Bitlocker - "Turn on Bitlocker" vanished for USB Drives


  1. JulianF
    Posts : 1
    Windows 10 Pro
       New #1

    Bitlocker - "Turn on Bitlocker" vanished for USB Drives


    Hello,
    I run Win 10 Pro machines both at work (on a Domain) and Home (standalone machines - both situations have the same problem. All machines are 2004 with the latest patches.

    Until recently I could bitlocker Encrypt external USB Drives (memory sticks etc) by either the "Turn on Bitlocker" option in the Explorer Context Menu or within Bitlocker in the Control panel.

    This option has vanished (since the last windows updates?).

    If I insert an unencrypted USB Drive there is no way to encrypt it but if I insert a previously encrypted drive then the "Manage Bitlocker" option is present in the context menu.

    Does anyone know how to get back the facility to encrypt such drives?

    Thanks,
    Julian
      My Computer
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  3. AndersM
    Posts : 5
    Windows 10 Education 21H1
       New #2

    JulianF said:
    Hello,
    I run Win 10 Pro machines both at work (on a Domain) and Home (standalone machines - both situations have the same problem. All machines are 2004 with the latest patches.

    Until recently I could bitlocker Encrypt external USB Drives (memory sticks etc) by either the "Turn on Bitlocker" option in the Explorer Context Menu or within Bitlocker in the Control panel.

    This option has vanished (since the last windows updates?).

    If I insert an unencrypted USB Drive there is no way to encrypt it but if I insert a previously encrypted drive then the "Manage Bitlocker" option is present in the context menu.

    Does anyone know how to get back the facility to encrypt such drives?

    Thanks,
    Julian
    Hello
    Have you solved the problem?
    I have Windows 10 Education and I have the same error as you.

    Regards
    Anders
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  4. Gadget123
    Posts : 3
    Windows 10 Pro 20H2
       New #3

    I have this problem as well. When I open BitLocker Drive Encryption in the control panel, I only seem to have the option to turn on BitLocker for my C: drive. Below this it says: "Removable data drives - BitLocker To Go. Insert a removable USB flash drive to use BitLocker To Go." So I insert a removable USB flash drive and Windows Explorer opens to show me the contents of the drive but BitLocker does not do anything. I don't see an option to use BitLocker in the context menu either.
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  6. das10
    Posts : 3,274
    Win10
       New #4

    Is the partition on your USB Drive MBR and Active by any chance ?

    Because, in my limited tests, when it is set to Active, I get no option to bitlock either in the Bitlocker Control Panel or in the Explorer Window. But as soon as I set it to 'Inactive', the option to bitlock appears in both the Control Panel and the Explorer Window.

    After changing to the Inactive status, I had to remove the USB and re-insert it before the option would return.

    The only reference I find is in one of the Updates where it does mention ".....BitLocker encryption command will be missing from the context menu in File Explorer..."

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...1-1f79983e8526

    (May need more tests to really confirm whether this might be a reason).

    (More information here:)
    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/ans...for-usb-d.html
    Last edited by das10; 22 Apr 2021 at 12:40.
      My Computers
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  7. AndersM
    Posts : 5
    Windows 10 Education 21H1
       New #5

    Try instructions in this file. I managed to fix bitlocker on two USB memories, unfortunately not on the external hard drive.
    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/win...nds/manage-bde

    Run: Manage-bde -on C: C can be changed to other devices.
    Last edited by AndersM; 22 Apr 2021 at 16:05.
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