Q: FileVault stuck on "Encryption Paused"

Unfortunately no...

Stop messing with a workaround or trick, just reinstall and you will save time. I know you don't want to hear that but this is finally the better solution.

Sorry.

I tried to reinstall Yosemite, but It didn't get me to the process, where I need to select if I would like to enable Filevault or not. How did you manage to reinstall in without FileVault?

I have totally reinstall Yosemite :

0. Backup your system in a Time Machine backup

1. Boot from the recovery partition

2. Go to Disk Utility

3. Erase your Hard Drive

4. Format your Hard Drive

5. Quit Disk Utility

6. Install Yosemite without restoring anything

7. At the end of the installation, installation program ask you whether you want or not FileFault : deactivate it !

8. At the end of the installation, create a user toto or tata

9. Run /Applications/Utilities/Migration Assistant

10. Restore full backup with system preferences, applications, user files, etc... from your Time Machine backup

I just noticed one thing that may come handy form one: having gone through all these steps I saw the encryption resuming at first but then stopping again as described by so may. Then I wanted to make an TimeMachine backup for the inevitable new installation of Yosemite and for that I switched off my WLAN connection to not disturb the backup to a connected USB drive. But I digress, because this is the key thing: after i switched off the Wifi connection on the Mac, encryption of FileVault resumed again (switching it on again made it stop, and off again made it work again...). This may not help everyone, but it could be worth a try for some to go through the steps suggested by rash and then restarting with all wifi connections switched off.

Hi,

Potsky's comment quoted below works...

I have totally reinstall Yosemite :

0. Backup your system in a Time Machine backup

1. Boot from the recovery partition

2. Go to Disk Utility

3. Erase your Hard Drive

4. Format your Hard Drive

5. Quit Disk Utility

6. Install Yosemite without restoring anything

7. At the end of the installation, installation program ask you whether you want or not FileFault : deactivate it !

8. At the end of the installation, create a user toto or tata

9. Run /Applications/Utilities/Migration Assistant

10. Restore full backup with system preferences, applications, user files, etc... from your Time Machine backup

HOWEVER, it is important to note that when selecting the erase/format type you should select Journaled Only.  It defaults to Journaled,Encrypted.  If you do this when you install Yosemite it will be the same error.  Journaled only resolves the problem.

This even works for just a plain Yosemite re-install without time machine.

Your guide and Potsky's guide worked for me!

The only issues I had that I later learned were:

When you boot your Mac, hold Command+R to go to recovery mode.

You have to ERASE your Macintosh HD in Disk Utility first, to install a clean version of Yosemite.

The whole process, from start to finish, took about 27mins. However, I didn't have to backup my data, nor restore, thus the shorter time.

Anyone suffering the problem with FileVault paused due to it thinking there is no power supply connected should try Frederico's solution. I have a brand-new 15 MBP which I set up yesterday. I hovered on the option to leave FileVault in the default 'ON' state and in the end decided to trust it. So irritated to find it couldn't cope with being paused. Anyway, thank you Frederico, your solution seems to be working a treat!

You dont need to reinstall Yosemite to stop the encryption.

Just follow these steps...

(Have laptop powered through mains)

Reset pram with option+cmd+p+r

Booting with cmd+r for utility disc

Select the partition encrypted>click file and unlock>repair the partition disk>repair permission on partition>repair macintosh hd

Then restart, encryption should continue (time to complete varies)

Then follow this link if that does not work....

http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/using-disk-utility-to-unlock-or-decr ypt-your-filevault-2-encrypted-boot-drive/

Worked for me after a week of trying everything listed previously.

MacBook Pro - late 2010

I tried that and it didn't work on my new MacBook Pro. Performing a clean install of Yosemite worked for me.

Excellent summary. Thanks.  I followed the steps but it is still not perfect.   My problem is not as bad as others.  I still see "Connect power adapter to resume encryption."  (The power adapter is connected.). But I also see "FileVault is turned on for the disk 'Macintosh HD'."  I am also not having performance problems the way others are.  MY QUESTION:  Should I just forget about it for now since performance seems to be OK...and since it says FileVault is turned on?  Or is there something else I should do?  ("Turn off FileVault" is gray so I can't do that.)

...Using brand new MacBook Pro and I'm now setting it up for the first time. 

Also seems to have worked for me. Looks like the drive needs a bit of a kick. Thanks!

+1

Same problem here. New Mac Book Pro Retina, selected File Vault in initial configuration of system. File Vault is on pause with message to attach the mac book to power source, while it is... Already wasted half a day on this topic and different approaches also from this thread. Nothing would help.

Called Apple Care Support (again 1-2 hours in hotline...):

- Explained the situation to support person A, no fix.

- Explained the situation to support person B, no fix, but I sent some logs to Apple with their support logging tool, which is forwarded to development according to support person B. Now I have to wait about 2 business days for news. Will report in case something helpful will come up.

Um, yeah...

Gerjant-

If you have a time machine backup, quit wasting all that time.

Delete and reinstall yosemite without file vault and without restoring anything.

Then restart w/ ⌘+R and select restore from Time Machine.

It's very little work...mostly sitting there and worrying about losing data ...you won't.

I went through all the pain you did until I gave up and admitted I needed to wipe the drive...

Good luck

Tom

Tom, gergant, or others...Can you take a quick look at my situation (11/16/14 10:09 am) and make a suggestion?  I'm inclined to just leave things alone and move on, but I may be overlooking something.  Thanks in advance for any insights you can provide.

I personally do not recommend to leave the system in an unclear state as such, if you have to rely on it. File system encryption is at the very foundation of your system and if it has "hick-ups" thats serious. If you have a backup of all your files all the time that may be ok for a while. Still you don't know whats happening in the background.

Regarding the performance issues - that you apparently don't have - take a look on your battery while not connected to power.

If you click on the battery sign, there are apps listet that consume a lot of power.

In my case I have an app listed there: "Revert from FireVault" that is apparently very hungry. While the UI still shows "Encryption paused", waiting for power.

I personally am on the road at the moment and have no access to my backups/external usb-drives, so I can not easily make a new installation without buying another usb-drive. Which I also am not willing to accept having spent some bucks for the mac book pro already. This bug is a bad joke.