I am trying to format my microsd that was locked by bitlocker but it won't allow me.

مارك بورا 0 Reputation points
2023-07-14T07:46:13.13+00:00

Hi I have a problem with my microsd.

Here is the fact:

  1. Microsd bitlocker was enabled and used all available disk space.
  2. Tried diskpart but failed.
  3. Tried manage-bde, trun off but failed.

So far here is what i did.

Using manage-bde

C:\Windows\System32>manage-bde -off g:
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.22621
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

ERROR: An error occurred (code 0x8007001f):
A device attached to the system is not functioning.


C:\Windows\System32>manage-bde -protectors -delete G:
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.22621
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Volume G: []
All Key Protectors

    Password:
      ID: {00A119A0-F697-40A8-A3BC-30B9ACAFF200}

    Numerical Password:
      ID: {002C67DA-5424-42BA-96A7-F700D837CC00}
      Password:
        000713-312103-086559-578644-173954-158554-380292-714600

ERROR: An error occurred while deleting the key protector.
The BitLocker metadata for the encrypted drive is not valid. You can attempt to repair the drive to restore access.


C:\Windows\System32>manage-bde -ForceRecovery G:
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.22621
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

No changes needed to force recovery for volume G:.

Only a recovery password or recovery key can unlock volume G:.

C:\Windows\System32>manage-bde -status G:
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.22621
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Volume G: []
[Data Volume]

    Size:                 119.74 GB
    BitLocker Version:    2.0
    Conversion Status:    Used Space Only Encrypted
    Percentage Encrypted: 100.0%
    Encryption Method:    AES 128
    Protection Status:    Protection On
    Lock Status:          Unlocked
    Identification Field: Unknown
    Automatic Unlock:     Disabled
    Key Protectors:
        Password
        Numerical Password

Using diskpart

C:\Windows\System32>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.22621.1

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: MPURA-PC0Y23BQ

DISKPART> list disk

  Disk ###  Status         Size     Free     Dyn  Gpt
  --------  -------------  -------  -------  ---  ---
  Disk 3    Online          119 GB      0 B

DISKPART> select disk 3

Disk 3 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> clean

DiskPart has encountered an error: Access is denied.
See the System Event Log for more information.

DISKPART> list disk

  Disk ###  Status         Size     Free     Dyn  Gpt
  --------  -------------  -------  -------  ---  ---
* Disk 3    Online          119 GB      0 B

DISKPART> clean

DiskPart has encountered an error: Access is denied.
See the System Event Log for more information.

DISKPART> list partition

  Partition ###  Type              Size     Offset
  -------------  ----------------  -------  -------
  Partition 1    Primary            119 GB  1024 KB

DISKPART> select partition 1

Partition 1 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> delete partition

The partition you selected to delete contains a volume that has been encrypted with BitLocker Drive Encryption.
If you delete the partition, all data in the volume will be lost.
To proceed with the deletion, run DELETE again using the OVERRIDE parameter.

DISKPART> delete partition override

DiskPart successfully deleted the selected partition.

DISKPART> list partition

  Partition ###  Type              Size     Offset
  -------------  ----------------  -------  -------
  Partition 1    Primary            119 GB  1024 KB

DISKPART> list volume

  Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
  ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  --------
  Volume 8     G                exFAT  Removable    119 GB  Healthy

DISKPART> select volume 8

Volume 8 is the selected volume.

DISKPART> delete volume

The volume you selected to delete has been encrypted with BitLocker Drive Encryption.
If you delete the volume, all data will be lost.
To proceed with the deletion, run DELETE again using the OVERRIDE parameter.

DISKPART> delete volume override

DiskPart successfully deleted the volume.

DISKPART> list volume

  Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info
  ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  --------
  Volume 0     C   System       NTFS   Partition    223 GB  Healthy    Boot
  Volume 1         EFI          FAT32  Partition    260 MB  Healthy    System
  Volume 2         Recovery     NTFS   Partition   3072 MB  Healthy    Hidden
  Volume 3                      RAW    Partition     30 GB  Healthy
  Volume 4     E   T5-EXFAT     exFAT  Partition    450 GB  Healthy
  Volume 5     F   T5-NTFS      NTFS   Partition    451 GB  Healthy
  Volume 6     D   Ventoy       NTFS   Removable     59 GB  Healthy
  Volume 7     H   VTOYEFI      FAT    Removable     32 MB  Healthy
  Volume 8     G                exFAT  Removable    119 GB  Healthy

DISKPART>

Using format and fdisk

C:\Windows\System32>format g: /q
Insert new disk for drive G:
and press ENTER when ready...
The type of the file system is EXFAT.
QuickFormatting 119.7 GB
BitLocker encryption and the encrypted data on the volume has been removed.
You may enable BitLocker again after formatting is complete.
Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)? Test
Invalid media or Track 0 bad - disk unusable.
Format failed.

C:\Windows\System32>chkdsk g: /f/v
The type of the file system is exFAT.
Volume Serial Number is 68BD-18D9
Windows is verifying files and folders...
0 percent completed.
56 percent completed.
64 percent completed.
79 percent completed.
100 percent completed.
50 percent completed.
File and folder verification is complete.

Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems.
No further action is required.

 125560832 KB total disk space.
  50104192 KB in 4756 files.
     66816 KB in 522 indexes.
         0 KB in bad sectors.
       256 KB in use by the system.
  75389568 KB available on disk.

    131072 bytes in each allocation unit.
    980944 total allocation units on disk.
    588981 allocation units available on disk.


Now every time I delete the partition it always come back after I re-inserted it. all the files remained intact even despite I used diskpart or manually deleted the files.

I even tried linux and is always detecting it as bitlocker. even if i use gparted it is always the same behaviour.

How do i remove the bitlocker fs? How do i force format my microsd card?

Thanks,

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  1. Limitless Technology 44,516 Reputation points
    2023-07-17T13:45:31.57+00:00

    Hello,

    If you're having trouble removing the BitLocker encryption from your microSD card and formatting it, you can try the following steps:

    Ensure you have administrative privileges: Make sure you are logged in to your computer with an account that has administrative rights. This will allow you to perform the necessary actions.

    Use DiskPart in Windows:

    Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.

    Type "diskpart" and press Enter to open the DiskPart command-line utility.

    If prompted for administrative access, click "Yes".

    Type "list disk" and press Enter to view the list of available disks. Identify your microSD card based on its size.

    Type "select disk X" (replace X with the disk number of your microSD card) and press Enter.

    Type "clean" and press Enter to remove all partitions and data on the selected disk.

    Type "exit" and press Enter to exit DiskPart.

    Use Disk Management in Windows:

    Press Win + X and select "Disk Management" from the menu.

    Locate your microSD card in the list of drives.

    Right-click on the microSD card and select "Delete Volume" or "Format". Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

    Use third-party partitioning software:

    If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can try using third-party partitioning software such as EaseUS Partition Master, MiniTool Partition Wizard, or GParted (in Linux). These tools often provide more advanced options for managing partitions and formatting drives.

    Remember to exercise caution and double-check that you're performing operations on the correct disk to avoid accidentally deleting important data. If the issue persists or you're unable to format the microSD card, it's possible that the card may be experiencing a hardware failure, in which case you may need to replace it.

    I used AI provided by ChatGPT to formulate part of this response. I have verified that the information is accurate before sharing it with you.

    Hope this resolves your Query !!

    --If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept it as an answer–

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