Assistance with BitLocker

Question

As a technician for <removed>, a customer has approached me with a dead Surface Pro. She removed the M.2 to back up her documents but it now asks for a BitLocker key, which she has no idea about. What are her options to resolve this issue?

Answer 1

Hi @Billy Dibler ,

without the Bitlocker Key or Bitlocker Recovery Key the data on the disk are lost.

Finding your BitLocker recovery key in Windows

There is no workaround to get the data encrypted if the Bitlocker Recovery Key isn't available.

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Regards

Andreas Baumgarten

Answer 2

Hello The BitLocker key is a security feature in Windows that provides encryption for the drive. If the Surface Pro is asking for a BitLocker key, it means the system has detected a security risk and is requiring the key to unlock the drive.   Here are some options to recover the BitLocker key:   Microsoft Account: If the customer used a Microsoft account on her Surface Pro, the BitLocker key might be stored there. She can access it by going to the Microsoft account page on another device.   Printout or USB flash drive: The BitLocker key might have been printed or saved on a USB flash drive when BitLocker was activated.   Work or School Account: If the Surface Pro was ever signed into an organization using a work or school email account, the recovery key may be stored in that organization’s Azure AD account.   System Administrator: If the device is connected to a domain (usually a work or school device), a system administrator might have the recovery key.   If the BitLocker key cannot be found, the device will need to be reset, which will remove all files. It’s important to note that Microsoft support is unable to provide or recreate a lost BitLocker recovery key.   In the future, it’s recommended to back up the BitLocker recovery key in a safe place. This could be in a Microsoft account, a USB flash drive, or printed out and stored securely.