To enable BitLocker encryption on a USB flash drive, do the following:
- Insert the USB flash drive into the computer, click Start, and then click Computer.
- Select the USB flash drive. Once selected, right-click the USB flash drive, and then click Turn On BitLocker…
- On the Choose How You Want To Unlock This Drive windows, choose Use a Password to Unlock This Drive. Once a password is entered, choose Next.
- This option prompts the user for a password to unlock the drive. Passwords allow a drive to be unlocked in any location and to be shared with other people.
- The password should contain a mixture of letters, numbers, and special symbols.
- On the How Do You Want To Store Your Recovery Key window, click Save The Recovery Key To A File.
- In the Save BitLocker Recovery Key As dialog box, choose a save location, such as your SUNY Cortland U drive folder then click Save.
- You can also print the recovery key if you desire. With this recovery key file you can regain access to your encrypted USB flash drive in the event you forget your password.
- Do not store a printed copy of the Recovery Key with the USB flash drive in the same location. For example, if both the USB flash drive and recovery key are in the same bag during travel it would be extremely easy for access to be gained to the USB flash drive by an authorized user.
- On the Are You Ready To Encrypt This Drive window, click Start Encrypting. Do not remove the USB flash drive until the encryption process is complete. How long the encryption takes depends on the size of the drive. USB drive encryption take approximately 6 to 10 minutes per gigabyte to complete. The encryption process performs the following:
- Adds an autorun.inf file, the BitLocker To Go reader, and a ReadMe.txt file to the USB flash drive.
- Creates a virtual volume with the full contents for the drive in the remaining drive space.
- Encrypts the virtual volume with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit.
- Once the encryption process completes you will be notified by a window.
- When you insert the encrypted drive into a USB port on a computer running Windows 7 and above dialog box will display. When you are prompted, enter the password you created. Optionally, check Automatically Unlock On This Computer From Now On for ease of use. If you are running Windows 8 you must click on More options to check Automatically unlock on this PC.
- Finally, click Unlock.
