Bitlocker Encryption Recovery Key Lost

Question

Hello Everyone.

I have one laptop purchased by dell there was Bitlocker encryption enabled now there was any update from the windows after restarting it's asking for me Bitlocker key what i don't know my question is Bitlocker was configured only in C drive suppose if i format C to re-install the OS is it going to erase the data from other partitions as well? Like I have data in D drive but there was not any Bitlocker encryption. My question is very simple there is only one drive I mean one hard disk with two partitions suppose if i format C because of bitlokcer encryption is it going to erase data from D as well?

Answer 1

Hi. Thank you for your question and reaching out. I’d be more than happy to help you with your query

Nope, formatting the C drive won't delete any data from the D drive. BitLocker encryption only affects the drive it's installed on, so formatting the C drive won't have any impact on the D drive's data. However, it's important to keep in mind that formatting the C drive will erase the BitLocker encryption key, making it impossible to access the data on the C drive without the BitLocker recovery key.

If the reply was helpful, please don’t forget to upvote or accept as answer, thank you.

Answer 2

As the config looks in the screenshot, the D: drive is also encrypted by Bitlocker (lock status:locked)

Also look here:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/ie/en-US/02dd1cb3-eda8-4e4f-b96e-ae2e14efb7b7/in-bitlocker-whats-the-difference-between-quotprotection-statusquot-and-quotlock?forum=w7itprosecurity

Official DELL support site for bitlocker encrypted systems:

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/de-de/000124361/bitlocker-is-prompting-for-a-recovery-key-and-you-cannot-locate-the-key?lang=en

Another option is to to try this command in the WIN-RE cmd:

manage-bde -unlock C: -rp <recovery password>

But you need to know your initial set password