Endless Bitlocker Loop


EpicTX

New member
Local time
6:53 AM
Posts
4
OS
Windows 11
I can back to my HP Laptop to find the Bitlocker Blue screen requesting my Key.
I enter my key and the system goes through Diagnosing your PC, than Repairing Disk Errors . This might take over an hour to complete, Preparing Automatic Repair and returned to BLUE Screen.
I have gone into BIOS and turned off and on Security Boot. And Cleared TPM.

Same result.

I ran sfc /scannow -- It said it made repairs, restarted PC and right back to Blue Bitlocker scree.
I tried to use the command prompt to turn off Bitlocker, but it said it couldn't.

Originally the status was as follows:
Size: Unknown
Conversion Status : Unknown
Percentage Encrypted: Unknown
Protection Status : Protection On
Lock Status: Locked

But now after everything I have done the Status is:

Bitlocker Version 2.0
Conversion Status: Used Space on Encrypted
Percentage Encrypted: 100%
Encryption Method: XTS-AES 128
Protection Status: Protection off
Lock Status: unlocked
Identification Field: Unknown
Automatic Unlock: Disabled

This seems like an improvement, BUT when I reboot it is in an endless diagnostics , repairing loop
Diagnosing your PC, than Repairing Disk Errors . This might take over an hour to complete, Preparing Automatic Repair and DOESN'T return to the Blue screen.



Is my HDD just toast? Or is this a recoverable Bitlocker issues?

Thanks,
Ed
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    I5
If you are running Home edition you do not have bitlocker but what's called device encryption which encrypts ALL drives connected to the system. From the factory, or when windows is clean installed, or when Windows is upgraded or repaired, all drives connected to the device are encrypted automatically.

How did your have your bitlocker key backed up, manually written down somewhere or did you create s bitlocker recover yusb?
If you are manually entering the key maybe you recorded the key incorrectly. Have you checked your MS account. If the key is stored there make sure it's the same key that you are entering. Verifying the recovery key is of utmost importance. Look under "Devices" Microsoft account | Sign In or Create Your Account Today – Microsoft

If you are indeed entering the correct key but still can't access it , the drive can be put into an external enclosure and plugged into another machine to see if the correct key will be accepted there. If it is, and you access the drive and get to your data, you can use that machine to test the drive itself as well as backup your data to external media using copy and paste.
(NOTE: if you can see the data but not access it from another machine, you may have to take ownership of your personal folders)

If the drive tests good, you can clean install windows on the drive. If this be the end result, I suggest you create your recovery media using Rufus which can bypass the automatic bitlocker device encryption feature.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4652
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2x1tb Solidigm m.2 nvme /External drives 512gb Samsung m.2 sata+2tb Kingston m2.nvme
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    #1 Edge #2 Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4061
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink Mini PC SER5
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 6800U
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    integrated
    Sound Card
    integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial nvme
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    still too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    System 3 is non compliant Dell 9020 i7-4770/24gb ram Win11 PRO 26100.4061
If you are running Home edition you do not have bitlocker but what's called device encryption which encrypts ALL drives connected to the system. From the factory, or when windows is clean installed, or when Windows is upgraded or repaired, all drives connected to the device are encrypted automatically.

How did your have your bitlocker key backed up, manually written down somewhere or did you create s bitlocker recover yusb?
If you are manually entering the key maybe you recorded the key incorrectly. Have you checked your MS account. If the key is stored there make sure it's the same key that you are entering. Verifying the recovery key is of utmost importance. Look under "Devices" Microsoft account | Sign In or Create Your Account Today – Microsoft

If you are indeed entering the correct key but still can't access it , the drive can be put into an external enclosure and plugged into another machine to see if the correct key will be accepted there. If it is, and you access the drive and get to your data, you can use that machine to test the drive itself as well as backup your data to external media using copy and paste.
(NOTE: if you can see the data but not access it from another machine, you may have to take ownership of your personal folders)

If the drive tests good, you can clean install windows on the drive. If this be the end result, I suggest you create your recovery media using Rufus which can bypass the automatic bitlocker device encryption feature.
I am now at the point where I think windows on the HDD is toast, so I am trying to boot from USB. But I keep getting a window that says "Install driver to show Hardware" Not sure what this is talking about -- the HDD, the USB??
I just want to see if I can boot up windows and access any of my files on the HDD.

Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    I5
so I am trying to boot from USB
What kind of usb? Is it a windows install usb drive? A recovery usb drive created by some 3rd party imaging application recovery media?
Give a little more info.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4652
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2x1tb Solidigm m.2 nvme /External drives 512gb Samsung m.2 sata+2tb Kingston m2.nvme
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    #1 Edge #2 Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4061
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink Mini PC SER5
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 6800U
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    integrated
    Sound Card
    integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial nvme
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    still too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    System 3 is non compliant Dell 9020 i7-4770/24gb ram Win11 PRO 26100.4061
What kind of usb? Is it a windows install usb drive? A recovery usb drive created by some 3rd party imaging application recovery media?
Give a little more info.
I created the windows boot USB from an ISO file and ran it through RUFUS. Just using one of the USB ports on the HP CN0053CI laptop
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    I5
I created the windows boot USB from an ISO file and ran it through RUFUS
In rufus, did you check the box to disable device encryption?

I keep getting a window that says "Install driver to show Hardware" Not sure what this is talking about -- the HDD, the USB??
I just want to see if I can boot up windows and access any of my files on the HDD.

You can try booting from the usb by bringing up the boot men. From a cold start, try tapping F9. If that doesn't bring up the menu, try the ESC key.
From the boot menu select your usb drive. If neither of these keys bring up a boot menu, you will have to change bios to show the usb as first boot device. The iso on the usb drive must be of the same version of Windows that is on the device.

I just want to see if I can boot up windows and access any of my files on the HDD.
You can't access files in this manner. The drive is bitlocked;
Before you can do anything with the files on that drive, it has to be unlocked....period. No exceptions. It doesn't matter who tries to access that drive.
The files can not be accessed. by anyone, anywhere without the key.

Did you do what I said.....verify the encryption key in your Microsoft account?.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4652
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2x1tb Solidigm m.2 nvme /External drives 512gb Samsung m.2 sata+2tb Kingston m2.nvme
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    #1 Edge #2 Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4061
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink Mini PC SER5
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 6800U
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    integrated
    Sound Card
    integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial nvme
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    still too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    System 3 is non compliant Dell 9020 i7-4770/24gb ram Win11 PRO 26100.4061
In rufus, did you check the box to disable device encryption?



You can try booting from the usb by bringing up the boot men. From a cold start, try tapping F9. If that doesn't bring up the menu, try the ESC key.
From the boot menu select your usb drive. If neither of these keys bring up a boot menu, you will have to change bios to show the usb as first boot device. The iso on the usb drive must be of the same version of Windows that is on the device.


You can't access files in this manner. The drive is bitlocked;
Before you can do anything with the files on that drive, it has to be unlocked....period. No exceptions. It doesn't matter who tries to access that drive.
The files can not be accessed. by anyone, anywhere without the key.

Did you do what I said.....verify the encryption key in your Microsoft account?.
Yea, I had the key on my Microsoft account. But now I think it's a moot point. I think the drive finally kicked the bucket. Once I created a window's install correctly on the USB, the PC wouldn't see the Hard Drive as a place to install Windows, it only sees the USB. I ordered a new drive.
Thanks,
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    I5
he PC wouldn't see the Hard Drive as a place to install Windows,
Most time the drive is not recognized during install because your disk mode is set to RAID.
Either install the Intel Rapid Storage storage controller driver (IRST) during the install process Or my preference is to change disk mode to AHCI rather than RAID which will use Windows default storage controller driver. Then the install process will then see the drive.
Please see this tutorial. This is explained in step 10.

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4652
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2x1tb Solidigm m.2 nvme /External drives 512gb Samsung m.2 sata+2tb Kingston m2.nvme
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    #1 Edge #2 Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4061
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink Mini PC SER5
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 6800U
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    integrated
    Sound Card
    integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial nvme
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    still too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    System 3 is non compliant Dell 9020 i7-4770/24gb ram Win11 PRO 26100.4061

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