Windows 10: bitlocker wont accept correct password. Need to recover files

I encrypted a USB drive using bitlocker on a laptop. I chose a password. Now I am trying to decrypt the USB on a different laptop and it wont accept the correct password. I lost the recovery key and do not have access to the old laptop. The files are very important. How can I recover the files? Thank you in advance!

:)

 

Bitlocker will not accept password or Recovery Key

I am trying to access my hard drive , But my recovery key and password are not being accepted

by bitlocker.

This Recovery key was sent to me when setting up the bitlocker, But now says it's a invalid key



Is there a problem with this software as its not accepting my recovery key Or password.



Can this bitlocker be reset so that it Can accept my recover key.



Any help please.Alan

 

BitLocker won't accept correct disk password after... something

The company I work for has computers with TPM chips and Windows 10 Enterprise, and uses BitLocker for full-disk encryption. They have BitLocker configured to require a password at boot (which I believe means the TPM is not involved in the decryption, and the disk should only be encrypted by the password itself; is this wrong?).

A coworker has his computer off the network for a while and they removed his computer's access. To get access back, IT had to do "stuff" to it.

In the process of this, they had to

• Make BIOS accept USB boot drive
  
• Do something, maybe including updates to stuff (they weren't able to explain what the thing they ran did, only that it "did stuff")
  
• Boot the computer
  
• Noticed BitLocker password wasn't working
  
• Went back into BIOS and re-initialized the TPM (because "sometimes that makes it accept the recovery key")
  

But the BitLocker password still didn't work... and the extraordinarily-competent IT people (the same ones who re-initialized the TPM) also lost the recovery key from their database.

What is actually causing it to reject the correct password?

Is the TPM relevant to this at all? (does password-protection require both the password to be correct AND the TPM to have the correct PCR state, or is it independent of the TPM?)

How can he unlock the drive with the password? (if the above question is that it still requires the TPM, then this is probably a worthless question because it's impossible)

 

Recover bitlock password for my extral drive

Thank you very much for reaching out! As an Independent Advisor and fellow Microsoft user, I'm more than happy to assist you.



If you have forgotten your BitLocker password for an external or old hard drive, there are several methods you can try to recover access:

Attempt Usual Passwords

First, try to recall any passwords you might have used in the past. Sometimes, users use familiar or simple passwords that they can remember later.

Use the BitLocker Recovery Key

If you cannot remember the password, you can use the 48-digit BitLocker recovery key. Here are some common places where you might find the recovery key:

• Microsoft Account: Log in to your Microsoft account on another device and check the recovery keys section at account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey.
  
• Printout: Check any physical documents where you might have printed the recovery key.
  
• USB Flash Drive: If you saved the recovery key on a USB drive, plug it into your computer and follow the on-screen instructions.
  
• Work or School Account: If your device was managed by an organization, the recovery key might be stored in the organization's Azure AD account. Contact your IT support for assistance.
  

Command Line Recovery

If you have access to the command line, you can use the manage-bde command to force recovery:

• For a local machine:
  
  1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
     
  2. Type manage-bde -forcerecovery <Volume> and press Enter.
     
• For a remote machine:
  
  1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
     
  2. Type manage-bde -ComputerName <ComputerName> -forcerecovery <Volume> and press Enter.
     

BitLocker Repair Tool

If the drive is damaged, you can use the BitLocker Repair Tool (repair-bde) to recover data:

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
   
2. Use the command repair-bde <SourceVolume> <TargetVolume> -rp <RecoveryPassword> to attempt recovery.
   

Contact Support

If you are unable to recover the password or key, you may need to contact Microsoft support or your device's manufacturer for further assistance. However, note that Microsoft support cannot recreate a lost BitLocker recovery key.

Formatting the Drive

As a last resort, if you cannot recover the password or key, you can format the drive. This will erase all data on the drive:

1. Open Disk Management.
   
2. Right-click the BitLocker-encrypted drive and select Format.
   
3. Follow the prompts to complete the formatting process.
   

Remember, formatting the drive will result in data loss, so it should only be done if you have no other options and the data is not critical.

By following these steps, you should be able to recover access to your BitLocker-encrypted drive or at least understand the options available to you.



Please feel free to reach out if you require any additional assistance. I'm here to help!