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nuance3's avatar
nuance3
Level 4
11 years ago

Restoring SSR Image to a Hardware Encrypted BitLocker Drive

We are deploying HP8300 computers with Samsung self-encrypting Solid State Drives, using Windows 8.1.  BitLocker in Windows 8.1 encrypts the drive using the intrinsic hardware encryption of the drive.  The key is stored in the TPM chip in the computer.

Symantec System Recovery can create images of the C: drive, but testing the restore fails.  An error comes up stating that the drive is BitLocked and to unlock the drive using the control panel first.

But this won't work in the case of a system failure-- I wouldn't be able to get to the control panel, the computer would be dead.

Has anyone successfully found a way around this?

I'm guessing I would have to wipe the drive using the Samsung DOS-based erase, reload Windows 8.1, don't bit lock the drive, then write over it.

 

 

 

Backup and Recovery
Restore
System Recovery
Windows 8
  • nuance3's avatar
    nuance3
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the link.

    Deleting the journal (first tip in the document) did not work, it produced the same error.

    I didn't pursue the link out to Microsoft documentation.  That's too involved.  I'm going to wait for Symantec to sort this out.

    Because Win 8.1 installs (especially to SSDs) are very fast-- I find the following works.

    Install Win8.1 to a fresh disk-- let Windows create the 3 partitions (UEFI, recovery, OS)

    Then use Symantec restore disk to recover the OS partition only.

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  • nuance3's avatar
    nuance3
    Level 4
    11 years ago

    Hi-- I clicked on the link and it could not find the object.  Can you try clicking on it in your forum message and see if it works for you.

  • sfh's avatar
    sfh
    11 years ago

    sounds convoluted, as if you have both a bios ata hard drive password and bitlocker enabled.  or maybe it's me, but in any case bitlocker can be managed from a command prompt. (manage-bde)

  • Markus_Koestler's avatar
    Markus_Koestler
    Moderator
    11 years ago

    Sorry, this is the working link: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/besr-85-server-2008-and-bitlocker

  • nuance3's avatar
    nuance3
    Level 4
    11 years ago

    I think the link is too old to be pertinent; I am using hardware encription built into the Solid State Drive.

    Windows 8.1 BitLocker interacts with hardware encrypted drives intrinsically-- you don't need to use the computer overhead to encrypt the drive.  Encryption and decryption are immediate.  Many advantages.

     

    However, you must perform a UEFI boot into Window 8.1

    I've noticed that SSR will not backup the Windows Recovery Environment partition

  • Markus_Koestler's avatar
    Markus_Koestler
    Moderator
    11 years ago

    So I'm out of luck to be honest. By the way: Windows 8.1 is not yet supported. http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH201318 Support is supposed to be added with SP3 of SSR 2013. So you should wait a litte bit before opening a support ticket.

  • criley's avatar
    criley
    Moderator
    11 years ago

    I've noticed that SSR will not backup the Windows Recovery Environment partition

    Can you expand on this a little? What error?

    As Markus has already said, Windows 8.1 is not supported yet - it will be supported when SP2 (not SP3 as Markus said) is released later this month.

  • nuance3's avatar
    nuance3
    Level 4
    11 years ago

    Hi--

    Yes I know it is not supported yet, but I thought I might get it to work.

    I can image all volumes except Windows Recovery Environment partition.  If I include this in the group of drives to image, the entire backup fails.

    If I try it on its own, it fails; but the other partitions C:(OS) and UEFI backup fine.

     

    I've attached the error window.  I tried tracking it down with the link, but unless you have some good ideas, this looks too time consuming.

    VSS_E_insufficient_storage

    Using Windows 8.1 and SSR 2013 11.0.1.47662