DriveLock Option Not Able To Be Set - ProBook

[davehuttner]

Hi,

I'm trying to activate Drivelock on my new HP ProBook 450 G5 notebook. But when I get to the point where system says "Select drive", no drives are showing up.

I have an EliteBook that I've been able to set DriveLock up on, no problems.  I'm wondering if there is something with the laptop model or hard drive model that is not allowing me to select my SSD?  Seems silly to have the option there but no drive can be selected.

Dave

[IT_WinSec · Accepted solution]

---

@davehuttner wrote:

Hi,

I'm trying to activate Drivelock on my new HP ProBook 450 G5 notebook. But when I get to the point where system says "Select drive", no drives are showing up.

I have an EliteBook that I've been able to set DriveLock up on, no problems.  I'm wondering if there is something with the laptop model or hard drive model that is not allowing me to select my SSD?  Seems silly to have the option there but no drive can be selected.

Dave

---

Hello @davehuttner 

You do not see a drive to select because no DriveLock compatible drives are present at that moment.

Drive Lock is a great technology. It has been developed for ATA (SATA) controllers and is part of that specification. The latest NVME SSD controllers do not support that particular standard, so the BIOS does not see a drive capable of supporting the Drivelock features.

What kind of SSD you have ?

[davehuttner]

Looks like that is the issue.  I have a NVM drive that came with the laptop so the DriveLock must not be able to see it.   As these NVM drives are becoming more common, it would be nice for HP to develope a similar technology as DriveLock for the NVM drives.

Thanks for the clarification and help!

Dave

[IT_WinSec]

You are welcome, Dave!

While DriveLock is definitely a great one, a workaround I can offer you is to use full disk encryption programs +  activate preboot password from withing the computer (POST power-on password and BIOS password).

• You can enter the BIOS and go to "Security" tab to activate the BIOS password and the power-on POST password. Make sure you do remember what you enter and be careful when you enter them. Make them strong but not too long so that it's convenient for you
• You can use BitLocker from Microsoft or VeraCrypt (3rd party free app)

VeryCrypt sounds more reliable but BitLocker is also OK and is easier to use.

Bitlocker comes for free in Windows 10 Pro. If you use Home edition, you may upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro one time payment , or use VeraCrypt for free

>> https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/bitlocker/bitlocker-overvie...

>> https://www.howtogeek.com/234826/how-to-enable-full-disk-encryption-on-windows-10/

>> https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Downloads.html

The full disk encryption software will encode your entire drive (or selected partitions) and will make them unreable without the key you set.  Drive Lock would also lock the drive itself and make it unusable for a potential theif but still the software encryption is an alternative. Hope this helps.

[AmateurTinker]

Actually isn't BitLocker in Win10 blocking both the DriveLock in System Setup as well as Drive encryption in the HP Client Security?

[IT_WinSec]

---

@AmateurTinker wrote:

Actually isn't BitLocker in Win10 blocking both the DriveLock in System Setup as well as Drive encryption in the HP Client Security?

---

Hi @AmateurTinker 

Thank you for posting in the HP Support Community.

With regards to your questions -> No, not really.

• HP DriveLock is controlled by the PC UEFI/BIOS and is on the firmware level. Not related to the software directly and cannot block/allow/control BitLocker (by Microsoft). They are on different layers.
• Drive Encryption, on the other side, is also disk encryption program similar to BitLocker. It is software layer protection. More information about BitLocker can be found here >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitLocker

If I can make a simple example :

Imagine your HDD/SSD and think of HP Drive Lock as a suitcase/container made of titanium with an extremely hard and powerful lock. Your data inside is not encrypted, not encoded but has a strong container around it which is made of one of the strongest metals in the world, and is extremely hard to break. Actually, It is almost impossible to break this container and the only way to open it is by using your password.

The software layer encryption (like MS BitLocker or HP Drive Encryption) - there is no container, nothing is around your HDD/SSD. It's just the data inside that is stored , it is in a strange language - unreadable language. If the HDD/SSD is stolen, the data can be read easily BUT nobody will be able to understand it without your decryption key, therefore it will have no value for the thief. Only your decryption key immediately translates the data into a normal/understandable language.

Whatever software/hardware protection you use, make sure your data is regularly backed/up (copied/archived) in a secure and reliable manner. In all cases, keep your password/key safe.