encryption

[Stoddard]

Let's say you just bought a new computer. What steps do you have to take to "encrypt your data?" (The quotation marks denote confusion.)

[sgoodman]

Windows 7 Enterprise/Ultimate includes BitLocker Dive Encryption:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/bitlocker

If you don't have either of these versions, you can simply add a password to your user account.

Shane.

[nickh]

Forget about BitLocker. It can be circumvented:

First commercial tool to crack BitLocker arrives (Updated) (http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/12/first-commercial-tool-cracks-bitlocker.ars)
Bitlocker encryption can be bypassed - Windows (http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/1106554.html)


If you want whole-drive encryption, I recommend TrueCrypt (http://www.truecrypt.org/) or PGP Whole Disk Encryption (http://www.pgp.com/products/wholediskencryption/index.html).