Corrupt Bitlocker Drive after Windows Update

Hi,
I have a laptop that went into recovery mode after a windows update. Whenever we restart, it prompts for the recovery key. We don't have that and I'm not sure if it was placed on the computer on another drive.

I ran an sfc scan on it and it tells me that it has to be restarted to complete the repairs. Then it prompts for the recovery key again.

I was able to get a password prompt using s Windows os disc and getting tot he command prompt. but it doesn't take. Could this be because the drive is corrupted?

Thanks,
Al

Welcome to the Forum.

A encrypted drive (as Bitlocker) has a partition (M$ reserved) that has the decryption program that opens the C: drive.
When you boot, you are taken to the decryption program that, with the user password, decrypt the drive with a key and windows boots.
When you install Bitlocker it gives you the key, that user should keep on a safe place.

The recovery key that you see is the decryption key. If you don't have it, you won't be able to use the computer. The only option will be to clean the disk and reinstall Windows.

Thank you megahertz.

This laptop was encrypted in 2013. I'm trying to see if it isn't accepting the password because the drive was corrupted after installing patches for Specter and Meltdown. After installing those patches, the computer went into recovery mode, prompting for the recovery key everytime. It keeps trying to do a repair boot. If I run sfc scannow it keeps restarting to finish but never does.

We don't have the recovery key but may have the password. I'm wondering if this issue is due to corruption rather than a bad password.

One approach I thought of is to unlock the drive by pointing towards possible default save location of the key that may be on the computer. Maybe someone made a separate drive to store it on the machine? No luck so far. If it is written down or on a thumb drive we don't know where it is.

My organization is actually willing to spend alot of money to recover the files from this computer if we can't unlock the drive.

Thanks,
Al

Layback bear,

We get our licenses from vendors that work with out organization. I don't know how much they are. Never had to buy any new licenses. I know they are deeply discounted though because of our status. Al

A encrypted drive is intended to be as a safety box. If you don't have the key, it will be almost impossible do open it.
SFC and chkdsk won't work as it can't read the drive.
Very powerful computers (as those on NSA and other security agency) can open by trying billions keys. For mortals like us, it's impossible.
You must look for the key furnished by the time the drive was encrypted.

Thanks. I wasn't sure if I had the key or not, but I finally found the recovery key and was able to get in. Strange thing is, it keeps prompting for the recovery key every time I reboot.

If we hadn't found it, the org was going to spring for 2 grand or so to have it 'hacked'. I don't know if that is even possible myself. I know the iphone's encryption was hacked so why not bitlocker?

Anyway, thanks for your help.
Regards,
Al

My suggestion is to backup the data on an external drive, un encrypt the drive, make the system work normally and encrypt it again.
Remember that HDD and / or SSD's are the most failing equipment s, so a backup is essential. I backup my data every week. Better be safe than sorry.

Hi, right you mean since finding the recovery key right? It wouldn't be possible of course to decrypt it any other way. Some of my colleagues were convinced there is software that can decrypt a bitlocker drive and get the files on it. Have you heard of this?

Megahertz07 said:

My suggestion is to backup the data on an external drive, un encrypt the drive, make the system work normally and encrypt it again.
Remember that HDD and / or SSD's are the most failing equipment s, so a backup is essential. I backup my data every week. Better be safe than sorry.

As I wrote, very powerful computers (as those on NSA and other security agency) can open by trying billions keys. For mortals like us, it's impossible.