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Encrypt a hard drive with a password in Windows 8

If you want to secure your PC and encrypt one of your hard drives, read this guide.


Pre-Requisites: Edit Group Policy To Enable BitLocker

You may get the error “This device can’t use a Trusted Platform Module” when you turn on BitLocker, so we’ll first have to enable a policy and restart the PC.

Please read the tutorial Solution to: This device can’t use a Trusted Platform Module

Turning On BitLocker

1. Step Open the real Windows 8 desktop by clicking on the user tile Deskto

2. Step Open an instance of the Windows 8 explorer by pressing Windows key + E

3. Step Select your hard drive that you want to encrypt. At the very top a purple tab will appear called Disk Tools

4. Step Select the option Turn on Bitlocker from the dropdown

5. Step You will be asked to enter a password, twice, do so. You are encouraged to use uppercase and lowercase letters and even special characters for a strong encryption or it will be easy to crack your password

6. Step During the last step you will be asked save your recovery key. You can save this key on your SkyDrive, to a file or even print a file. It’s safe to print that key and file it away.

IMPORTANT: You can’t save the key on an encrypted file or you will get the error

This Location can’t be used. Your recovery key can’t be saved to an encrypted drive. Choose a different location

7. Step Next, select what on your drive should be encrypted, either the entire drive or only used disk space

8. Step Eventually, you will be asked if you are ready. You can run a BitLocker system check to ensure that BitLocker can read the encryption keys properly. This is encouraged to avoid problems after encrypting any drives