Error message when you try to use BitLocker Drive Encryption in Windows Vista: "The drive configuration is unsuitable for BitLocker Drive Encryption"

When you try to use Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption in Windows Vista, you may receive the following error message:

This problem may occur if the hard disk is configured incorrectly for BitLocker Drive Encryption. For BitLocker to work, you must have at least two partitions on the hard disk. The first partition contains the startup information. This volume is not encrypted. The second partition contains the operating system and user data. This volume is encrypted.

Note The partitions must be created before you install Windows Vista.

If the computer has a single partition, you can use the BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool to reduce the operating system partition. Then, you can create a separate partition for BitLocker.

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available.

For more information about BitLocker, its requirements, and its options, visit the following Microsoft Web page: