Add unencrpyted disk to encrypted Win11 VM? Or Encrypt the other disk?

[rblake]

So I upgraded my Win10 VM to Win11 in Workstation Pro 16, using the virtual TPM device. All is fine with that. However, while I was fighting through that process, I removed a data drive. Now I'm trying to re-add the existing data disk, and I can't. "You can not add an unencrypted disk to an encrypted VM". Oops. I don't see anywhere in the interface to encrypt a disk. Are there any options for that? The data is the important thing, so I could delete the VM, install Win10 then upgrade to Win11 (I see there is a method to remove the encryption requirement) with the disk already present, but I'd rather not iterate through the "what doesn't work now, and how do I fix THAT" fight again.

[wila]

The only way to add a new disk to an encrypted VM is to:

- remove the VM's encryption
- add the new disk
- add encryption back

I agree that that is far from convenient.

Also beware that removing a vTPM can be problematic (especially if you use in guest disk encryption such as bitlocker).

I strongly recommend to take a full backup of your VM before you do the above.

PS: If you used the experimental version of the vTPM then read my article at: https://www.vimalin.com/blog/what-you-should-know-about-vmwares-experimental-vtpm/

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Wil