Can't turn back Bitlocker on again, getting (the data is invalid ) error

Hi all, First time poster, long time lurker. (I hope i am posting in the right section)

As the title says, i can not turn bitlocker back on. To make this short i will stick to what I have and what I did.

I upgraded the Laptop even if it wasn't supposed to due to CPU limitation, all other requirements were available (TPM..etc)

I have HP elite x2 1012 g2 with dualboot Windows 11 pro + Linux mint.

Everything was working fine and Bitlocker was on.

I noticed one day that my laptop was not shutting down, but instead it was restarting and won't hibernate when the battery level is critical and drain the battery to Zero, which led to some problem like having to enter Bitlocker key when starting windows.

I was trying to figure the problem out and turned off Bitlocker but it did not help and when i tried to turn it on again, i faced this error.

I tried resetting the TPM and finally I reset Windows itself, just to find that it is a bug with HP laptops and found the solution for it in BIOS.

But now i am stuck with the same Bitlocker Error.

Other solutions i tried:
sfc/scannow
chkdsk
manage-bde status

and all of them were okay. Any other solutions or suggestions to try? I am stuck with this problem since May.
Thanks in advance.

natalex said:

manage-bde status

Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum.

I believe that is a 2 in 1 device. When using bde, did you use this command? manage-bde.exe -forcerecovery
If so, check this MS article to see if it applies to you. It may not. Go to section named: Tablet devices don't support using manage-bde.exe -forcerecovery

Other than that, the only thing I can suggest is to clean install windows, deleting all partitions on the drive during the install process and windows is installed on unallocated space..

Thanks a lot for your reply :) glad to be here.

glasskuter said:

manage-bde.exe -forcerecovery

Click to expand...

Yes correct, it is a 2in1 device. And I did not try this command before because from my understand, next time the computer restarts, it will boot into the BitLocker recovery environment, and prompted me to enter the recovery key, but I am sure If it will be the same one used last time before disabling Bitlocker? I couldn't find any info on this online.

glasskuter said:

clean install windows, deleting all partitions on the drive during the install process and windows is installed on unallocated space

Click to expand...

Ultimately this is the last solution that I will be doing but dreading, and I'm still trying to find the best way to save an image of my linux mint with all the modification/setting I did, before wiping everything out.

I am hoping to find a solution here that will make me avoid all of that.

natalex said:

I'm still trying to find the best way to save an image of my linux mint with all the modification/setting

Click to expand...

See if this applies to your case. I found this over on Ubuntu forum and sounds like it would work for your situation. Whether it will work in your case or not, I can not say, but the process sounds reasonable.
It involves using a Macrium Reflect WinRE recovery usb drive to image ONLY the Linux partition. To create this usb recovery drive you would need to install Macrium in a working Windows computer. Macrium works with Linux partitions only if Linux file system is Ext 2,3,4. You can download a free 30 day trial of the newest edition of Macrium directly from Macrium. Scroll down here.

OR You can download the older free version here. Download Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - MajorGeeks

Then after a clean install of Windows,(deleting all partitions during install process and installing windows on unallocated space and using the incompatible hardware workaround) you would have to use disk management (or Preferably Minitool Partition Wizard) to reduce the Windows partition to allow for your Linux partition. Make sure the space you allow is larger than the size of your image since the image is compressed. Using Macrum boot disk restore the Linux partition image you made to that space. Then using a Live Linux boot disk (of the same distro you had) you can reinstall grub. Instructions are in the following post. Restore a linux partition image (by Macrium Reflect) after HDD format
Note: I believe to use these usb boot drives you will need to turn secure boot off.


Things to know about Macrium and imaging/cloning Linux partitions. Cloning and Imaging Linux File Systems | Macrium Software

I wish I could offer a simpler solution but I'm a total Linux noob. I've only ever used it as a live usb.
Since this is a Windows forum,you might get more direct help on how to recover your Linux by posting on one of the Linux forums. They would definitely know more than I do. Good luck.

PS -- I strongly recommend that once you get your mess straightened out that you install Macrium and make a full system image and continue to make images at reasonable intervals. Had you already made one you all this would have been easier.

Thanks again for your reply answer. I do know Macrium Reflect and I had it installed before I reset the PC.
I made a backup of windows but I lost my USB while moving recently.
I did not know that I can use Macrium Reflect to save an image of linux.

Will try this solution and report back.

Any chance you have an answer to this?

natalex said:

prompted me to enter the recovery key, but I am sure If it will be the same one used last time before disabling Bitlocker?

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for your help so far Mama Glass :)

The recovery key should be stored in your MS account. It should be the same as before but if not check here Finding your BitLocker recovery key in Windows - Microsoft Support

You should be able to image the Linux partition outside of windows using the Macrium recovery usb drive.