I tried Bitlocker for a while, and had no problems with it. If it is really secure, I don't know. But: today I was asked for the key at booting my computer. I don't now why, I don't care too. I want this Bitlocker gone. I had the key on an USB stick, and was able to boot the computer. But if the USB stick gets lost, or broke, I can't use my laptop anymore until I get home where I have the key on a printout. I don't like that. My bios-password I can remember, and for me my computer is secure enough with just the BIOS-lock. So, I unencrypted the drive, but now I am stuck with this new 1.5GB partition which is empty. Does someone know if I can delete this partition without side effects?

This partition actually has your boot files. Even if you try to delete your boot files it won't work. To see the boot files just click on the organize link on the top leftin explorer, click folder and search options, then click view and enable hidden files. In order to make the other partition bootable you need to mark it as active. You may have to boot with the Vista DVD and run the recovery wizard to make sure that your boot files are back on the C drive.

Thanks! Worked as described!And just a little hint: the partition manager is able to resize partitions, so I didn't have to resolve to PartitionMagic to get rid of the 1.5G partition... :-)

Ardjan or anyone:Would you mind offering the community a step by step of how to remove the bitlocker partition? What steps need to be taken before using the DVD? At what point do you use the DVD and what menu options did you use?

This involves fiddling around with the bootable partition and the drive manager. There is always a risk of loosing access to your system, so at least, make a backup first!!!It's rather simple, actually:1) Get rid of the Bitlocker. Go to the Bitlocker-program and unencrypt the drive. This takes a while (2-3 hours for my 15GB partition). Better not to use the system intesivively during that time.2) Go to the Drive Manager. (My Computer -> right mouse -> Manage) You'll notice that the 1.5GB partition is set as active. Set the C:\ Partition as active.3) Reboot the computer. It should tell you that it can't boot, because on the now active partition (C:\) there are no bootfiles.4) Reboot again, but now put the Vista-DVD in the drive, let it start from the DVD.5) (I'm writing this without seeing it, so I can't be precise) Choose a repair of the bootfiles (or something like that), that should take only a couple of seconds.6) Boot again from the HD, it should boot fine.7) Go to the Disk Manager again and delete the 1.5GB partition. You can resize the adjacent partitions to reuse the space.8) You should now be able to reboot the machine without problems. Else go back to 4. If that doesn't work, grab the backup... :-)My concern of the Bitlocker was that it depends on a complicated key, which won't be available always (on usb-stick (can be broken) or on a printout (which I do not carry with me)). A BIOS-password isn't that secure, but I can remember it. And my Dell laptop encrypts the drive with this password, so my data isn't readable anyway by 'normal' means.

Hey, I am having the same problem except it say it is already off.&amp;amp;nbsp; I can't do anything with that 1.5 gb partition. How do I remove all of these problems?<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f150/Screenface03/Bitlocker.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

Just a quick note on your Dell BIOS password comment: I agree, it is a very convenient form of mobile drive security, and will work for the 98% of the people that look to steal (or happen to find) your laptop...they'll either just toss the whole thing or pull the drive and sell the laptop. But, and it's a big but, the Dell BIOS hard drive password does not encrypt the drive. It's simply a controller password that enables the controller on the driver so the BIOS can communicate with the drive and manage it. So if the thief can get around the BIOS password...social engineering, pull the platters, flaw with the password utility (which there was one in the Latitude BIOS one or two revs ago)...then the data on the drive is wide open. Again, it's convenient and will work for most thefts, but it's not an encryption solution like encrypting the contents of the drive. As an aside, I booted with a Linux live CD and poked around my C: drive, which is encrypted with BitLocker, and Linux just reads the data as gibberish. So BL with a Dell BIOS controller password and you should be really, really good (and add a PIN to BitLocker for even more paranoid security and I think you'll be fine...) g37

I also have the same problem, but I have a Gateway tablet. Since it includes the TPM chip, the hard drive can't be moved to another system and read by a thief. Also, the BIOS requires either the setup password or a fingerprint registered with the system in order for the system to boot. I doubt a thief can get around that. You can't simply boot off a Linux CD because the challenge happens before you get to that point in the boot process. At least that closes one of the ways to get around the lack of encryption. If I didn't have that feature, you can bet I would be encrypting the hard drive!

Thanks 4 da great tips... its work for me! BTW, how then i can re-used/combine back the 1.5gb to the others partition?

You can use the disk manager to reclaim the space.

Nice one, Worked a charm only thing to remeber is to make shure Bios is set to boot from dvd first rather than hard drive. Bitlocker didn't work for me due to asking for a TPM Cannot find it anyware on INTEL site for vista 64 on a 975bx2 Motherboard. Nice to have rid Cheers.