BitLocker status "Not Encryptable" for my USB drives

Question

I encrypted my regular disks with BitLocker, but I am unable to do so with any USB drive I have. When I select the disk in Windows Explorer, I don't have the right-click menu "Manage BitLocker" on those drives and in the status bar underneath it is stated: "BitLocker status: Not Encryptable" (see screenshot).

I already tried reformatting the drives, deleting and recreating the volumes but nothing helps.

Answer 1

It appears to be the usual suspect: group policies. The following GPO prevents me from enabling BitLocker on removable drives:

Windows Components/BitLocker Drive Encryption/Removable Data Drives/Control use of BitLocker on removable drives was set to Disabled

So no luck for me :) - I'll try an alternative like TrueCrypt, but that isn't as transparent of course.

Answer 2

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-security/windows-7-utimate-bitlocker-to-go-not-encrypting/03cfe41f-c94c-495d-b087-f3c3f13b0282

Some drives cannot be encrypted with Bit Locker. Reasons a drive cannot be encrypted include insufficient disk size, an incompatible file system, or a drive is designated as the system partition. By default, the system drive (or system partition) of a computer running Windows 7 is hidden from display in the Computer window. However, if it is not created as a hidden drive when the operating system was installed due to a custom installation process, that drive might be displayed but cannot be encrypted.

Links related to the same:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee449438(WS.10).aspx#BKMK_noturnon

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732725(WS.10).aspx

Answer 3

If this is your own system, you can easily change the Policy setting, so I am assuming it is not.

If you have access to another computer that is able to encrypt portable drives, you can encrypt it there, and then use it with your other system. I have confirmed that you can still open pre-existing encrypted portable drives even when the Group Policy prevents creation of new ones.