Overview
In virtual desktop environments, BitLocker may interfere with drive access or cause issues during provisioning and reimaging. This article explains how to disable BitLocker on a virtual disk to prepare for template creation
Prerequisites
You must run these commands as a local administrator.
Do not power off the computer while the drive is decrypting.
Decryption time varies depending on disk size and performance.
Procedure
1) Open PowerShell as an Administrator
Right-click Start
Select Windows PowerShell (Admin)
2) Disable BitLocker on the C: drive
Run the following command:
Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:"
This command begins decrypting the drive in the background.
3) Verify decryption status
To check progress and confirm completion, run:
Get-BitLockerVolume
Confirm the output shows:
VolumeStatus : FullyDecrypted
Decryption may take several minutes depending on disk size and disk speed.
4) Restart the machine
Once the drive is fully decrypted, restart the computer to ensure all BitLocker services and handles are cleared.