BitLocker - opinions

I'm trying to decide whether to go with the "Pro" or "Ultimate" version of Windows 7. The decisions mainly hinges around how useful I find 2 of the features in the latter version: BitLocker & AppLocker. Let's do one at a time here...

So in regards to BitLocker. What say you? It "sounds" like it provides system wide encryption, much the same way TrueCrypt does. Am I correct? I mean not nice little containers like you can make on TC, but as far as encrypting the system partition/OS... similar, no? Will this then ask you to enter an encryption password when you boot your computer, like TC?

I'd love to hear opinions from people as to how useful they find this feature, and what exactly it is/does. Thanks a ton in advance.

 

Fascinating... so many strong opinions on this function, lol. I take it not many people find it useful.

Okay, can someone answer at least 1 question for me?... Can it really encrypt your entire drive in 1 shot like it says, or just the system partition?

 

I've never used it, since I like open source, peer reviewed stuff for encryption. I also don't trust MS (They just helped NYPD develop a city wide surveillance system). I guess my question would be: Why not TrueCrypt?

PD

 

Answer: because if something integrated into the OS can do it for me, I'd rather use that than 3'rd party software... too much of which slows your box down.

I am a happy TC user right now on XP though.

 

You may want to hit up a forum called 'Forensic Focus'. Do a search on Bit Locker. If there are any weaknesses, they will be discussed there. (Just looked, there are a lot of hits if you search for 'Bit Locker').

PD

 

Bitlocker is designed to address the needs of corporate IT, not individual users.
Bitlocker is great for IT because it can be managed with domain controllers.
Backup passwords can be automatically stored and bitlocker can be used with TPM chips to prevent users from accessing administrator privileges.
Bitlocker will do the same thing as Truecrypt but seems like overkill for individual users.

 

After a slow experience with corporate encryption I was against either, but recently started with true crypt and I like it, prefer it to bit locker. There is a comparison on tomshardware site of both.

I took an unencrypted image to a different hard drive just in case, but all working fine.

I use macrium for backups of the laptop and it writes a decrypted image so use its own encryption on that image. It can also do a complete sector by sector to mimic a full encrypted drive.

True crypt>bit locker, and free