[withinboredom]

This is true of just about any OS though. Linux and OSX has/had single user mode, for example.

[IggleSniggle]

I don’t understand. What’s the point of having an encrypted disk if it can be decrypted by any old USB-loaded OS?

[selfhoster11]

A user password doesn't enable encryption. Bitlocker or another Full Disk Encryption solution is what you would want to use. If you can see the data, that means it's not encrypted.

[IggleSniggle]

But doesn’t Windows 10 ship with device encryption? Ie full disk encryption? I thought that’s exactly what this was, which is what I’m not understanding. How can you see data if the device is encrypted?

[withinboredom]

It isn't enabled by default, you have to turn it on. It also isn't included in the home edition at all.

[staticman2]

Windows home supports device encryption if you meet certain hardware requirements. (A TPM 2.0 chip, apparently) My laptop doesn't meet those requirements so I've never looked into it further.

Windows pro supports encryption with all hardware.