Windows PIN Unavailable / Bitlocker asking for Recovery Key

Question

Yesterday after I rebooted my computer, I got the message that the PIN and unavailable and the computer is not responding to my Microsoft Windows Password so I can't access Windows and I can't reboot in the safe  node as Bitlocker is asking for a recovery key.  There was a BIOS update issued on August 5th and an security update issued on August 22 and dell support is showing the computer system as up to date.  It's now getting foggy but I think that I may have downloaded the security update yesterday just before the problem appeared.  I don't recall if I ever manually installed Bitlocker but I do note that when I put in manage-bde -status on the command line, it if showing the conversion status as unknown, the percentage encrypted as unknown% and protection status as unknown.  I am thinking that the upgrades of the BIOS and the security upgrade may have trigger the enabling of Bitlocker.  I am hoping that if these are the cause, then they can be reversed.  I have a lot of data on the computer that I am afraid I am will lose.  Two  other questions: (1) is there a way to copy everything off the computer even though I can't sign into windows in the off case that no encryption was done and (2) is there a way to boot off a flash drive and sign in as administration to disable Bitlocker (I am guessing not).

ShawnGarner · Answer

This just happened to me. It was definitely the recent firmware update. Right after the reboot for the firmware update, I got the bitlocker request for a key. I never turned on bitlocker. My Microsoft account does not show any key. I am stuck.

Eric Koch · Answer

Shawn,

Thanks for the confirmation. Hopefully, Dell can fix this. If you reboot again, you should see the login screen., My sign in option are PIN (which is now available) and Microsoft Account password (which I don't know - waiting for Microsoft to unlock my account). Maybe you can sign in (depending on your options) after which I think you might be able to disable Bitlocker. If you want to get back to the Bitlocker Recovery Password screen, you can reboot your computer three times, the first two times powering off once the spinning begins.

Eric Koch · Answer

Shawn,

One other thing. At the Bitlocker Recovery Password Screen, you click on "Skip this drive" (lower right part of the screen) and go to Advanced Options, then to Troubleshoot, then to Advanced Options and then to Command Prompt. Type in "manage-bde -status" without the quotation marks.

My computer shows:

Conversion Status - Unknown
Percentage Encrypted -Unknown%
Protection Status - Unknown

I was wondering if you see the same. I am hoping that this might mean that nothing has yet been encrypted.

lmacri · Answer

@Eric Koch wrote:

... I think that I may have downloaded the security update yesterday just before the problem appeared. I don't recall if I ever manually installed Bitlocker ...

Hi Eric Koch::

What is your Dell computer model and Windows OS [if Win 10 or Win 11 include the edition (Home or Pro), version and build number listed at Settings | System | About | Windows Specifications].

If you were prompted to enter your 48-digit BitLocker recovery key at boot-up this was likely triggered by the installation of KB5012170 (Security Update for Secure Boot DBX: August 9, 2022) that was released with other August 2022 Patch Tuesday updates. See ecarpenter's Inspiron 7391 BIOS Update Enabled Bitlocker for a discussion on this topic, which includes a link to the Microsoft support article MS support article Finding your BitLocker Recovery Key in Windows that might help you find your recovery key in your online Microsoft account. There is also more information about this problem in the Known Issues section of the KB5012170 release notes <here> and the 16-Aug-2022 BleepingComputer article Windows KB5012170 Update Causing BitLocker Recovery Screens, Boot Issues.

As far as I know this problem only affects Win 11 computers with BitLocker disk encryption enabled, and entering your 48-digit BitLocker recovery key (or re-starting your system 2 or 3 times) should clear the prompt for your BitLocker recovery key. If your computer is not managed by an organization like a employer or school see my post <here> in ecarpenter's thread about how BitLocker might have been enabled on your system without you knowing it.
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v21H2 build 19044.1889 * Firefox v104.0.0 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.2205.7-1.1.19500.2 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.14.210-1.0.1751 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.6867 * Dell SupportAssist v3.11.4.29 * Dell Update Windows Universal v4.6.0 * Inspiron 5583/5584 BIOS v1.20.0
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620

lmacri · Answer

Hi Eric Koch / ShawnGarner:

You might also find some helpful information in WCHS's 30-Aug-2022 topic Why is BitLocker Waiting for Activation? in the AskWoody forum about the effect of a recent BIOS update on their Dell computer.
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v21H2 build 19044.1889 * Firefox v104.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.2205.7-1.1.19500.2 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.14.210-1.0.1751 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.6867 * Dell SupportAssist v3.11.4.29 * Dell Update Windows Universal v4.6.0 * Inspiron 5583/5584 BIOS v1.20.0
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620

rbarlock · Answer

Hello, I ran into this as well on a 7420 and 7430.  This is what worked for me. Try selecting ESC twice at the original bitlocker pin prompt.  You should see 'Skip this drive' option then put the recovery key in there.  It seems to be a more thorough recovery screen that clears whatever environmental variable it's stuck on.

lmacri · Answer

@rbarlock wrote:

Hello, I ran into this as well on a 7420 and 7430. This is what worked for me. Try selecting ESC twice at the original bitlocker pin prompt. You should see "Skip this drive" option then put the recovery key in there. It seems to be a more thorough recovery screen that clears whatever environmental variable it's stuck on.

Hi rbarlock:

The issue being discussed in this thread was caused by a bug in KB5012170 (Security Update for Secure Boot DBX, released 09-Aug-2022) that only affected Windows 11 users. The Known Issues section of the KB5012170 release notes <here> states:

KB5012170 Secure Boot DBX Released 09-Aug-2022 Known Issue Win 11 and BitLocker 12 Nov 2022.png

Since February 2021 the latest Servicing Stack Update (SSU) for Win 10 and Win 11 have been included with the monthly cumulative Quality update (see the Win 10/Win 11 MS support article Servicing Stack Updates), so I assume that means that any Win 11 user who has allowed Windows Update to install their September 2022 or later Patch Tuesday updates should no longer see a prompt to enter the 48-digit BitLocker recovery key if they proceed with the installation of KB5012170.

As noted in my 28-Aug-2022 post <above>, simply re-booting 2 or 3 times should also clear the prompt to enter the 48-digit BitLocker recovery key, assuming the problem is triggered by the installation of KB5012170 on a Win 11 OS that is not fully patched.
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v21H2 build 19044.2130 * Firefox v106.0.5 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.2210.6-1.1.19800.4 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.17.221-1.0.1806 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7090 * Dell SupportAssist v3.12.3.5 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v4.7.0 * Inspiron 5583/5584 BIOS v1.21.0
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620

Inspiron

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