can simply restore the previous setup. However, the TPM might thwart that so I'm a bit reluctant.

Must give this some thought.

Paddy