Windows 10: External USB HDD drive bitlocker encrypted without a key

Summary. I cannot access my external USB disk drive that has been encrypted by bitlocker.Backround. I am using a MS Surface Pro 6. Originally it was running Win10 Home. For years, I have been using an external USB disk drive to backup important photos and documents. Recently, in the last 6 months or so, my Surface finally automagically without my knowledge updated to Windows 11 Home. Just recently, I tried plugging in my external USB HDD and now windows is prompting me to plug in the USB bitlocker key to unlock the HDD. I was NEVER given a USB bitlocker key nor the option to create one.

:)

 

Bitlocker encrypted external drive without user authorization

I primarily use a 2TB external hdd on my dell xps laptop.

The laptop is on a Windows 10 home edition OS, with bitlocker turned on by default (possibly by the local distributor of the laptop) on the C drive. I have left it on and made no changes to it.

When i plug in the external hdd into the laptop, it works fine, with no indication that it is encrypted or locked. The bitlocker settings page on the laptop does not show that the drive is encrypted and i can just plug-and-play the hdd with no problems.

But on my desktop PC (or any other PC other than the dell laptop), the same external hdd shows that it is encrypted by bitlocker and requires a 48-digit recovery key, which i do not
have. I have checked on my microsoft account where the recovery key for the laptop is saved, but only the recovery key (with the key ID) for the C drive of the laptop is found, not the external drive.

As i understand, bitlocker-to-go - which encrypts external removable drives - is a feature only available on windows 10 pro. My desktop PC, which i use occasionally with the hdd, is
windows 10 pro. But my laptop is windows 10 home and would not have that feature available to it.

Is it possible that since the laptop C drive is bitlocker encrypted, it somehow extended its encryption to the removable external drive? Because the external drive works perfectly
when connected to the laptop, with no indication that it is bitlocker locked. But if thats the case, why does the laptop 48 digit recovery key didnt work on the external drive? Would it help for me to turn off bitlocker on the laptop and let it decrypt the
C drive? But if i do this, do i leave the external drive connected while it is decrypting the C drive?

I knew the drive is encrypted by bitlocker as the prompt window to unlock the drive states 'Bitlocker #alphabet'

 

File back up to bitlockered external drive

Thanks John.

By trial and error the solution is,

• Set the file back up to the desired external USB drive, Back up using file history.
• Run backup to completion.
• Dismount, (Remove) the drive used.
• Remount (Plug in) the drive used for the file back up (Steps 1&2) and encrypt using Bitlocker.

Note you can only encrypt drives using some versions of Windows (Pro for eg not Home)

• Once the external drive has been encrypted dismount.
• Remount the drive, go to the file back up option, Open, Settings, Backup,
  Back up using file history.
• The drive should now still be visible and has been encrypted.
• Accessing the drive will be dependant on how it was set up in Bitlocker,
  Open with this PC, password, pin code etc.
• Repeat file back up as in the first two steps.

Hope this helps someone else.

 

Bitlocker encrypted my external drive and I can't find the key

I have a big problem. My work surface decided to encrypt my personal external drive as soon as I connected it for the first time. I have my last 6 years of files and information encrypted and I have no idea what the password is or where it is stored. I have
a few questions, so I'll start writing down what I've tried and the questions I have.

When I go to bitlocker I can see my external drive under "bitlocker to go", and it shows up as locked. When I try to unlock, a popup shows up on the top-right and it says something like "load key from usb unit". The crazy part is that my work surface has
just one USB port, where I have the external drive connected, so it's literally impossible that I saved the key in a USB unit.

That brings a couple of questions:

• How is it possible that bitlocker decided to encrypt my external drive without my consent or telling me anything about it?

• How is it possible that it asks for a USB unit when I can't connect the external drive and a USB unit at the same time?

Looking for solutions online I found a few things. The first one I tried was to open the console as admin and write "manage-bde -protectors -get D:", because my encrypted external drive is D:. The following information showed up:

Code:

Volumen D: [Etiqueta desconocida]Todos los protectores de clave    Clave externa:      Id.: {5216B160-9446-4117-A4FB-58EBB97BBA81}      Nombre de archivo de clave externa:        5216B160-9446-4117-A4FB-58EBB97BBA81.BEK

It's in Spanish, but I guess that format is standard enough. It gives me a reference to a file, where I can allegedly find the recovery key. I did a search on the surface, but that file wasn't found anywhere. So that's another question.

• Where can I find the file 5216B160-9446-4117-A4FB-58EBB97BBA81.BEK?

I also read that the password might be stored in my microsoft account, and that I could see the recovery key going into https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey .
I tried that, but I'm asked to log in and I have no clue what my user and password could be. I've tried with a hotmail account I own, but then I'm asked for a code that I should have been sent either to another email account or my mobile phone, but I never
receive any code. So that's another question.

• What's my microsoft account and how can I receive that code?

I also read something about AD. I went there but I have no idea what I'm looking for in that place.

I've also tried to contact Microsoft on the phone to no avail. And microsoft support in general doesn't look very helpful so far.

So, in summary, Microsoft decided to encrypt my personal external drive. They decided to store my password
somewhere, and apparently that could be a few different places. So my last question is this.

• How can I decrypt the external drive following a list of steps that are not missleading or have multiple different branching options?

I'd really appreciate any help. Thanks!