Bitlocker

[seekermeister]

If I understand correctly, Bitlocker is only available in the Ultimate version of Windows 7, not in the Pro version, but after noticing that services in Windows 7 includes an item for Bitlocker, which is set at manual by default.

Wondering why this is there if Pro doesn't include it. I started Googling and came across some articles about Bitlocker To Go, which apparently is specifically for encrypting USB or more particularly flash drives. While I have no need or desire to encrypt my internal drives, being able to encrypt a flash drive seems like a good idea

While I admit that I only scanned the articles, it appeared that Bitlocker To Go is separate from Bitlocker proper and is apparently a beta. Thinking that it could be downloaded separately, I tried to find a download, without any success. MS does have a drive preparation tool available for download, along with some guides and articles, but if there is anything more, I didn't find it. Am I misconstruing this? Is Bitlocker To Go just a part of Bitlocker itself? If none of this is available for Pro, why is there a service for it?

 

[Airbot]

It isn't a download per se, it just installs on the removable storage device when you plug it in and right click on it and choose Turn on Bitlocker in Ultimate or Enterprise, or from Bitlocker in the control panel. You're able to access and unlock the device and have read only access, or copy the contents to a lesser OS, but can't save back to the removable device on an OS or lesser edition without Bitlocker like Pro or Starter, or Vista, Xp. Don't know the answer as to why the service is there in pro, maybe has to do with accessing the bitlocker encrypted removable device.

Tutorial on it -
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...e-encryption-bitlocker-go-turn-off.html?ltr=B

 

[seekermeister]

I tried to right click the flash drive, as well as several others in Windows Explorer, and it simply shut down...even the Taskbar disappeared for a moment. Somethings not right.

 

[Airbot]

If you read my post, you have to have ultimate or enterprise for bitlocker, you can only access a bitlocker encrypted device on the lesser edition.

As for your problems with just right clicking a drive and it shutting down, I have no idea.

 

[seekermeister]

I don't know how good it is, but I found an alternative for this...and it's free:

TrueCrypt - Free Open-Source On-The-Fly Disk Encryption Software for Windows 7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X and Linux - Downloads

 

[Airbot]

Yeah, I've heard of it before, never used it though so couldn't say if it works good or not.

 

[Barman58]

Trucrypt is an amazing piece of software for the price

It allows the creation of encrypted virtual drives which will meet the needs of all but the most security critical scenarios