Upgrading to Windows 10 with system encryption already installed

Open source disk encryption with strong security for the Paranoid

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Upgrading to Windows 10 with system encryption already installed

Forum: Technical Topics

Creator: Jennifer Mathew

Created: 2015-11-17

Updated: 2018-01-30

Jennifer Mathew - 2015-11-17

Hi,

I'm using Veracrypt 1.16 (64 bit) on Windows 8.1 Pro with system encryption.

Can I safely upgrade to Windows 10 without any issues? Or are there precautions I need to take to ensure the upgrade runs without problems?

Thank you!

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Enigma2Illusion - 2015-11-18

Hello Jennifer,

You must decrypt the system encryption before performing any OS upgrades.

Also, Windows 10 November update requires decrypting the OS in order to apply the Windows 10 1511 update. Normally this is not necessary.

https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/wikipage?title=FAQ

https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/workitem/290

NOTE: Dismount and disconnect any external encrypted volumes attached to your PC before you begin the OS upgrade. I have seen users complain in the past that the Windows OS upgrade sees the encrypted drive/partition as RAW format and Windows tries to be too helpful by automatically quick formatting the partition and assigning a drive letter to make it usable by Windows.

Kind Regards.

Last edit: Enigma2Illusion 2015-11-18

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Jennifer Mathew - 2015-11-23

Thanks for the response. By decryption do you mean I have to permanently decrypt the partition, then re-encrypt it after the upgrade?

Thank you

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Enigma2Illusion - 2015-11-23

Hello Jennifer,

That is correct.

Also, do not encrypt again until you complete all the Windows 10 patching. See link below.

https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/workitem/290

Kind Regards.

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Adrian - 2017-10-19

What about the Fall Creators Update? The same situation?

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Enigma2Illusion - 2017-10-19

For Windows upgrades, not patches, you have to decrypt, upgrade and re-encrypt.

For Windows 10 and if you are technically inclined, Alex has procedures for performing Windows 10 upgrade without decrypting.

https://github.com/th-wilde/veracrypt-w10-patcher

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rchase - 2018-01-30

I made a YouTube video to show how to use the Github script method of upgrading Windows without having to decrypt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B55XVjXbFLA

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