Reinstalling Windows7 on pc which isn't booting with Bitlocked drives

[Sakar Thapa]

My laptop suddenly crashed yesterday and when I restarted it, it says "windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or corrupt" error 0xc000009 . I tried to do System Repair using Windows 7 CD but since 2 of my drives (not the C system drive but E & F drives that I had previously partitioned), it asked me for the bitlocker key. Unfortunately, I lost the flash drive I had my keys saved on. So I was thinking of fully re-uninstalling Windows if that is possible. But I want to make sure that the 2 drives E & F will be normally usable by unlocking those drives using the password since I have 2 years of my works there and I have no back up of those files. So, if I re-installed Windows, do I have to take the risk of having to format those 2 drives afterwards? I don't even know how I got this error in the first place. I hadn't messed with any files on the C drive at all.
Nervously waiting for help.

 

[gregrocker]

I know of no way to recover your files if you lose your Bitlocker key.

To try on the OS HD Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start or to do a Clean Reinstall you should unplug all other HD's anyway, so whether you later format them is a separate issue.

The lesson here is obviously to have a backup of both your files and your encryption key. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/210058-bitlocker-drive-encryption-unlock-locked-os-drive.html

 

[Kaktussoft]

"windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or corrupt" error 0xc000009 .

Try http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html so go back in time.
Also possible by tapping F8 at boot=>repair your computer. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/666-advanced-boot-options.html

 

[Sakar Thapa]

Thankful for the help. I don't exactly know what I did but I'm fine for now. Do you guys know how I can regenerate the bitlocker key files?

 

[gregrocker]

• How to Unlock a Data or Removable Drive Locked by BitLocker Drive Encryption
• How to Turn BitLocker On or Off without a TPM for Windows 7 Drive
• How to Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection on Windows 7 Drive
• How to Create a Windows 7 BitLocker Drive Encryption Shortcut