XPS 13 9360, Asks for BitLocker after Update

@AlexQ_68 for a personal account, you should be able to use: onedrive.com/recoverykey

@nomad I installed windows, pulled all updates (seach for updates), waited until everything is installed and restarted then. When no updates are found (I ignored optional updates), I switched off the machine and replaced the disk again.

Thanks for all the help. 

We had a customer come in with the same problem. Same timeline. Never enabled BitLocker before that they knew of and then it did an update and they were locked out. Here's what worked for us. 

1. Flashing the BIOS worked. After many trials and errors, we ended up at Bios Version 2.51, downloaded from Dell's website in the exe format. Applied by hitting F12 during boot up and using the upgrade bios option from that boot menu. 

2. In the BIOS we played with a lot of settings but landed on Restore Default > Factory Defaults options for the Secure Boot, Exchange Keys sections. 

Once we were on the machine we believe the reason this happened was at some point the customer had purchased office 365 from an MSP. Instead of having a provisioned license under the Microsoft account, they were logged in under settings > work organizations as this 365 licensing account. From talking with them we suspect the vendor has some GOPs that both have BitLocker turned on but also are grabbing the keys. This client did not have the keys stored in their own Microsoft account that's currently tied to their login user. 

Either way they are printed now.

To sum up, all methods in this thread have not worked for me. I'll keep my SSD for some time hoping someone finds remedy.

@x60643 

Are you sure new windows has updated BIOS?

Did you set 2.5.1 before and see 2.10 after?

Did you see " Dell BIOS update 2.10.." in list of updates?

If there is "No" for any of these questions - please keep trying.

To be able to update BIOS there are 2 conditions:

1. UEFI turned on in BIOS

2. UEFI capsule firmware update - activated in BIOS

Finally I've bought screwdriver and saved all my data!

Thank you everybody who helped to collect these sparks of wisdom together!! (Dell is not in the list)

I don't  even install new windows 10. I've found SSD from other computer, put into dead dell, start windows and requested windows update. It propose Dell BIOS update 2.10 and installed it. After returning original SSD back - bitlocker recovery mode has gone.

Some details that could be useful:

1.  UEFI capsule firmware updates should be deactivated AFTER  BIOS update to 2.10 (otherwise Windows Update couldn't touch BIOS).

2. If using temporary other SSD with windows installed - ensure that it's in GPT, not MBR mode! If not - switch mode with mbr2gpt.exe. Windows need UEFI for BIOS update and UEFI required GPT.

3. When I returned auxiliary SSD back to his computer - it appears that bitlocker hiddenly turned on and  requested bitlocker recovery key.  (remember  - "first time tragedy second time farce"). Be prepared for this, like I did. 

@nomad - don't panic!

Looking on what you've tried - I see that it's looks like Windows Update have not installed proper BIOS for you. 

Try again (with new SSD with windows installed):

1. Flash BIOS 2.5.1 with "F12"

2. Set "UEFI capsule update" - enabled in BIOS->security !

3. Request windows for updates. Check that "DELL BIOS 2.10 bla-bla-bla"  in the list

4. Run this update

5. Reboot computer and with "F2" - check that BIOS 2.10 now

6. Switch "UEFI capsule update" disable in BIOS

7. put old SSD and try.

Hi @alisahardy1 

Looks like you do good chance to recover data, even without Dell help.

Explore the thread.

Just don't do any desperate actions in TPM section of BIOS!!

@AlexQ_68 Thanks for your support in this endeavor.

One more time I tried to install 2.10 by Windows Update, then deactivated "UEFI capsule update" and put the old SSD, unfortunately BitLocker is prompting a key. New SSD is formatted as GPT.

Before I found this thread, I had played with TPM settings under Security section, perhaps I messed it all up in beginning, thus 2.10 from Windows Updates is not fixing in my case.

Finally, my laptop has been unlocked.

Before going to this thread, I've worsened the situation by messing up TPM/Secure Boot settings. Therefore, flashing to proper BIOS 2.10, laptop did not boot.

