@JGArro Win10 Home has a limited version of BitLocker that can be used to encrypt only the Windows partition on systems that meet certain hardware requirements. Dell ships some systems with BitLocker “staged”, which means BitLocker is enabled but suspended, and if you choose to link your Windows account to your Microsoft account, it is SUPPOSED to back up the Recovery Key to your Microsoft account and then fully enable, which happens instantaneously because it was already enabled in a suspended stage beforehand. Unfortunately none of this is actually communicated to the user at the time. The reason you’re seeing the Recovery Key prompt is because your old motherboard’s TPM contained a decryption key for your drive, but your new motherboard’s TPM doesn’t. So if you don’t have your Recovery Key at this point, then unfortunately your data is effectively gone.
I realize this won’t help the current situation, but going forward you should really back your data on a regular basis, and especially before sending your system somewhere for repairs because Dell will sometimes wipe and reinstall the OS when a system is in for repairs. A full system image backup would be a particularly good backup mechanism for cases like this, since that would allow you to restore your system even if your hard drive completely died or got erased, rather than just having your documents. And if you make an image backup within Windows, then it would NOT have BitLocker encryption even if the source drive did, because image backups captured within Windows read the drive in unencrypted form.
Thank you! We have received the required details. We will work towards a resolution via private messages to ensure the security of your information. In the meanwhile, you may receive assistance or suggestions from the community members as well.
jphughan
9 Legend
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14K Posts
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August 15th, 2020 11:00
@JGArro Win10 Home has a limited version of BitLocker that can be used to encrypt only the Windows partition on systems that meet certain hardware requirements. Dell ships some systems with BitLocker “staged”, which means BitLocker is enabled but suspended, and if you choose to link your Windows account to your Microsoft account, it is SUPPOSED to back up the Recovery Key to your Microsoft account and then fully enable, which happens instantaneously because it was already enabled in a suspended stage beforehand. Unfortunately none of this is actually communicated to the user at the time. The reason you’re seeing the Recovery Key prompt is because your old motherboard’s TPM contained a decryption key for your drive, but your new motherboard’s TPM doesn’t. So if you don’t have your Recovery Key at this point, then unfortunately your data is effectively gone.
I realize this won’t help the current situation, but going forward you should really back your data on a regular basis, and especially before sending your system somewhere for repairs because Dell will sometimes wipe and reinstall the OS when a system is in for repairs. A full system image backup would be a particularly good backup mechanism for cases like this, since that would allow you to restore your system even if your hard drive completely died or got erased, rather than just having your documents. And if you make an image backup within Windows, then it would NOT have BitLocker encryption even if the source drive did, because image backups captured within Windows read the drive in unencrypted form.
DELL-Cares
Moderator
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27.6K Posts
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August 15th, 2020 11:00
Thank you! We have received the required details. We will work towards a resolution via private messages to ensure the security of your information. In the meanwhile, you may receive assistance or suggestions from the community members as well.