how can i enable SSD hardware encryption on my laptop Victus HP 16.1 Gaming Laptop intel 12500H

[Ghiathkamel]

Hello, I have 990 EVO plus SSD, that has hardware encryption, how can i enable SSD hardware encryption on my laptop Victus HP 16.1 Gaming Laptop intel 12500H, i enabled encrypted device on EVO plus, and its says ready to enable:

i forced my win 11 pro group policies to force hardware encryption,

also i did Secure Erase for my SSD,

but i tried to disable  Block SID feature in my HP laptop's BIOS, i dont know if i have to, and i dont have this option in my bios, i tried to force it by this command: $tpm = gwmi -n root\cimv2\security\microsofttpm win32_tpm; $tpm.SetPhysicalPresenceRequest(97)

and then my laptop not responding and frizzing, so i canceled forcing disabling Block SID.

but after all of these, my laptop still not activated for hardware encryption, please let me know what to do.

Thank

GK

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Ghiathkamel 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thank you for sharing such detailed steps and effort—it’s clear you’ve been thorough and determined to get hardware encryption working on your Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD with your HP Victus 16-d1 laptop. 

I understand how frustrating it is when everything seems aligned but the encryption status still won’t activate. 

Let’s walk through what’s likely preventing activation and what you can try next.

Why hardware encryption isn’t activating

Even though your SSD supports hardware encryption and you've enabled the necessary group policies, the final trigger depends on BIOS support for Block SID disablement. This feature allows BitLocker to trust the SSD’s encryption key provisioning. If your BIOS doesn’t expose the Block SID toggle, Windows will default to software encryption—even if hardware encryption is available.

Your attempt to force it via PowerShell (SetPhysicalPresenceRequest(97)) was creative, but unfortunately, this command requires firmware-level support and TPM permissions that your system may not grant dynamically. The freezing behavior confirms that the BIOS didn’t accept the override.

What you can try next

1. Confirm BitLocker is using hardware encryption

Even if you’ve enabled the policy, BitLocker may still default to software encryption. To verify:

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator
• Run:manage-bde -status C:
• Look for Encryption Method:
  • If it says Hardware Encryption, it’s active
  • If it says AES-CBC or AES-XTS, it’s using software encryption

 

2. Use Samsung Magician to verify drive status

Samsung’s utility can confirm whether the drive is ready for hardware encryption.

• Download Samsung Magician
• Open the app and check the Security tab
• If it says Ready to enable, the drive is waiting for BitLocker to trigger encryption
• If it says Enabled, it’s already active

 

3. Try enabling BitLocker from a clean install

Sometimes BitLocker will only use hardware encryption during initial setup.

• Secure erase the SSD again using Samsung Magician
• Reinstall Windows 11 Pro from scratch
• Before enabling BitLocker:
  • Set the group policy:Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > BitLocker Drive Encryption > Fixed Data Drives
    • Enable: “Configure use of hardware-based encryption”
    • Check: “Use BitLocker software-based encryption when hardware encryption is not available” (leave unchecked)
  • Enable BitLocker and check status again

 

4. Check BIOS version and TPM settings

Your laptop may receive firmware updates that expose Block SID in future builds.

• Visit the HP Victus 16-d1 Driver Page
• Download and install the latest BIOS update
• Restart and enter BIOS (press Esc or F10 at startup)
• Look for any new options under Security > TPM or Drive Encryption

Let me know what BitLocker reports for the encryption method and whether Samsung Magician confirms the drive status. Once the BIOS and OS are aligned, your SSD should activate hardware encryption seamlessly.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Ghiathkamel]

Hello Hawks

thanks for your reply

actually i tried these steps many times many ways, but still not working unfortunately.

i have the latest bios update, and i dont have  BIOS support for Block SID disablement.

under Security > TPM  i have only enable TPM or clear , but no Drive Encryption .

i hope HPs will fix this issue in the coming bios updates?

Thanks 

GK

[Hawks_Eye · Accepted solution]

You are Welcome @Ghiathkamel 

We sincerely thank you for your patience and co-operation during this troubleshooting process.

If after following these steps you still face issues, consider reaching out to our customer support over the phone for further assistance. 

This might require one-on-one interaction via remote assistance to fix the issue. 

These requests are best addressed over the phone with our dedicated support team for your region. 

I'm sending you a private message to guide you on the next steps.

To access it, click the private message icon in the upper-right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your name.

If this resolves your issue, kindly mark this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" if it was helpful.

Take care and have a great day!

Regards,

Hawks_Eye