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+--- Thread: BitLocker and backups (/thread-4532.html)
BitLocker and backups - JayDee - 01-29-2026
A relative of mine (80+ senior) recently bought a Dell computer with Win 11 Home. It seems that after a recent Windows update BitLocker is now on by default in new purchases. The senior involved has had several episodes of a boot screen issue where the Bitlocker code was needed.
I'm planning to disable BitLocker as (in this case) it's not really needed and an unencrypted disk is probably best for this individual.
I want full backups before I disable BitLocker (just in case)... so some questions:
1. If I do a full disk/partition backup, I'm assuming the backup is still encrypted so a restore would still need BitLocker credentials even if the working computer has had BitLocker turned off?
2. If I mount the BitLocker version backup, BitLocker credentials would be needed to restore files/folders?
Based upon the above assumptions, I would plan a new full backup of the unencrypted drive
Am I on the right track? Thanks for any insights.
JayDee
RE: BitLocker and backups - admin - 01-29-2026
(11 hours ago)JayDee Wrote: 1. If I do a full disk/partition backup, I'm assuming the backup is still encrypted so a restore would still need BitLocker credentials even if the working computer has had BitLocker turned off?
Hasleo Backup Suite utilizes Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) technology for backups, and data backed up via VSS remains unencrypted. To back up encrypted data, you need to boot into WinPE to perform the backup and ensure that the drives to be backed up are not unlocked.
(11 hours ago)JayDee Wrote: 2. If I mount the BitLocker version backup, BitLocker credentials would be needed to restore files/folders?
Data backed up using VSS (or when the drive is unlocked) is unencrypted, and therefore does not require BitLocker credentials to access it.
RE: BitLocker and backups - JayDee - 01-29-2026
Thank you for the info.
I had thought that backups using disk/partition would have been encrypted since it is dealing with disk blocks not files.
So, as I don't want encryption at all, backup of any type will be unencrypted (as long as the BitLocker disk is unlocked)... that's great for my purposes.
JayDee
RE: BitLocker and backups - admin - 01-29-2026
(8 hours ago)JayDee Wrote: Thank you for the info.
I had thought that backups using disk/partition would have been encrypted since it is dealing with disk blocks not files.
So, as I don't want encryption at all, backup of any type will be unencrypted (as long as the BitLocker disk is unlocked)... that's great for my purposes.
JayDee
You're absolutely right, JayDee. That's correct, as long as the BitLocker drive is unlocked during the backup, the resulting data will remain unencrypted.
Glad to hear that works well for your purposes