How To Partition A Disk For BitLocker

BitLocker Drive Encryption is an integral new security feature in the Windows Vista operating system that provides considerable protection for the operating system on your computer
and data stored on the operating system volume. BitLocker uses a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to provide enhanced protection for your data and to assure early boot component integrity.

For BitLocker to work, you must have at least two partitions on your hard disk. The first partition is the system volume and labeled S in this document. This volume contains the boot information in an unencrypted space. The second partition is the operating system volume and labeled C in this document. This volume is encrypted and contains the operating system and user data. The partitions must be created before installing Windows Vista.

1. Start the computer from the Windows Vista product DVD.

2. In the initial Install Windows screen, choose your Installation language, Time and currency format, and Keyboard layout, and then click Next.

3. In the next Install Windows screen, click System Recovery Options.

4. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, choose your keyboard layout, and then click Next.

5. In the next System Recovery Options dialog box, make sure no operating system is selected. To do this, click in the empty area of the Operating System list, below any listed entries. Then click Next.

6. In the next System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.

7. Use Diskpart to create the partition for the operating system volume. At the command prompt, type diskpart, and then press ENTER.

8. Type select disk 0.

9. Type clean to erase the existing partition table.

10. Type create partition primary size=1500 to set the partition you are creating as a primary partition.

11. Type assign letter=S to give this partition the S designator.

12. Type active to set the new partition as the active partition.

13. Type create partition primary to create another primary partition. You will install Windows on this larger partition.

14. Type assign letter=C to give this partition the C designator.

15. Type list volume to see a display of all the volumes on this disk. You will see a listing of each volume, volume numbers, letters, labels, file systems, types, sizes, status, and information. Check that you have two volumes and that you know the label used for each volume.

16. Type exit to leave the diskpart application.

17. Type format c: /y /q /fs:NTFS to properly format the C volume.

18. Type format s: /y /q /fs:NTFS to properly format the S volume.

19. Type exit to leave the command prompt.

20. In the System Recovery Options window, use the close window icon in the upper right (or press ALT+F4) to close the window to return to the main installation screen. (Do not click Shut Down or Restart.)

21. Click Install now and proceed with the Windows Vista installation process. Install Windows Vista on the larger volume, C: (the operating system volume).