Bitlocker missing from Control Panel - Enabling Hardware Encryption

Question

I am trying to enable Bitlocker for a Samsung 850 EVO drive which is a self-encrypting drive (hardware encryption). However, when I enable Bitlocker, on restarting the computer I am asked for the pin and windows starts ok, but Bitlocker has disappeared from the Control Panel.  So I did a startup repair and Bitlocker reappears but encryption for the drive is switched off without it asking me for the pin. So I made a shortcut to the Bitlocker control panel and tried again. If I try and run the shortcut when Bitlocker is missing from the control panel due to enabling encryption I get the following event logged.

• System
• Provider

[ Name] Application Error

• EventID 1000

[ Qualifiers] 0

Level 2

Task 100

Keywords 0x80000000000000

• TimeCreated

[ SystemTime] 2015-02-04T10:35:51.000000000Z

EventRecordID 9192

Channel Application

Computer NH4790K

Security

• EventData

explorer.exe

6.3.9600.17415

54503a3a

fvecpl.dll

6.3.9600.17415

54504b39

c0000005

00000000000223ff

144c

01d04065cbe4a3e7

C:\Windows\explorer.exe

C:\Windows\System32\fvecpl.dll

96bf482d-ac59-11e4-82af-54271ef41679

I have a TPM 1.2 installed (same problem using keys instead)

Windows 8.1 Pro x64 is installed in UEFI biod mode with the relevant partitions (that windows install creates for you) and fully updated

The bios firmware is fully up to date

The SSD firmware is fully up to date

Bitlocker can successfully enable software encryption, but not hardware encryption

How might I go about getting Bitlocker to function correctly with this drive? Although I am being asked for a pin, I am fairly certain encryption is not actually being enabled as windows startup repair can disable the encryption without me supplying the pin.

Answer 1

See solution here for the error you are experiencing.

ERROR: The volume C: could not be opened by BitLocker.

This may be because the volume does not exist, or because it is not a valid

BitLocker volume.

http://www.techimo.com/forum/security-and-privacy-issues/293662-not-valid-bitlocker-volume-error.html

Answer 2

Thanks for trying. I have already been through that article too unfortunately.

After trying to encrypt the drive (when Bitlocker disappears from Control Panel) I get the following if I try from a Command Prompt (with admin) "manage-bde c: -status". Otherwise, when I've not tried to encrypt it I get full status info saying it has hardware encryption and that it is currently decrypted.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]

(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>manage-bde c: -status

BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 6.3.9600

Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

ERROR: The volume C: could not be opened by BitLocker.

This may be because the volume does not exist, or because it is not a valid

BitLocker volume.

Answer 3

Located another doc on encypting the drive.  Again, Samsung Evo 840

See #6

http://superuser.com/questions/692172/how-do-i-encrypt-a-samsung-evo-840-ssd

After this, I'm fresh out of ideas.

Answer 4

Thank you for your suggestion, although I had already done this, confirmed by windows msinfo32.exe reporting BIOS Mode = UEFI

Answer 5

Hi,

According to Samsung Evo 840 user:

"You have to make sure your installation medium is UEFI and turn off compatability mode in the bios to ensure that you install windows mode UEFI."

http://superuser.com/questions/700009/samsung-evo-840-ssd-and-bitlocker