Bitlocker not enabled: clearing of system mem

[Gary Mount]

I got this message when I attempted to try out BitLocker.

BitLocker could not be enabled.
The system firmware failed to enable clearing of
system memory on reboot.


What does this mean?

I had bitLocker working on this computer with the betas.
Since then I haven't had Ultimate, until a week ago when I upgraded from
Home Premium.

 

[Gary Mount]

Well, anyway I have BitLocker working, just like it was in the Vista Beta.
I can't use the USB key, but I am pretty fast at numeric key pad entry.
Encrypting other volumes besides the boot volume is also available through a
GUI. I think that is available because of the Service Pack (release
candidate/beta).

 

[Robert Kochem]

I got this message when I attempted to try out BitLocker.
BitLocker could not be enabled.
The system firmware failed to enable clearing of
system memory on reboot.

What does this mean?

That means that your mainboard BIOS does not offer the functionality to
delete the overall content of your RAM in case of a reboot. In that case an
attacker may be able to extract sensible data such as the used encryption
keys from the remains in your ram. Therefore the Bitlocker can not protect
your system as you would expect it and hence it refuses to work.

Update your main BIOS to the latest version and if that does not help
contact your system/mainboard manufacturer and ask them to implement the
"memory clearing on reboot"-feature.

Robert

 

[Gary Mount]

I thought it might be something like that.
I had been changing some of the bios settings and one of them was boot
sector virus protection. I wonder if that could be the reason.
My mainboard is an asus p4p8x and has the latest bios available.
And as I mentioned in another post, I have BitLocker working on my system,
though without the ability to use a usb key as a startup key.