After my last attempt, having installed 2.10 and deactivated "UEFI capsule update", I simply proceeded Factory Reset and the laptop booted. I even didn't immediately recognize whether it is old or new disk booting. Eventually, I see the desktop I'm used to.

The solution provided @GuntherPelgrims has worked out for me. It would have worked out 2 weeks ago unless I messed up my BIOS. A piece of advice from me, if you changed something in BIOS, just reset factory.

I earnestly thank you all you guys from this thread. Without your support and knowledge share, it would not have been possible.

Just wanted to add my thanks to you all for your ideas and persistance. 

This is a very frustrating problem. In my case I was able to resolve it by downgrading bios to version 2.12. 

BUT

I was able to do it without taking out harddrives - pressing F12 at boot brings up a menu that allows you to update the bios. If you choose that option, you are able to choose a file from a USB stick (I used a bootable recovery stick that had Win PE environment on). I just downloaded all the different bioses back to 2.10 from here:

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-uk/product-support/servicetag/0-cElXclZ5Znk5OUNUWEZESWxzWUJPZz090/drivers#

Click 'Manually find...' then search for 'bios', then click 'older versions'

And then installed them one by one until one of them worked. All of them failed during the install at the 'ME' firmware stage, but the bios installation carries on anyway, so DON'T INTERUPT IT!

After bios is installed machine reboots, and suddenly windows update was completing, and there was no bitlocker screen anymore...

First thing to do is write down the decryption key (save it to the USB drive still n the laptop, and then open with notepad), and then disable encryption on the drive. Decryption took about 30 minutes on my machine, but YMMV.

Whole process was about 2 hours...

Thank you all again.

I had this issue on my XPS 13 9360 and Dell was able to resolve it for me over the online chat. This is what worked for my laptop:

• Restart the system
• At the Dell Logo keep tapping F2 to enter the BIOS screen
• Under General > Select Boot Sequence > Select UEFI > Select Apply
• Under Security > Select TPM 2.0 Security > Select Enable > Select Apply
• Under Secure Boot > Select Secure Boot Enable > Select Enable > Select Apply

(At this stage I hadn’t changed anything as all these settings were already enabled.)

• Under Security > Under TPM 2.0 Security > Disable SHA-256 > Select Apply

After this my laptop rebooted, updated itself, and came to the sign-in screen. I then backed up all my data and made sure to turn OFF data encryption.

Hope this might help someone else.

I restore the password... To enter the BIOS, then Load defaults, then factory defaults, and then return to the BIOS defaults option

It looks like most of you are having the same problem. None of the BIOS methods worked for me so I checked my Microsoft account for the Bit Locker key and had it. Like other users have mentioned, try to remember if you registered with a different Microsoft account when you first bought the device experiencing this issue. 

This is a very suspicious. I never received or read about any kind of notification requiring Bit Locker. It could be present in case you lose your device and need to lock it. It makes sense because it seems to be mostly occurring on mobile devices like laptops.

Having that said, this has to be one the the biggest mess ups I have ever seen on a manufacturers part. Dell just bricked thousands of devices and a lot of people out there are not going to be technologically inclined enough to figure this out. I was up accessing data for work and now I got nothing done because of the ridiculousness. I think I have it figured out though which is a relief. 

NOTE: I forgot to mention make certain your device is plugged into a power source when you enter the key. I took my laptop off the charger so I could take it into my office where I could read about and locate my key. However, the first time I put it in it failed because I believe the laptop turned off before it accepted the key or something. These laptops sometimes act a little weird to try and save battery and will randomly turn off. I typed in the code a second time with it plugged in and it seems to be working fine now. Thanks for the stress and wasting my time!

I was working on this issue for a client of mine who swore up and down that he never created a bit locker key, never turned on encryption, Didn’t have a Microsoft or one drive account.

And then I noticed that he had Microsoft Office installed on his computer, and when I asked him what email and password he used to buy it, I tried them on Microsoft’s “Recover Key” link, there it was!

So I would highly recommend before you begin all the troubleshooting steps, make absolutely sure the key isn’t stored online on Microsoft One Drive, Live.com, Microsoft, Outlook.com, Office.com, etc.

Finding your BitLocker recovery key in Windows