Which drive is the "data drive" referred to in the Bitlocker error "The data drive specified" where would it be set to "automatically unlock"?
Emily Wong 
I'm attempting to enable BitLocker on Windows 10 Pro using Bootcamp on an Apple MacBook Pro [2016]. I am following well-documented guides, however after going through the setup process and rebooting Windows, I receive error:
- What does
The data drive specified...mean?
(Where is the specified drive and drive letter exactly? What settings, where?) - I would have thought the drive I am trying to use BitLocker on is the operating system drive, not the
data drive? ...is not set to automatically unlock
Where is the setting to automatically unlock it? Why would I want to do this?
(I expected to type in the password I set for BitLocker at boot)
Guides followed:
- How-To Geek: How to Use BitLocker Without a Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
- How-To Geek: How to Set Up BitLocker Encryption on Windows
- How to prepare a single partition drive for BitLocker (MBAM)
(I already have an additional WinRE partition, so these steps don't seem required) - StackExchange: Enabling BitLocker without TPM on MacBook Pro with Bootcamp
(Steps don't work, as explained in my comment there)
Further references I already looked at, that were also in user JW0914's search resuts. I clicked their link and found several results in purple which showed I had already visited them and didn't find them to work, here they are with my annotaton:
WindowsReport: What to do if BitLocker fails to encrypt drive(solution mentioned there specific to my problem was a USB setting in the BIOS - with bootcamp I don't have that option to change the BIOS)
TenForums: Can't get Bitlocker to encrypt C: drive (mentions Anti-Virus, Secure Boot, neither of which seem relevant to me in the way they have explained)
Microsoft Technet: Trying to turn Bitlocker on for C: drive (USB solution mentioned again, also TPM which my Mac doesn't have, not relevant)
Microsoft Technet: BitLocker Failure to Encrypt Operating System Drive (ditto)
Fujitsu Support Form: SOLVED: BitLocker could not be enabled. (ditto)
1 Answer
Issue solved by me, so answering my own question, which I will assign as the accepted answer:
Solution summary:
- Untick the box "Run BitLocker system check" which is on the under the headings "Bitlocker drive encryption" and "Are you ready to encrypt this drive?" bitlocker dialog box.
- Then click "Start Encrypting" button that then appears.
BEFORE (ticked - original default setting):
AFTER (unticked/unchecked):
Further detail
With this box now unticked/unchecked to disable "Run Bitlocker system check" - so that won't now happen, the "Continue" button changes to "Start Encrypting", which I clicked.
I then left the machine for a little while say 30mins (but maybe not necessary) and then restarted and got the bitlocker enter password screen as required.
So concluding, for some reason, there appears to be a bug in that dialog stage that has those headings I mentioned. I will therefore consider raising a bug with Microsoft e.g. via their technet/social forums and/or other method.
It could be that this bug is something that only occurs in the Bootcamp situation, which might not have been tested as much compared to "mainstream" Windows setups.
I will accept this as the answer, as although it does not explain the terms I queried with regard to the error message, which itself is unhelpful, it does stop that message happening and I can proceed to completing and running bitlocker.
Also posted my answer here: Ask Different: Enabling BitLocker without TPM on MacBook Pro with Bootcamp
