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BitLocker: need a key but I never installed it
Hi all, I have an unusual problem. 3 days ago my hard drive got blocker by BitLocker. It asks for a key in order to unlock my hard drive.
The problem is that I have never installed or set up BitLocker. This is a new laptop and no one had access to it except me. So I am 100% sure that BitLocker was never set up. I bought it via Amazon in Boston 4 months ago.
I checked my Microsoft account but didn't find BitLocker key there (again, because I didn't set it up). I called Dell and they told me I should call Microsoft. I called Microsoft and they told me I should call Dell. It's a closed circle and no one seems to be responsible.
My solution is to re-install Windows but in this case, I will lose all my data (which I don't want to do).
Does Dell community has any recommendations? Did this issue happen in the past? Who could have set up BitLocker encryption on my laptop without providing me with a password?
If I don't recover my data, I consider suing Dell here in Boston.
SonOfChuck
1 Message
0
December 6th, 2019 04:00
I had the same issue following an essential BIOS update flagged up in Dell Support Assist. Our IT dept couldn't resolve it, but I managed to by doing the following: -
BitLocker is prompting for a Recovery Key and you cannot locate the key
* Restart the system
* At the Dell Logo keep tapping F2
* You will enter the BIOS screen
* Go to Secure Boot header, expand and select Expert Key Management
* Click the Restore Settings button
* Select Factory Settings
* Press OK
* Exit the BIOS and restart
Windows should now launch as it did before, even my last browser session appeared and lost nothing from c:\ drive!
Still not resolved? Use the "Get Help Now" option at the bottom right to chat with a Dell technician right away.
Video on TPM/Bitlocker:
DELL-Nat M
Community Manager
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August 25th, 2022 06:00
Before we start troubleshooting, please notice this:
Beginning in Windows 8.1, Windows automatically enables BitLocker Device Encryption on devices that support Modern Standby. With Windows 11 and Windows 10, Microsoft offers BitLocker Device Encryption support on a much broader range of devices, including those that are Modern Standby, and devices that run Windows 10 Home edition or Windows 11.
Unlike a standard BitLocker implementation, BitLocker device encryption is enabled automatically so that the device is always protected. The following list outlines how this happens:
Microsoft recommends that BitLocker Device Encryption be enabled on any systems that support it, but the automatic BitLocker Device Encryption process can be prevented by changing the following registry setting:
From Overview of BitLocker Device Encryption in Windows
Usefull troubleshooting to bypass the Bitlocker screen so you can disable (not recommended by Microsoft) the same inside Windows:
Load BIOS defaults
Ultimately, if none of the above steps work, an OS reinstallation would be the final recommendation.
Helpful video:
If still under the purchased warranty, click the "Get Help Now" icon on the right to start a live chat session.
Saltgrass
3 Apprentice
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February 28th, 2018 17:00
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17133/windows-8-bitlocker-recovery-keys-frequently-asked-questions
K_User
4 Posts
5
February 28th, 2018 17:00
Checked that link 20 times already. It says there are 2 options to find a key: 1) check Microsoft account online - I checked and I don't have a key there because i didn't set it up. 2) A saved copy of the recovery key - I don't have it either because I didn't set it up
Saltgrass
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February 28th, 2018 18:00
I did not set it up either .. but my C: partition was Bitlocked not just once, but every time I reinstalled Windows.
If you do not show a key when you search your account for Recovery key .. I don't have anything else to say. My system which did this, and the only one out of three, was the XPS 13 9365.
Saltgrass
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February 28th, 2018 19:00
Mary G
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March 7th, 2018 13:00
Also make sure you are signed in with your Administrator account. You cannot use a Local Account.
You did not buy from Dell if you got the computer from Amazon. Dell computers are sold by resellers there and fulfilled by Amazon. Even if you did buy directly from Dell's web site, only the hardware is warrantied. Bitlocker would not be covered.
Klinten
2 Posts
0
April 30th, 2018 01:00
Hi, did you get any further with this? I have the same problem. A DELL Latitude 5580 prompting for at Bitlocker key on startup. I have never activated Bitlocker on the machine, so i don't have the key.
Regards
Dell-Alan D
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April 30th, 2018 01:00
Hi Klinten,
Are you still able to login to Windows and use the laptop? Have you updated your BIOS recently?
Alan
Klinten
2 Posts
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April 30th, 2018 04:00
Hi Alan,
No i can not login to windows. I'm not able to get pass the Bitlocker.
I have not made any change to the BIOS at all.
Dell-Alan D
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April 30th, 2018 06:00
If you are unable to login and you do not have the Bitlocker recovery key, there is no way to access the system. The bitlocker protection is working as designed. Bitlocker can only be suspended from within Windows.The only way to gain access to the system is by reinstalling the operating system, wiping out any data currently on the drive. More information about troubleshooting Bitlocker issues can be found here
Alan
nlecomte
3 Posts
9
May 1st, 2018 11:00
Hi Alan,
thanks for your answer.
I'm exactly in the same situation as those guys. I've never installed bitlocker (and apparently it's not been pushed through the active directory) and therefore never get the key.
But today my laptop crashed so I wanted to perform a restore or login in safe mode but I'm unable to to all this because I need to go through bitlocker first. And I can go further as I've no key.
You'll probably understand that you answer suggesting to reinstall Windows, wipping the data is not acceptable as I've valuable data on my drive which can't be lost.
Can you explain why bitlocker is installed by default on our laptops?
thanks in advance for your answer.
regards
Nicolas
Saltgrass
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May 1st, 2018 15:00
I think the BitLocker is a security process on some systems. It keeps someone who does not have access to the Microsoft account associated with that system from getting the key.
If you checked you Microsoft account and did a search for RecoveryKey, you should have found at least one. If there are none in your account you might want to call support and see if they can do something. There may be a separate key related to the Bios, which my system has never used.
If you have an Azure account, it may be there. You can search for BitLocker key and find several reputable sites discussing it. On my system, the path to the key is in the BCD store. If you want to check and you can't boot your system, you may need recovery media to boot and check from there.
K_User
4 Posts
9
May 1st, 2018 16:00
Hi all, I am the one who posted the original question 3 months ago.
Here is the summary of what happened which I hope would answer some of your questions. I never set up BitLocker on my laptop. Just never. I didn't even know what BitLocker was until one day it locked my account. I also did not change Bios because I don't know how to change Bios. And one day my computer got locked out of the blue.
I spoke with Dell customer service (which is absolutely useless as we all know). I spoke with Microsoft who said it's 100% Dell's responsibility. I tried everything I could find on the internet. But if you don't have a BitLocker password there is simply no way to unlock your hard drive. And I didn't have a password.
The solution was to format hard drive and reset Windows. In this case, you lose all your data. So instead I bought a new hard drive and simply replace the old one. So the old hard drive that is locked still has all my valuable data and one day I'm hoping to unlock it somehow. But as of today, I don't have a solution.
What I was told by someone who knows how Dell operates in the US, what most likely happened is that my "new" laptop that Dell sold me is NOT actually new. It was returned by someone before I bought it and then later re-sold to me. Technically it was a "new' laptop but Dell's team didn't fully re-installed Windows and as a result, BitLocker was still active from the previous owner. Knowing how bad Dell's customer service is, such scenario wouldn't surprise me at all.
My suggestion is to keep this discussion open. If we get a critical mass, I would love to file a class action suit against Dell. I am confident that Dell caused the problem and they did nothing to solve it.
Any questions - happy to answer here.
Saltgrass
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May 1st, 2018 18:00
What was the message you received, to the best of your memory, and were there any other numbers included with any explanation as to how to obtain a Recovery Key?