srttrail.txt with bitlocker key and raw formatting

Anonymous
2024-06-25T21:16:29+00:00

Hi!

My colleague asked me to help her with an issue.

She can't boot her Lenovo laptop.

She asked me in the past to help her find out her bitlocker key which we got from her Microsoft account. It did work at that time but this time is different.

After entering the (correct) key, windows tries to repair itself but it fails at (system32) srttrail.txt.

What I tried:

  1. Chkdsk does not work because the disk is formatted in raw
  2. Bootrec.exe /scanos won't find any os (because raw?)
  3. I checked the hardware and everything seems fine
  4. I played around with bios but without success

Basically the bitlocker key is accepted but after that, windows fails to repair because srttrail.txt is (I asume) corrupted?

She's got important data on the laptop and a clean instal would be no option

***moved from Windows / Windows 11 / Recovery and backup***

Windows for business | Windows Client for IT Pros | Devices and deployment | Recovery key

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-07-02T09:48:24+00:00

    Hi ValentinPanda,

    I'm sorry to hear about your colleague's issues with her Lenovo laptop. It sounds like you've already tried a number of standard troubleshooting steps. Given the current status of the drive (formatted in RAW) and the importance of the data on the laptop, here's a systematic approach you could try next:

    1. Connect the Drive to Another Computer

    Since the drive is in RAW format:

    1. Remove the hard drive/SSD from the Lenovo laptop carefully.
    2. Connect it to another computer using a SATA-to-USB adapter or by installing it directly into a desktop computer.

    2. Data Recovery

    To retrieve important data before attempting further repairs:

    1. Use data recovery software:
      • Software like "Recuva", "EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard", "MiniTool Power Data Recovery", or "TestDisk" can help recover data from RAW drives.
      • Install the software on the working computer and scan the RAW drive to recover critical files.

    3. Repair the Drive

    Once the data is safely backed up, you can attempt to repair the drive:

    1. Convert RAW to NTFS (if the drive is actually corrupted):
      • Open Command Prompt as an administrator on the second computer.
      • Use diskpart and list disk to identify the problematic drive.
      • Use select disk x (where x is the number of the RAW drive).
      • Use clean to erase the drive (Note: This will erase all data, ensure that you have backed up all important data first).
      • Use create partition primary and format fs=ntfs quick to convert the drive to NTFS.

    4. Reinstall Drive and Attempt Boot Repair

    Reinstall the drive into the Lenovo laptop and attempt a boot repair:

    1. Create a Windows Installation Media:
      • Use the "Windows Media Creation Tool" to create a bootable USB drive on another computer.
    2. Boot from the USB Drive:
      • Insert the USB drive into the Lenovo laptop and boot from it.
      • Select "Repair your computer", then "Troubleshoot", and then "Advanced options".
      • Try using Startup Repair first.
      • If Startup Repair fails, you can try the Command Prompt to run the following commands:
        bootrec /fixmbr 
        
        bootrec /fixboot 
        
        bootrec /scanos 
        
        bootrec /rebuildbcd 
        

    5. Check for Hardware Issues

    Although you've mentioned that the hardware seems fine, it might be worth running a full diagnostic:

    1. Use Lenovo's built-in diagnostics accessed through the BIOS.
    2. Perform a full scan to ensure there are no underlying hardware issues.

    If all else fails, you may need to consult with a professional data recovery service or IT technician, especially given the importance of the data on the drive.

    Hope it helps.

    Best regards,

    Lei

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2 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-12-03T18:02:27+00:00

    Resetting the OS on the laptop is not good advice. Try harder.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-12-03T23:01:17+00:00

    Solved.

    I am sorry I didn't reply.

    What I did:

    I looked closer at the hardware and checked the connections.

    Then, at some point the computer did find a system restoring point which was made weeks ago. It did not find it before.

    Did that, bitlockerkey was then accepted.

    the hardware did look fine tho....

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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