Bitlocker - The data drive specified is not set to automatically unlock

[Fazza]

I've got an Acer laptop that does not have a TPM chip in it so I need to set a password on boot up to unlock the drive.

 

After turning on Bitlocker, setting the password and rebooting, the laptop does not ask for a password and just boots up to windows! On logging on I'm then greeted with this message:

 

 

Isnt the thing that automatically unlocks the drive the TPM chip? This laptop doesnt have one!

 

I've reset the BIOS (issue still occurs), upgraded the BIOS to the latest version (issue still occurs) and re-installed Windows 10 (issue still occurs)!

 

Any ideas what's going on and what I need to do to get this laptop encrypted?

[Steve21]

If you have the option enabled for bitlocker without TPM you need something usb/sd card wise to store the TPM info on, or are you trying to do it without both?

 

Steve

[vimagoes]

Have you Enable the option "Requiere aditional authentication at startup" ? You have to enable it on your local group policies.

 

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/6229/how-to-use-bitlocker-on-drives-without-tpm/

Edited June 12, 2018 by vimagoes

[Fazza]

All the required Group Policies are set as we've been encrypting both TPM laptops and non-TPM laptops (with bootup passwords) for well over a year now. All other laptops without a TPM chip have encrypted fine.

[Steve21]

Not sure how unless you've been storing a key on a partition? Where would they be saving the key to if you don't have a TPM or usb/sd?

 

Unless you mean a non-system disk?

 

Steve

[3s-gtech]

Bitlocker doesn't need a storage key or TPM, and hasn't since Windows 8. That's why there are GPs to enable a password instead. I wonder if the partition structure or disk type is an issue here - can you try it with a fresh install (just a quick build)?

[Fazza]

Here's how we encrypt the C: drive of a laptop without a TPM chip:

 

 

On boot up you then get prompted for a password:

 

 

This has worked on dozens of laptops for the last few years since we first started encrypting laptops on Windows 8.1 etc.

 

It's just this one laptop that on a reboot you are not prompted for the password as shown in the last image, instead it just loads Windows and when logging on you get the error message in my first post instead.

[Steve21]

Derp derp, My bad for skim reading, assumed it was 7 from the original pic being the blue background haha Yep noticed it's in the 10 forum now

 

The only time we've seen that error is when a bios setting isn't right for the usb controllers.

 

Does it show that it actually encrypts successfully in the event logs? As if it's failing to be able to encrypt it it wouldn't be able to set the auto-unlock

 

Steve

[Fazza]

No USB settings in the BIOS what-so-ever (very little in there to be honest).

 

Peculiar thing is, after doing the screenshots of it not working, it suddenly started working and it's now encrypted with a password to unlock it working as it should. Very strange and no idea what was going on just glad it's sorted!

[MaskMarvl]

[sOLVED] For anyone still having this problem, I discovered that by disabling "Secure Boot" in the BIOS, it prompted me for the password like it's supposed to (for a non-TPM laptop... specifically an HP pavilion)