Win 7 Bitlocker on a vostro 1220

ROS123

I recently purchased a couple of vostro 1220 for road warriors in work. Bought these instead of n110 for the extra facilities in Win 7 ulitmate. I tried to install bitlocker full disk encryption only to find it wont work, because the vostros didn't have a TPM module on the motherboard. I know its a very specific issue, just wondering if anyone else had a similar problem. Don't know why Dell sold them to me with ultimate if onf of the most important features wont work.

Any comments ?

Alanstrainor

Moved from laptops.

Niall F

You don't need TPM. You can use a USB key. The smaller the better because the file it writes is only 1k in size.

ROS123

Thnaks I did see that, but was wondering is it recoverable if you loose the usb key.

ressem

It's odd that modern chipsets wouldn't have TPM available.

You've looked in the bios? There are usually two options in the Dell BIOS under security, (TPM on and TPM activate) that are off on a new machine, as with the virtualisation support.

Niall F

ROS123 wrote: »

Thnaks I did see that, but was wondering is it recoverable if you loose the usb key.

Pretty sure it is. I will double-check that though and let you know for sure.

ROS123

Dell have admitted that it is not there and obviously cant be updated. I am in dispute re return, they tried to convince me it was an option and that I should have selected it. They even sent me a screenshot of the option selector on the web, but they were sneaky, it was for a vostro 1520 not a 1220. Bottom line, it has been an expensive lesson, but not to be too much of a drama queen, I will reuse them in the future, just not for what I intended.

Niall F

Didn't have a chance to check this out (well, actually, I forgot) today but I will. I am pretty sure you are prompted to enter a recovery password when you're setting it up but I will double-check that.
But in relation to the Vostro 1520 and TPM, it does have this option and not on the 1220 as you've said, but if you select Windows 7 Ultimate and TPM on the Vostro 1520 on the DELL website, it tells you that you can't have both together anyway. I discovered this last week because I was thinking about the same thing myself.

ROS123

Niall thats very interesting, I checked it out and you are correct, I wasn't doubting you, just neded to see it for myself. That doesn't make any sense as bitlocker will not work without TPM turned on, except of course with a usb key.

The fuppers wont take them back either although in my opinion they are not fit for purpose. Bitlocker in one of the main reason for going for Ultimate. Anyone know anything about consumer law (probably another thread)

Niall F

It is odd but there you go. Regarding the law, I'm afraid I wouldn't know how to advise you. I'd guess there's very little you can do because nothing is faulty but I could be wrong.
You do have the option of setting a recovery password when you're setting it up with a USB key so if you lose the USB key or it becomes corrupt (which has happened), you can always type in this key to get the system back up and running. Don't know if this gives you the peace of mind you want but I hope it provides a suitable workaround for your issue.

Capt'n Midnight

If you didn't state that you needed the TPM then you are probably out of luck

if they told you it had the TPM or you requested it then they are selling something not as described

bitlocker isn't the only reason why someone would want ultimate

Eddiethehill

Passware have released a commercially available tool to crack Bitlocker protected dard disks...

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/passware-software-cracks-bitlocker-encryption-open-78212917.htm

So this means that it will be available as a pirate from bittorrent by the end of the week.

So if you are charged with protecting data on your organisations laptops you need to think again...

Maybe back to truecrypt of PGP.

Is Mise...
:mad:

wingnut

Got a 1220 and use truecrypt, its quick and easy.