veracrypt
System encryption pretest fails on win10
I tried to encrypt my Sytem with Veracrypt: Windows 10 64bit. Everything works fine until I get to the pretest. The computer should reboot, but it turns off. Then when I click to turn it on, it turns on and instantly turns off. After that I press the power button again and it turns on without the password window. After that, a message is reported that the test is not passed. I haven't been able to find a fix. Is anyone aware of this issue? Thank you.
I can verify the issue. I am using Windows 10 64bit, with an SSD. Until TrueCrypt's latest version i had no problem on crypting the whole disk, BUT, i was using Windows 8.1 back then. This is the only difference. Yesterday i installed Win10x64, and had (and still have) the same symptoms as @Monica7757 no matter what kind of encryption algorithms i pick. I can verify that none of my BIOS settings are messed up, i double checked everything (legacy & secure boot etc).
I can confirm the same Problem with Windows 10 1709 x64 On older Win10 Build it worked fine. With newly installed build on same machine the computer only shutdown
Confirmed as well. Option for full disk encryption is unavailable and encrypting system partition results in pretest failure. Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (Version 10.0.16299 Build 16299 x64) with PCI-E Intel Optane 900p 460GB. SATA AHCI selected, same issue with RAID enabled. Encryption performed with AES (AES-NI Enabled) and SHA-512 w/ password + PIM.
I have exactly the same issue :/ (no restart, just shotdown and pretest failed). No idea how to fix this. Don't want to use other encryption software.
I can also confirm, that I am having the same issue on my Windows 10 machine. I have even reinstalled my OS.
I'll add yet another "me too" to this.
I did a brand new clean install of Windows 10 yesterday on my Toshiba laptop SSD. Installed with MS's latest Build Tool, so it was straight to 1709. I then installed a couple of downloaded updates. Currently showing 1709 Build 16299.125.
Veracrypt says it is going to do the pretest and says it will restart. Instead, it shuts down. Powering it back up going immediately back into Windows and says that the pretest failed.
I'll add yet another "me too" to this.
Exact same problem, on a new fresh install of windows 10, pretest fails because instead of restart it just shuts the computer down.
Tried disabling fast boot in bios and in windows, did not help.
Alright. There is a workaround. I was able to get it working with the following steps.
- Back up everything of importance to you, this may really not work for some
- Disable secure boot in BIOS
- Encrypt system partition with Veracrypt
- Allow the validation to occur and then fail
- Force it to resume encryption
- Reboot and enter BIOS
- Force boot to the unlabeled / veracrypt bootable partition, label varies BIOS to BIOS
- Everything works, but in the sketchiest of ways
I'm also having the same issue, however it seems to be my new SSD.... I preformed the pretest on my laptop last week using my existing WD conventional hard drive and it passed, but I did not complete the process. Today I purchased a new Samsung 860 SSD, cloned the drive and now it is failing the pretest. I tried 1.22-BETA8, but still have the same issue.
@michaeljgray How is this a duplicate of #264? 264 is about someone that already HAS it installed, but can't always type the password properly if it has capital letters. This one is about not even passing the pre-test to get to the point of installing the Veracrypt boot loader!
I don't think this is related to #264 at all?
@jgoggan as explained in the other comment, I linked the wrong number on accident. Thanks for pointing it out, I’ll fix it when I’m back at my desktop.
@millerman1121 you can try my workaround with the additional step of disabling Intel Rapid Storage in your BIOS if it’s available.
On UEFI system before restart for test open Admin command prompt and type: bcdedit /set "{bootmgr}" path \EFI\Boot\bootx64.efi After restart your asked password!
P.S. Problem in this. On some systems UEFI default loads \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi instead of the \EFI\Boot\bootx64.efi. VeraCrypt no check this.
@Duzga Thanks this workaround fixed the problem. Typed this when the last popup came up with "Restart PC Now" Workstation still did a shutdown but after turning on the password prompt for veracrypt came up
Tested with lates Veracrypt Version 1.22 and latest Windows 10 Pro 1803
I'm using VeraCrypt 1.21 on a Windows 10 1709 x64 with the system disk fully encrypted and everything is ok. I only have one boot.
