BitLocker hardware encryption in Windows 8

[MBerm]

Does the Intel 520 Series SSD work with BitLocker to use the drive's intrinsic hardware encryption, instead of BitLocker's software encryption. We are testing a number of SSDs with Windows 8.1.

Some drives do this-- the encryption/decryption is immediate and offloads the encryption process from the CPU. I've gotten the Samsung 840 EVO line to do this, but not the Intel 520 Series.

Is BitLocker hardware encryption not supported by the Intel 520 Series drives? If not, which series Intel SSDs do support BitLocker hardware encryption?

Thank you.

[Jose_H_Intel1 · Accepted solution]

We do not currently have drives that support Microsoft* eDrive. Select future models will have support.

I am sorry for the inconvenience.

[MBerm]

Joe--

Thank you for the direct answer.

[DGrap1]

What about motherboard, chipsets, and BIOSes that support SED (self-encrypting drives)?

Apparently it requires support for the Opal 2.0 specification as well as few other things.

See http://forums.crucial.com/t5/Solid-State-Drives-SSD-Knowledge/System-Requirements-for-M500-Hardware-... System Requirements for M500 Hardware Encryption - Crucial Community

[Jose_H_Intel1]

Intel® motherboards supporting SED or Hard Drive password are listed in this article:

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/CS-034023.htm Desktop Boards; Hard disk drive password support