980 Pro and Win11: Enable Bitlocker hardware encryption on a data disk

[petertie]

I have 2x2TB 980 Pro drives connected as data drives (e.g. they are not the system/boot drive). I would like to enable hardware encryption on one of them.

Both drives have fully updated firmware and Samsung Magician is installed.  Under "Encrypted Drive" the state is "Ready to enable". The instructions in Samsung Magician mention performing a Secure Erase follow by a clean OS install, but I assume that is the steps for an operating system disk.

If it try to enable Bitlocker in this state, Bitlocker used software encryption. I then changed the corresponding group policy entries ("Configure use of hardware-based encryption for XYZ" ) and disabled fallback to software. When I then try to enable Bitlocker I get "BitLocker did not revert to using software encryption due to group policy configuration.

I also tried "Disable Block SID" in the BIOS, but also without effect.

Is Secure Erase required? (if so I have a different problem, because the created boot disk boots into a state where my keyboard does not work, but I will raise a separate question for that).

[asdfikdl]

Same.  I went through secure erase and magician shows as 'enabled' now but still no luck getting bitlocker to use hardware encryption.

[Credelius]

The same. I reverted to PSID as well in addition to what everyone did, edited group policies to enable hardware encryption, but  Bitlocker keeps saying: "didn't revert to using Bitlocker software encryption because of group policies". Meaning that for whatever reason it can't use hardware encryption. 

@Samsung, you need to provide better instructions. It's a horrible experience: multiple Windows 11 reinstalls, a lot of time spent and no result