Can I upgrade to 1.22 or should I wait?
@TowerBR Your question has nothing todo with this bug report/ issue. When you have already your complete disk encryptet it is fine. This ticket describes the problem that the encryption is not working, doesnt matter which VeraCrypt Version. You will get more help when you ask the question in the correct thread ;)
@Duzga Thanks for the help! Can confirm, that it solved the problem for me.
@Duzga Thanks for you help, but now I just keep getting "Image failed to verify with SECURITY VIOLATION Press any key to continue. This message shows 3 times, then I get a boot order menu. Regardless of which option I choose to boot from, it just gives me the same SECURITY VIOLATION message. I can no longer boot Windows 10 version 1709. Help?
@Duzga I ended up disabling Secure Boot in bios and now it asks for the password and Windows booted. Pretest now completed. Thanks a ton! :)
I have implemented a workaround for machines where VeraCrypt PreTest fails (most notably HP and Acer machines) and I have published version 1.23-BETA0 that contains this at https://sourceforge.net/projects/veracrypt/files/VeraCrypt%20Nightly%20Builds/.
Can you please check that now system encryption works reliably on affected machines?
This version also introduce some enhancement that can be found in the Readme.txt file at the same location.
Thank you for your help.
@idrassi I still get the "The VeraCrypt system encryption pretest failed." error. Tried with 1.23-BETA0 just a minute before.
@idrassi just FYI, I am letting you know my current setup.
- VeraCrypt version: 1.23-BETA0
- Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro x64 (10.0.16299 N/A Build 16299)
- Hard drive: Kingston SSD
- BIOS Legacy: Yes
- Secure boot: Disabled
- Boot order: 1st->Kingston SSD, 2nd->DVD Drive
I also tried everything people suggest in this issue, including the bcdedit command, but no luck yet.
@kkar: Thank you for these details. To me, it looks like you are booting in MBR mode and not UEFI mode but I'm not sure. Just to be sure, can you please run msinfo32.exe and report the field "BIOS Mode". It should read "UEFI". Also, what is the system manufacturer of your machine? Last question: can you please run the following command on an command prompt that was launched as an administrator and report the values desiplayed for "Bytes per Sector" and "Bytes per Physical Sector": "fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo c:"
Hey @idrassi,
I have the same problem with an HP EliteBook 820 G2. Unable to fix this issue. Tried almost everything. Can the beta version be used without problems? (updating in the future etc.)
Kind Regards, Daniel
@dbelz: yes, this beta is stable. The changes introduced concern EFI boot and these were tested extensively. Moreover, HP machines are one of the targets of the introduced modifications and this beta was validated against HP machines we have. So, you should now be able to perform system encryption on your machine.
Thank you for your fast response :smile: Will try it again today. Will report back
Hey @idrassi,
have tested the new veracrypt version on a freshly installed windows 10. Now my notebook is rebooting instead of shutting down. But still not able to get to the veracrypt pretest. It is now hanging on the HP Logo Screen.
Do you have more ideas what can cause this behavior? Bios has standard settings, nothing customized etc.
Kind Regards and thanks for your effort, Daniel
Okay now I was able to pass the pretest and also encryption is working. But in order to get to the veracrypt password dialog I need to press ESC -> Boot Device Options -> Boot from EFI File -> Navigate down until Veracrypt DcsBoot.efi. Select and press enter. That works. If i select the Veracrypt BootLoader in the main menu its not booting and im stuck at the HP Logo again. Have also disabled every boot device except custom boot and so on.
Ideas, please?
Kind Regards
Is it possible to know the BIOS version that is used by your HP machine? Also the HP model? I don't have such behavior on HP laptop used for testing so it is difficult to know what is causing this. I will try to find machines similar to yours around me. VeraCrypt Bootloader entry in main menu points towards DcsBoot.efi so it is strange that it doesn't work. It looks like the machine's firmware refuses to boot implicitely from anything other Microsoft bootloader which is surprising since SecureBoot is disabled. By the way, can you check SecureBoot configuration in BIOS menu and report options that are allowed for it?