Laptop unable to use BitLocker on drive with large file fragmentation

4.5

Massive files (100GB+) split into thousands of pieces stall the encryption process.

Symptoms
  • Encryption hangs at specific %
  • Disk clicking
  • Slow progress
Possible Causes
  • Video editing files
  • Database backups

Step-by-Step Fix

1

Run Defrag /U

Perform a thorough defragmentation of large files.

2

Move Large Files

Move the files to an external drive, encrypt, then move them back.

3

Check for Disk Errors

Fragmentation that won't fix can be a sign of bad sectors.

When to See a Technician

BitLocker is much faster when it can read data sequentially.

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