Windows 10: Locked Out by Unauthorized Bitlocker Recovery

I recently sent in my 2018 Dell Inspiron laptop w/ Windows 10 to have its motherboard replaced by Dell with OEM parts, so I paid a little extra. I did this because I was not able to power it on due to a probable short. And because I was not able to power the laptop on before sending it in, I was not able to back up my data. Dell had my laptop for less than a week, to their credit, but when I received the laptop back and powered it on, I was greeted with a Bitlocker Recovery screen which asks for a 48 digit unique recovery key.

I did not ever enable Bitlocker Recovery on this laptop or on my SSD, there was never an option to nor a reason to. Following the instructions on the Bitlocker Recovery screen you are told to find the recovery key that supposedly would have been either printed out, stored on your Microsoft account, or on a separate USB device. I can confirm that no such key was ever provided to me or exists in a place that I could have found it. I've exhausted all possibilities there.


After reading through every article related to this problem on Microsoft's site and every other site, it is clear that this problem has affected many individuals and only one horrifying solution is provided: "just do a factory restore". That is not a solution, that is a failure. The fact that Bitlocker Recovery was enabled on my device without my permission and is now causing the loss of my data after a simple hardware change is both infuriating and causing an incalculable loss of personal data. Not only to myself, but to many.


Before anyone suggests it, yes, I've tried factory resetting my BIOS settings. Yes, I've looked in the devices for all of my Microsoft accounts.


I write here in the hope that every other article I've read is wrong and that there is something I can do to avoid doing a factory restore to my OS and data. Any suggestions are welcome!

:)

 

recovery bitlocker blue screen

Hi Rick,

Please follow the suggestions below and check if you are able to boot to your desktop.

• Places to look for your BitLocker key:
  • On a printout you saved. Look in places you keep important papers.
    
  • Saved on a USB flash drive. Plug the USB flash drive into your locked PC and follow the instructions. If you saved the key as a text file on the flash drive, use a different computer to read the text file.
  • In your Microsoft account. To get your recovery key, go to
    BitLocker Recovery Keys.

• Or ask someone for help:
  • Ask someone with administrator privileges on the same PC to unlock it with their key.
  • If your PC is connected to a domain (usually a work or school computer), ask a system administrator for your recovery key

Hope this helps in resolving the bitlocker recovery keys. Keep us posted on the bitlocker recovery key issues. We are happy to help!

 

BitLocker recovery key

Hi Dan,

We understand that you're experiencing an issue related to Bitlocker.

Just to confirm, are you being asked for a Bitlocker recovery key from the lock screen after booting PC? If not, where are you exactly being asked for a Bitlocker recovery key?

Also, are you the only person that has an account on your device? Have you already done any troubleshooting steps to try to resolve the issue? If yes, what are these troubleshooting steps?

We'll be waiting for your confirmation.

Regards.

 

bitlocker recovery key

Hi Singh,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

In order to get clarity on this issue and assist you with appropriate troubleshooting steps, please reply with the answers to the questions below.

1. Are you not able login to your computer due to BitLocker Recovery Key?
2. Did you ever setup BitLocker Recovery Key on your computer?
3. Are you not able to login to your Microsoft Account to find the BitLocker Recovery Key?
4. Are you using Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Professional?

Meanwhile, try finding BitLocker Recovery Key if you have ever setup BitLocker Recovery Key for your computer.

Please elaborate on the issue, so that we can understand the concern and get back to us to help you further.