Locked D: Partition After Fresh Windows 11 Install – Seeking Unlock Solutions

Hello Everyone,

I recently refreshed Windows 11 on my HP laptop. Before doing so, my hard drive was partitioned into C: and D: drives—C: contained the operating system, and all my important data was stored on the D: partition.

During the refresh, I formatted only the C: drive and performed a clean installation of Windows, leaving the D: drive untouched. However, after the installation, I'm now unable to access the D: drive—it shows as locked, and I don't have the key or credentials required to unlock it.

I’m concerned about losing the data on the D: drive and would like guidance on how to unlock it without data loss. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

The key should (hopefully) be under your Microsoft account.
If not then there’s no way to unlock it - unless others have any different options.

Building on Bastet's reply. The assumption is you sign into your device with a Microsoft account. If that is true then 'device encryption' is enabled by default which is essentially a simplified version of Bitlocker for home users. As Bastet stated the recovery keys will be stored in your MS account. This is where you can find those keys https://aka.ms/myrecoverykey

If you don't have the key, there is no work around or backdoor unfortunately.

I never setup any bit locker option on my old windows install. I always setup my windows using my local account not with Microsoft account. Do consider this situation as I lost key. Please advise accordingly.

ms250151 said:

I always setup my windows using my local account not with Microsoft account.

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Make sure Microsoft hasn't "appropriated" a sign in account from MSOffice, MS Edge or somewhere else. Actually check each, just don't think you haven't done it

Have you got a MS account? Sign in and see what happens

What happens when you try to run the decryption option (Control Panel and/or Windows Settings)

ms250151 said:

I never setup any bit locker option on my old windows install

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Can be the default now, depending on version, install method, et al

ms250151 said:

Do consider this situation as I lost key

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Irretrievable

EDIT
Another example of why to remove all non-system partitions and/or drives before doing a clean install. Unfortunately, maybe too late in this case.

EDIT 2
And having a backup of the old system and data, no matter what poor shape it may have been in, before an upgrade

Is it possible to use my hard drive as an external drive on another computer and retrieve the data from it?

No, if it's encrypted you need that key to get the data

ms250151 said:

Is it possible to use my hard drive as an external drive on another computer and retrieve the data from it?

Click to expand...

What attempts/investigations have you made to decrypt it?

Has it asked for a decrypt login? Are you signed in ANYWHERE with an account, MS or otherwise?

You have done something to cause the encryption. You need to find out what and you can decrypt it.