Extending Bitlocker Encrypted System Drive

Question

Hi - I would like to increase the size of a bitlocker encrypted system disk running on Windows 10. The thing is, I would like to use the same encryption key. As far as I understand the TPM 2.0 is used in generating the key; however, I do not know if it is possible to duplicate a specific key, or else if there are other ways to extend the size without altering the encryption?

Answer 1

Hello @Andrew Azz

as far as I know you need to turn off Bitlocker first.

Navigate to Control panel / system and security / BitLocker Drive Encryption;
Click Turn Off BitLocker > Decrypt Drive;
Run Partition Expert, click a source partition with enough unused space;
Resize/Move Volume on this partition, and drag the handle to create unallocated space;
Click Target partition, and extend it with Resize/Move Volume function;
OK and Commit in the first window;
BitLocker the partition and encrypt it again.

Hope this helps with your query!

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Answer 2

By default, extending partitions is possible while keeping Bitlocker on. No change needed.
The only caveat: if the space you hope to add to c: is not right next to c:, this will need several hoops to jump through.

Answer 3

Ok, thanks.

I've tried with the Macrorit partition expert (free version), but it will not let me move any partition. Thing is, the System partition has (of course) the recovery partition next to it. Thereafter there are 5 VeraCrypt encrypted partitions followed by the unallocated space. This is all on Nvme RAID0. I don't mind jumping through hoops, but at present am not sure what those hoops are.

Answer 4

Thank you @Limitless Technology .

Are you saying that the exact same encryption key will be used when re-encrypting a decrypted Bitlocker volume?

If so, then my problem is solved.