- Thread starter bigegg
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How does this Bitlocker work in practice, do you have to type in a longer password every time you boot up your PC?
I've always just used the standard Windows password feature, I don't doubt that it's probably not that secure but I don't understand how encryption works/is that much different??
Pigeon_Droppings2
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I think on newer PCs you can install a TPM (Trusted platform module)...alot of newer PCs come with it pre installed. On mine I just have 1 windows password and that also decrypts the drive too.
On older machines I think there is faffing around with pin codes and the like!
The key thing is you want the drive to be encrypted....otherwise someone can simply open the PC and pull the drive out and access it directly using another PC. Basically they just access the encrypted data directly....they don't even need to get through your windows password!
Going off topic....the other thing you wan I think is some kind of encrypted offsite backup I think. I use this for things like pictures that are kind of irreplaceable + I'd never hear the end of it if SHMBO lost all her photos!!
On older machines I think there is faffing around with pin codes and the like!
The key thing is you want the drive to be encrypted....otherwise someone can simply open the PC and pull the drive out and access it directly using another PC. Basically they just access the encrypted data directly....they don't even need to get through your windows password!
Going off topic....the other thing you wan I think is some kind of encrypted offsite backup I think. I use this for things like pictures that are kind of irreplaceable + I'd never hear the end of it if SHMBO lost all her photos!!
Pigeon_Droppings2
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Yea I started setting that up on the Sunday evening but then I just lost interest!
I did install Linux recently to test a PC I was getting rid of on fleabay....that actually installed fine so I think it was just the dual boot that was the issue. I always remove the hard drive from any PC I'm selling....drives are cheap as chips and it's just not worth the risk of there being recoverable data on the drive. I don't trust data shredders....I'm old school...use a hammer
I wouldn't have thought that were possible, surely they would have to crack the password for the hard drive to run the OS to then access the files?
My PC only has one hard drive in it, you wouldn't be thinking of a secondary hard drive that's just used for extra storage??
I can imagine that would work on one of those.
Seadog
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Pigeon_Droppings2
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earthman....it might depend on the Windows version yo have and how you set it all up....definitely I think the windows user folders are encrypted and password protected but I'm not sure the whole drive is. Windows 10 might be different...but I think with older versions the data was accessible. I'm pretty sure that's why they introduced BitLocker.
I'm not even sure BitLocker is standard on all version of windows...when I was using windows 7 I think I had to upgrade to ultimate or pro to get BitLocker.
I'm not even sure BitLocker is standard on all version of windows...when I was using windows 7 I think I had to upgrade to ultimate or pro to get BitLocker.
mangocrazy
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What is this OS lock of which you speak? I've never encountered such a thing on any PC I've built - but then I guess it's only on retail machines with a Windows OS as default...
That would severely on the chips - I always dual boot Windows with Linux.
Pigeon_Droppings2
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Can't remember the name....its basically being shipped with the motherboard/bios...it's been around for a while I think. I think the idea is that it prevents someone taking control of a PC by overwriting the OS. So basically I think the OS has to be certified...I think if you are just installing one OS then you wouldn't even have noticed it....but when I tried a dual boot install it just freaked out.
eLuSiVeMiTe
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Pretty much.
Uefi has been around for some time now, it's secure boot that was causing the lock out to certain OS iirc.
https://www.howtogeek.com/56958/htg-explains-how-uefi-will-replace-the-bios/
Like you if always built my own so haven't yet encountered the issue. Laptop happily rolled back to 7 with no issues.
eLuSiVeMiTe
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Whenever I've dual booted each OS has its own drive rather than partitions and I swapped boot priority depending on what I wanted to run.
Pigeon_Droppings2
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Yea I was trying to get it to dual boot from a single drive...gave up!
I think dual drives would have been fine (I think).
I also mostly build my own kit too...I built a low power system which uses something crazy like 35w in "normal" use....pretty impressive!
eLuSiVeMiTe
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Haven't built a rig for years. First gen i7 930 was my last build happily running 4.3ghz on air. Wish I'd have kept it. Would still be a reasonable rig.
Pigeon_Droppings2
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I literally just sold mine a few weeks ago....was the original i7 920 with a lovely Asus board and 16GB ram. Ran rock solid....but the power consumption was about 350w and in the summer it was unbearable in my office so I went low power i3 or i5 I think.
Not much has really changed to be honest....buy the bits....throw it together....install OS....done!
eLuSiVeMiTe
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Other than gpu prices seem to be through the roof.
Mine used to heat my office. Two 980ti in sli used to run over 100deg each with custom coolers. They were clocked high too plus the CPU kicking out in the 60s when loaded.
Been a long time since I had the time to game though.
Currently have a sh gaming rig cheap from FB I think its an amd a10 chip iirc.
Does me for my back catalogue of games and music pro software.
gaz1
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its been around a while you have to watch out for new mainboards and other gadgets locked as well
however its been beaten
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/08/10/microsoft_secure_boot_ms16_100/
also beaware of these things
https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/16/10780876/microsoft-windows-support-policy-new-processors-skylake
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/02/windows_intel_kaby_lake_amd_zen/
however its been beaten
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/08/10/microsoft_secure_boot_ms16_100/
also beaware of these things
https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/16/10780876/microsoft-windows-support-policy-new-processors-skylake
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/02/windows_intel_kaby_lake_amd_zen/
Windows passwords offers no data protection at all, if I had your pc I could reset your password and access the files in minutes or put your hard disk in another pc to get the data.
You only need the long key if the OS thinks you're trying to boot it in a different pc, otherwise it's just the windows password to logon.
All our pc's and laptops at work are the same so if something dies we move the hard disk to a working box, enter the bit locker key when prompted and the user logs on as normal.
Bit locker works in one of two ways when it's setup, it either encrypts the whole drive including blank space to protect deleted files or just the current data and new data as it's created. The former is best for a pc that's been used for a while and the latter is quicker on a new machine.
mangocrazy
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its been around a while you have to watch out for new mainboards and other gadgets locked as well
however its been beaten
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/08/10/microsoft_secure_boot_ms16_100/
also beaware of these things
https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/16/10780876/microsoft-windows-support-policy-new-processors-skylake
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/02/windows_intel_kaby_lake_amd_zen/
With regard to Win 7 on AMD Ryzen or Intel Kaby Lake, it all depends on the motherboard manufacturer. I'm typing this on a Ryzen 5 machine running Windows 7. Most mobo manufacturers toed the official Windows line and didn't provide chipset and other drivers for Win 7 on Ryzen. However Biostar, God bless their little cotton socks, did. I haven't checked back recently to see if they have maintained that position, but the necessary drivers were certainly available when I was building this PC (well over a year ago now).
That is all rather worrying I must say,....must look into getting/using this Bit locker then.
