Question Bitlocker question

[krose]

My wife was using her Lenovo T14s when it beeped, rebooted, then asked for the bitlocker key. I removed the M.2 SSD and put it in a USB enclosure on another PC but the drive is locked and I cannot figure out a way to unlock it. There is no key in her MS account, or anywhere that I can find. I think some wonky update has bricked the laptop. Any ideas other than reinstall 11?

 

[pcgeek11]

Some reading, I know it is talking about a DELL but the same info applies.

Redirecting

 

[ch33zw1z]

Are you sure you’re checking the right MS account for the recovery key? Sometimes there’s more than one account, or the wrong account is checked.

Some basics: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-6b71ad27-0b89-ea08-f143-056f5ab347d6

Is there data on the drive you need to keep?

Fwiw, sometimes update to BIOS will clear the stored key from TPM module, having the recovery key is critical, and the process will typically warn you as such

 

[krose]

I got a pair of these Thinkpads and set them up at the same time. I can find my key in my MS account, but there is no key in hers. Updated BIOS to latest. She was using it when it beeped and shut down. Booted back up and got the bitlocker message. I should add that I have updates disabled on mine but not on hers.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Reinstalling windows is the only real path forward if you don’t have the recovery key.

The real question is whether there’s data to recover. If not, then reinstall. If there is….then try anything to recover

 

[pcgeek11]

Very little chance of any recovery without the Bitlocker Key...

 

[ch33zw1z]

Another thought, if your wife’s laptop is provided by an employer, then contact the admins as the recovery key is likely stored in the account profile on domain server