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Note: Here's how to encrypt your PC's system drives with the BitLocker tool, included with Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate editions.
The nice thing about BitLocker, bundled with Microsoft's Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate editions, is it allows for the full encryption of the system drive of a PC.
BitLocker's default requires it to be installed in a system with a trusted Platform Module (TPM). If you're not dealing with a computer that has such hardware installed, you'll need to make a couple of changes to BitLocker behaviors via Group Policy.
Click Start and type gpedit.msc in the Search box. Press Enter. Navigate to Local Computer Policy >> Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> BitLocker Drive Encryption >> Operating System Drives.
Here is what you'll see.
Double click on Require additional authentication at startup and select Enabled. Then, check the box next to Allow BitLocker without a compatible TPM. (The other options should each be set to Allow.) Click OK.
To start the encryption...