Windows 10: Bitlocker removal of optical drive caddy option while searching for a USB enclosure for my original

I've read through more than my fair share of posted topics here and at MajorGeeks. I'm not reading anymore without asking the question about my issue. Please bear with me as, besides this ridiculous Caronavirus… whatever it is, I'll choose not to comment, I have some other stressors, work, personal, and on the threshold of mental now, I'm struggling with a few issues and this just puts the icing on the **** cake today. I upgraded my laptop; Dell Inspiron 15-3567, Core i3 8265U; from factory 8GB Hynix DDR4 2133mhz to max 16GB with the exact same stick, Hynix DDR4 2133mhz same # no problem with memory, only adding to avoid unnecessary questions, swapped out factory 1TB HDD for Hynix Gold 500GB SSD, new coin cell battery reset clock, new genuine Dell main battery original is still in good health also. I have another computer that I used the Windows upgrade tool for to make a bootable USB drive and a clean install of Windows 10. The laptop had Home edition when I bought it but I recently upgraded to Pro, prior to the upgrades. I bought it new from Best Buy as a close out 17' model in 18' and have had it since and not let anyone mess with it nor have I had any other service or other work done to it, safe to say I'm the only person who's had access to this laptop, AND I'm reading that bitlocker isn't available on Home edition anyway. So I was irritated that this wasn't a dual hard drive wired laptop because my new one is and I like it. Difference between 3000 and 7000 series Dell Inspirons I assume. Then I stumbled across the removal of optical drive caddy option while searching for a USB enclosure for my original 1TB HDD to use as a secondary external storage drive. I got the caddy tray for the HDD, an enclosure for the optical drive to use as external USB after the swap, and the external drive enclosure also in case things didn't work for some reason. Did the swap, the optical drive works good as an external BUT... The original 1TB HDD is bitlocker encrypted so I am unable to use it right now. The details on that are: the laptop originally had Home edition which supposedly doesn't support bitlocker. I upgraded to Pro but didn't choose to encrypt my hard drive so I don't have a 48 digit key. I didn't modify the drive at all during the upgrade or caddy swap, meaning I didn't format it or otherwise mess with it, just unplugged it from the main board and plugged it back into the optical drive conversion caddy so Windows is still on the drive but I read that this was ok to do. So, how did my drive get bitlocker encrypted and is there anything I can do to ever use the drive again? It's a perfectly good 1TB 5400 rpm HDD and I'm fit to be tied right now! I'm just a casual pc user and I would NOT have set up bitlocker at any point. I have enough issues with all this stupid security nonsense with software and internet apps; password managers that don't work right, multiple AV apps across Windows and Android devices and all other manner of JUNK that a simple guy shouldn't really have to deal with, but does, because this complete failure of a modern society has produced so many scammers and other forms of scumbags that I can't even keep decent hand tools at work anymore let alone trust my digital data to the internet! Sorry for long post and rant but I just had to get that all out. I guess my question is, again; How did my drive become bitlocker encrypted? I'm 100% positive that I didn't do it at any point including when I upgraded to pro, and it shouldn't have been encrypted with the previous version of Windows 10 Home. Which means I don't have a recovery key. So is there any way I can ever use this drive again? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Why can't a person just be anymore and use the stuff we want, how we want to use it?!?!?!

:)

 

Need to turn off Bitlocker to install Windows 10

Hi,

We suggest doing the following steps again to resolve the issue. To complete the procedure, make sure that you have the following information:

• You must be able to provide administrative credentials.
• The drive must be BitLocker-protected.

To suspend BitLocker Drive Encryption on an operating system drive, please follow the steps below:

• Click Start, click Control Panel, click
  System and Security, and then click BitLocker Drive Encryption.
• Click Suspend Protection for the operating system drive.
• A message is displayed, informing you that your data will not be protected while BitLocker is suspended and asking if you want to suspend BitLocker Drive Encryption.
  
• Click Yes to continue and suspend BitLocker on the drive.

Let us know how it goes.

 

Bitlocker

Hello Nandana,

To enable BitLocker on your computer, you follow the steps below:

• Sign in to your Windows account with an administrator access.
• Press the Windows key.
• Type and enter BitLocker.
• Click Turn on BitLocker.
• If the system is asking to sing in to administrator access, please do so.

For additional information about BitLocker, we suggest that you check the frequently ask question on this
link. The link provided applies to Windows 8.1 to higher version.

If you have other concerns, don't hesitate to reach us.

 

BitLocker Encrypted Hard Drive to MAC

Hi,



Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community. I regret the inconvenience caused to you. Let me help you.



I suggest you to perform below mentioned steps to disable BitLocker.

To disable BitLocker I would suggest you try the following steps and see if it helps.

• 
  Press Windows key + X and click on
  Control Panel.
  
• 
  Change View by from Category
  to Large Icons/Small Icons.
  
• 
  Click on BitLocker Drive Encryption and click on
  Turn BitLocker Off.
  
• 
  Follow on screen instructions. Click on Decrypt the Drive
  when the message appears.
  

I would suggest you click on the link below and refer the following article.

Scenario 12: Turning Off BitLocker Drive Encryption (Windows 7)

Scenario 12: Turning Off BitLocker Drive Encryption (Windows 7)

(You can refer the steps in the above link as they are applicable for Windows 10 as well)



Check if it helps.



I hope the information helps. Please keep us posted on the issue. We will be happy to assist you accordingly.

Thank you.