Windows – BitLocker: Encrypt all hard drives

bitlockerencryptionhard drivewindowswindows 8.1

Since TrueCrypt is gone now, I'm planning in using BitLocker to encrypt my drives. I want to encrypt all hard drives.

In my computer, I have an SSD and an HDD. At best, I want to turn on the computer, enter the complicated and long password only once and have both drives unlocked. When I re-install Windows, I usualy only format the SSD and not the HDD. This is where I want to avoid surprises, such as the HDD not being readable anymore for any reason.

Specifically therefore I'm asking:

What is the optimal way for setting up a completely encrypted computer with 2 hard drives?

(This seems to be a common problem, but I did not found a specific solution to it online)

A summary of the hardware & software configuration:

  • Windows 8.1 Pro
  • SSD where basically only Windows is installed. – Ability to format and re-install Windows required!
  • HDD on which data is stored

Best Answer

Source BitLocker Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How BitLocker works with fixed and removable data drives

BitLocker can also be used to protect fixed and removable data drives. When used with data drives, BitLocker encrypts the entire contents of the drive and can be configured by using Group Policy to require that BitLocker be enabled on a drive before the computer can write data to the drive. BitLocker can be configured with the following unlock methods for data drives:

  • Automatic unlock. Fixed data drives can be set to automatically unlock on a computer where the operating system drive is encrypted. Removable data drives can be set to automatically unlock on a computer running Windows 8 after the password or smart card is initially used to unlock the drive. However, removable data drives must always have either a password or smart card unlock method in addition to the automatic unlock method.
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