Windows Vista - Enterprise Edition and BitLocker

For Windows Vista Ultimate one only need download the BitLocker and EFS enhancements via the Ultimate Extras to obtain the BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool.

When setting up our Windows Vista Ultimate/Enterprise systems we made sure to leave the necessary partition space for the unencrypted boot files that BitLocker requires which is 1.5GB.

When we ran the BitLocker Drive Encryption utility it told us that the drive was not properly configured to enable BitLocker.

It seems that things did not work out as we thought from the instructions we read.

So, we needed the BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool. For Windows Vista Enterprise, we needed to contact Product Support Services (or the Online Concierge) and ask for the following Knowledgebase article:

• Microsoft KB 930063: Description of the BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool

Be specific with them as far as why you are calling. And note that the tool comes in both a 32bit and 64bit version. We obtained both.

After downloading and installing the tool, we were greeted with the need to "shrink down the C: volume" and create the active volume R: for the BitLocker files:

BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool

Once the drive preparation tool finished, we were able to go on and run the BitLocker Drive Encryption Utility.

Both the 32bit and 64bit versions of this utility are definitely going onto the Technician's Thumb Drives!

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

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