Bitlocked drive before reboot

Suburban Atlas · 02 Sep 2010

I have a drive on my computer that I encrypted. When I rebooted my system (reinstalled OS and everything), I lost the ability to unlock the drive.

I have my recovery key, but it won't let me access any of the files, and I'm not being prompted to type in a password or anything when trying to view the files. I open the file to unclick the drive encryption, but it just says that I do not have access to the file, which is odd because I am the admin.

How can I remove that encryption after a reboot?

n0th1n9 · 03 Sep 2010

Since the OS was re-installed and the method of unlocking the drive was with the previous install, you're out of luck.

The only thing you can really do is format the HDD and hope that nothing important is lost.

Tip: Set a password that will alow you to unlock the drive, just in case you re-install windows.

Suburban Atlas · 03 Sep 2010

I did re-install windows, and that's why I can't open it. I only locked a portion of a second drive, and after the re-install, I can't access it. I have the recovery key saved still, but it won't let me access any of the items in the drive.
(Sorry, by reboot I meant re-install)

n0th1n9 · 04 Sep 2010

So the Drive wasn't fully encrypted? If you have the key to unlock the second drive you might want to try and just finish the encryption process. I'm not sure if windows will try to finish the encryption while the c: drive is not encrypted so you should encrypt the c: drive again. Hopefully you can finish the job and have access to your files.

Suburban Atlas · 04 Sep 2010

I only chose a folder from my secondary hard drive (non-boot drive) to encrypt. I have the key, and when I right click/properties/advanced/uncheck encrypt, it tells me I need administrator permission. I click continue with the UAC shield, it just says "An error occurred applying attributes to file: (file) Access is Denied . Tried going to BDE, and it doesn't show up as encrypted.

It was on my secondary drive, and I didn't have any other encrypted folders on my computer (On either C or D)

n0th1n9 · 04 Sep 2010

Ok, I think you used the EFS encryption method rather than the bitlocker method. When you say that you have the key, is it the file encryption certificate?

If the key you have backed up looks like this

Bitlocked drive before reboot-efs-key-pic.jpg

never mind the name as you can name it whatever you want. This key is the 'file encryption certificate'. All you will need to do is import the key back onto your computer. Just double click the key press next, type in your password when asked, press next a couple more times and that should be it.

Hopefully this will be the solution to your problem. By the way, you can manage your certificates within control panel > user accounts.

Suburban Atlas · 06 Sep 2010

Went into the control panel to associate the certificate with that folder. Click through it, and it tells me "Some of the files were not updated". Look at the log and it just shows every file and [ERROR] right next to it. It must be EFS, but it won't let me associate the certificate with it.

n0th1n9 · 07 Sep 2010

I'm not sure about associating the certificate. You should actually go to the certificate you backed up and double click it. From there you should follow the instructions that I already gave. I believe this is the only way to import your certificate, as I don't see an option to do so within the certificate manager.